Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Ars Gratia Pecunia



Courtesy of the latest issue of MOJO Magazine, I note that ace songwriter Artie Wayne has some interesting things to say on the use of certain popular songs in contemporary TV commercials.

"Take “Viva Viagra”…please. If my late friends, Doc Pomus and Morty Shuman, who wrote “Viva Las Vegas”, were alive today, I’m sure they would be amused by the lyric, but I doubt if they would have ever given permission for it to be used...

When I see the Seabond ad for denture adhesive using one of my favorite oldies, “Bye, Bye Love”, with new lyrics that include, “Bye Bye, ooziness”, I fight throwing my bong at the TV!...

Finally, the one that really gets to me the most, is the Barclay’s ad that features “What The World Needs Now Is Love”. Maybe it’s because the song has such a strong significance for me. It was a song my friend, Jackie DeShannon, sang to me from the studio as she was recording it, after I had open heart surgery -- it's one of the most inspiring songs ever written..."


Heh heh. You can read the rest here.

7 comments:

Noam Sane said...

New Mojo? Off to B&N!

I really need to subscribe. Pissed that I missed the second half of the White Album 2-parter.

Steve, can you send me yours?

steve simels said...

Noam -- not sure if I kept it. I'll look and get back to you....

Noam Sane said...

Also, if you have a spare copy of the new "Touch of Evil" DVD.

Actually, I'll just email you a list.

Or you could send money. Tens and twenties are best.

steve simels said...

Nobody likes a wiseguy.
:-)

Seriously -- if I still have the CD it's yours.

Anonymous said...

Buckner's Law of Commercial Spin-Offs:
If you use your song that is supposed to be brimming with Truth and Integrity to sell cat food, then I reserve the right to make fun of you. That said, this kind of shit doesn't bother me nearly as much as it used to. I don't blame a band - particularly a young band - for taking the easy buck - God knows that most of them aren't making anything from CDs these days. (But doesn't Peter Townshend have enough money? Sheesh...)
- bill buckner

Anonymous said...

I only have two words to say on this topic: "Our Country."

TMink said...

NEVER throw your bong at the tv in disgust.

Bongs smell too much when the break.

Only throw seeds.

Trey