Pondering last week’s posting on boomer music used in TV commercials got Mister Boomer to thinking a bit more on the subject. Besides, it was always a trait of boomers to grab on to a tangent and take it beyond its logical conclusion. To paraphrase Procul Harem, Mister B has decided to “write it down, it might be sung, nothing’s better left undone.”
In that spirit, then, here are a couple of dozen songs from the Boomer Era (in no particular order) paired with brand products that Mister B thinks could be fun, or at least ironic, if used in a TV commercial:
TIE: White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane –OR– Easy to Be Hard by Three Dog Night — Viagara
“Feed your head,” indeed!
Taking Care of Business by Bachman Turner Overdrive — Metamucil
Love the One You’re With by Stephen Stills — Cialis
Stuck In the Middle With You by Stealers Wheel — Kraft Miracle Whip
You Really Got Me by the Kinks — Tide Stain Release
Till There Was You by the Beatles — Beltone hearing aid
Shop Around by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles — Progressive Insurance
Big Bad John by Jimmy Dean — Cadillac Escalade
Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys — Duracell batteries
Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell — I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
You Keep Me Hangin’ On by Vanilla Fudge — 3M Scotch Tape
I Get Around by the Beach Boys — Hoveround senior mobility vehicle
You Don’t Own Me by Lesley Gore — Rent-A-Center
Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley — Black Flag Roach Motel
Fortunate Son by Credence Clearwater Revival — U.S. Army
The Race Is On by Jack Jones — Taco Bell
Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground — Your Daily Newspaper Sunday subscription
Crystal Blue Persuasion by Tommy James and The Shondells — Vanish toilet bowl cleaner
If I Had a Hammer by Peter, Paul and Mary — Stanley tools
Whiter Shade of Pale by Procul Harem — Coppertone tanning lotion
Angel of the Morning by Merrilee Rush — Oil of Olay
The Night Has a Thousand Eyes by Bobby Vee — ADT home security service
Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin — Pillsbury crescent rolls
We Shall Overcome by Joan Baez — Glade air freshener
Of course, the real irony is that in a time when songs by The Who are being used to front a series of TV shows, several of these songs have already made their commercial debut with other real products.
What do you think, boomers? Do you have an interesting pairing to add to the list?
How about:
“Secret Asian (Agent) Man” for whatever was the “ancient Chinese secret!?!
“Judy in Disguise” or “These Eyes” for LEnscrafters…
“Wipeout” by the Surfari’s for White-Out!?!
“Doctor, Doctor give me the news, I gotta bad case of lovin’ you” for whatever that tramp takes for genital herpes?!!?
“Wishin’ and Hopin’ ” by Dionne Warwick for the Motor City Casino?!?
“Centerfold” for Playboy Magazine?!?
Grace Slick singing anything for BP?