Had to laugh when I heard the Clash's London Calling in a promo spot for Olympic coverage on NBC last night. Nothing like an apocalyptic, critical song to pump up those ratings. Did anyone at NBC actually listen to the song before they okayed it? Ha.
It's also being used on Olympic themed commercials for British Airways here in the U.K., with added subliminal 'conspiracy theory' dubbing.
It's all odd to me; this thing here, Nike using Search and Destroy years ago, Levi's using Bukowski. I don't get it. These songs and poems don't remotely fit the sales pitches they're being grafted onto. It doesn't fill my heart with gladfulness, seeing commerce trample art. I realize I'm a throwback to a different era, when art had some value beyond the monetary, and the world is a different place now, but this shit is just whack, yo.
the ad guys are assuming (and are correct) that most people won't listen to the lyrics. unless the are a cranky old punk like you, or an intern cranky old punk like me, most people won't care. advertising has always been about fooling most of the people most of the time. they don't care about the fringes, and really they don't have to. the fringes don't really add revenue. London calling....muh nima num num... something something something... muh nima num num....... ...... ..... ....LIVE BY THE RIVER!
'Lust for Life' represents everything Carnival Cruiselines is about. Minus the botchulism. Besides, you can just edit out any lyrics you don't like and sell sell sell!
Bizarrely, there's a London 2012/British Airways ad running over here which also uses London Calling. Obviously the whole song isn't used but the advert does include the lines: "London calling, see we ain't got no swing 'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing" I'd like to think it's some sort of ironic reference to last year's riots but, like you, I get the feeling the people who okayed it either didn't listen to it or just didn't understand Strummer's cockney twang. Edit: Oops, I didn't see Hank Solo's post.
