The Beatles Sell Shoes?

Did the Beatles sell out? Did they really compromise their artistic integrity just to put a couple extra million dollars into their pockets? Did they, and do their Estates continue to allow Advertisers and Big Business to use many of their compositions simply to make money?

Remember those quaint commercial jingles that were so catchy? Like “I’m a Pepper, you’re a pepper” for selling the soft drink Dr. Pepper, the famous McDonalds “You Deserve A Break Today” tune and “Mmmm, Mmmm Good!” sold lots of Campbell soup, just to name a few.

The creative and original commercial jingles such as those mentioned above, are going the way of the Dodo bird; giving way to this relatively new fad of using already established songs for advertising. These days, nearly every time you hear a song along with a television commercial, that song is a pop tune. This puts many of the commercial jingle writers out of work and devalues the meaning of some of the classic songs we all love.

This practice has continued and increased at an alarming rate. Now to the point where the songs of popular music artists are used almost exclusively and the art of jingle-writing has all but vanished.

My first experience occurred in 1987 when I heard the Beatles classic “Revolution” come over the television, the purpose: selling Nike tennis shoes!

Over the years, more Beatles songs have been exploited in order to sell products and promote industry. “All You Need Is Love” was used in 2006 to help promote Chase credit cards, and most recently it was changed, no pun intended, to “All You Need Is Luvs” in order to sell Luvs Brand diapers!

All kinds of products are sold in this fashion. Cars are a popular one. Including Led Zeppelin selling Cadillac’s with their song “Rock and Roll”; Bob Segar pushing Chevy trucks with his song “Like a Rock”; and the Clash singing “London Calling” to promote Jaguars.

All types of musical genres are used in this vain: Rock n’ Roll, Motown, Hip Hop, even show tunes, to sell things like computer software, TVs, clothes and even medications for those suffering from erectile dysfunction!

Some musicians fight against their songs being used to sell product. Neil Young is one who went so far as to write and record a song called, “This Note’s For You” in 1988. This was in response to Michael Jackson allowing the Beatles “Revolution” to be used to sell shoes. At that time, Jackson had owned the majority of the Beatles catalog and not the Fab Four. Due to Michael Jackson’s current financial situation, he may soon be forced to sell the estimated $750 million catalog. In the music video version of Young’s “This Note’s For You”, Neil satires Michael Jackson and Big Business who exploit musicians.

Other bands such as The Who (“Bargain”, “Won’t Get Fooled Again) and The Rolling Stones (“Start Me Up”, “She’s a Rainbow”) have made lots of money by allowing these songs to be used to sell products. Either because they were starving artists at the time and needed the cash, or to simply cash in on the phenomenon.

Back in August of 1993, Stephen Stills was quoted as saying, “There comes a point where that stuff doesn’t seem so important. It’s about the 2,500th time that you sing that same song, where you finally do not care anymore. And also when you get the bill from the University to pay for your kid’s education. I just don’t take myself that seriously anymore. Now I’m in a place where once you write the song, it belongs to the Universe.”

Yours truly is of the mindset that certain songs are to be left alone, hands off! They have and continue to serve a higher purpose than selling paper towels or condoms. Some songs (e.g., “Imagine“ by John Lennon or “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield) have a deeper meaning and connection to one’s soul. Hence, they should be respected as such.

Would you put a picture of Jesus Christ or an image of the American Flag on a carton of toilet paper, just to make a buck? There are other ways to earn a living without degrading those things we hold deepest to our hearts.

How do you feel? What do these songs mean to you? Do they hold a special place in your heart for whatever reason? Are you reminded of a wedding, a painful breakup, taking part in a political protest or because it was played at your best friends funeral; when you hear a certain song?

Soon, in 2012 or so, all bets are off for many artists, including the Beatles, when their copy written protected material enters the Public Domain.

Then the revolution really begins!

Here’s a list of some other songs used in commercials:

AC/DC, “Back In Black”, the Gap

CSN&Y, “Carry On”, Sony

Johnny Cash, “I Walk the Line”, Levis

Lou Reed, “Walk On the Wild Side”, Honda

Madonna, “Ray of Light”, Microsoft

Rare Earth, "I Just Want To Celebrate", Gatorade

Sting, “Desert Rose”, Jaguar

The Band, “The Weight”, Cingular

The Doors, “Light My Fire”, Buick

The Sound of Music (original cast), "So Long, Farewell", KIA

The Spinners, "I'll Be Around", Ameriquest

The Ronettes, "Be My Baby", Cialis

Tennessee Ernie Ford, "Sixteen Tons", GE