Nooooooooo! Say It Isn't So!

It happens all the time, popular songs adapted for TV and radio commercials.  Sometimes they're good, sometimes they're not.  Sometimes the commercial never gets made; for example, the Preparation H commercial that wanted to use Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire".  Thankfully Cash's family stepped in and said no to it.

There are a few songs that were used in commercials when my son was little, that until he got older, he didn't know the real titles to them; he knew them by what they were selling on TV.  "La Bamba" was always the "popcorn song", because it was used in a commercial for that product.  Likewise, the Rivieras "California Sun" was known as the "Mickey Mouse" song, because it was used in a commercial for Disneyland.

Over the years, I've liked some of these commercials and others I've cringed at the choice of music.  Until this past week however, I've never had a commercial hit so close to home with me.  Yes, "Free Ride" by the Edgar Winter Group definitely got my attention, but nothing like this latest commercial.

Nissan is advertising their "Summer Savings Days", by using the song "Summer Nights' from the movie, "Grease".  No, no, no!  Not my favorite song from my all-time favorite movie!  I'm never going to be able to hear the song the same way ever again!  ACK!

Actually, it's not that bad; just took me by surprise the first time I saw it.  Made me feel a bit old also, because more and more of the songs I grew up with are being used in ads.  Sigh....

As a side note, while looking for the Nissan commercial on YouTube, to use in this post, I ran across another semi-parody of "Summer Nights", that made me laugh.  It uses the original soundtrack of the song; however, the actors in the movie scene have been replaced with Legos!

I guess it gets to this point with everyone, sooner or later.  Your past comes back to you in new ways throughout time.  Should be interesting in a few more years when today's music is considered "oldies" and made into various advertising gimmicks.

I can see it now, a remake of the commercial Ozzy Osborne did with Justin Bieber; the new one though has Bieber in Ozzy's role, and whoever the latest music sensation is doing Bieber's former role.  Now THAT would be hilarious!