What's That Song?!
(Warning - Pure filler post, for lack of better things to blog about. Haven't really had the time to watch a Mithun movie lately)
Ever seen an ad with a catchy as hell song, which you've never heard before playing in the background?
There's nothing more maddening than trying to figure it out with just a couple of lines, and the sense of achievement that you get on finally getting your hands on it? Pure bliss.
(The above line was true in the pre/early-internet age, when there was no all-powerful Google. Now, it's a snap. Two clicks and you're on your way. Yay!)
Some of my all time favourite ad songs?
Love Spreads by The Stone Roses -
Had heard this one in 1996. MTV used to actually show 'English' music videos. Hard to believe, yes... but shockingly true. There used to be this ad called 'The Gig Guide' which would show details of upcoming gigs in the Asia-Pacific region, and the first few bars of this song would be playing in the background. No lyrics.
Which made it REAL tough to track down. I finally chanced upon a ten second clip of this song while aimlessly trolling through the band's official website in 2004. Couldn't stop grinning
that day.
A brilliant, instantly catchy song, with a guitar riff that will stick like chewing gum to your brain, for days on end... beautiful slide work. Guaranteed smile and goose pimples every time you listen to it. Highly recommended.
Glorybox by Portishead -
This was in a Levi's ad - don't remember much, but it involved a HOT chick in an elevator, was a typically dysfunctional High School setting. There was something very dark about that ad, and in the end the song went "Give me a reason .... to love you". I could only catch the "Give me a reason" part, and it was one of the most trying searches ever. There are tons of songs with that particular
line. MTV to the rescue this time. Was about to doze off at 3 am one night, and felt like watching one more video... (just one more, and then I'll sleep... promise... kind of thing). This came on, and ooh-la-la.
Beautifully trippy number, and it's haunting to say the least. Do not listen to it in the dark. Positively mind-altering. Amazing vocals and atmospherics.
Sinner Man by Nina Simone -
This was a recent one, from a Nokia ad. Couldn't figure out the words at all... I could just get "Where you gonna run to?". Another maddening search, and hit paydirt on Google. Also came to know that this was on the Thomas Crown Affair soundtrack...
Not much of a jazz afficionado myself, but this sure is a fantastic song. Can't quite describe it, you'll have to check it out yourself.
New Days by Asher Lane -
The newest fave, and it has been the easiest to find so far. Took me all of 3 minutes yesterday.
This is off a Nivea cream (creme?) ad. Nice little number by (I guess) a newish band. Very sunny. A good fit for the product indeed.
Oh Yeah by Yello -
This is a real oldie, a good 17 year old ad for good old Oxemberg shirts. The song was re-recorded with "Oxemberg" being substituted for "Oh Yeah". This came on in the background while I was watching a Michael J Fox movie - The Secret Of My Success.
A cheesy, nothing number. Listen to it just for the sheer 80s pop nostalgia rush.
Gangster Of Love by Johnny "Guitar" Watson -
This one goes way beyond the Ben Affleck Axe deo ad... it was re-recorded a good 17 years back again, for that VIP Frenchie ad, featuring a wimp sitting on a park bench, ogling at a PYT, only to have a stud wearing said undies whisk her away, caveman style. "What's he got that I ain't got?!!!!!". Ring a bell?
Was very crushed to know that it wasn't an original composition, was one of my favourite ads.
Lovely laid back number. Real smooth.
Ever seen an ad with a catchy as hell song, which you've never heard before playing in the background?
There's nothing more maddening than trying to figure it out with just a couple of lines, and the sense of achievement that you get on finally getting your hands on it? Pure bliss.
(The above line was true in the pre/early-internet age, when there was no all-powerful Google. Now, it's a snap. Two clicks and you're on your way. Yay!)
Some of my all time favourite ad songs?
Love Spreads by The Stone Roses -
Had heard this one in 1996. MTV used to actually show 'English' music videos. Hard to believe, yes... but shockingly true. There used to be this ad called 'The Gig Guide' which would show details of upcoming gigs in the Asia-Pacific region, and the first few bars of this song would be playing in the background. No lyrics.
Which made it REAL tough to track down. I finally chanced upon a ten second clip of this song while aimlessly trolling through the band's official website in 2004. Couldn't stop grinning
that day.
A brilliant, instantly catchy song, with a guitar riff that will stick like chewing gum to your brain, for days on end... beautiful slide work. Guaranteed smile and goose pimples every time you listen to it. Highly recommended.
Glorybox by Portishead -
This was in a Levi's ad - don't remember much, but it involved a HOT chick in an elevator, was a typically dysfunctional High School setting. There was something very dark about that ad, and in the end the song went "Give me a reason .... to love you". I could only catch the "Give me a reason" part, and it was one of the most trying searches ever. There are tons of songs with that particular
line. MTV to the rescue this time. Was about to doze off at 3 am one night, and felt like watching one more video... (just one more, and then I'll sleep... promise... kind of thing). This came on, and ooh-la-la.
Beautifully trippy number, and it's haunting to say the least. Do not listen to it in the dark. Positively mind-altering. Amazing vocals and atmospherics.
Sinner Man by Nina Simone -
This was a recent one, from a Nokia ad. Couldn't figure out the words at all... I could just get "Where you gonna run to?". Another maddening search, and hit paydirt on Google. Also came to know that this was on the Thomas Crown Affair soundtrack...
Not much of a jazz afficionado myself, but this sure is a fantastic song. Can't quite describe it, you'll have to check it out yourself.
New Days by Asher Lane -
The newest fave, and it has been the easiest to find so far. Took me all of 3 minutes yesterday.
This is off a Nivea cream (creme?) ad. Nice little number by (I guess) a newish band. Very sunny. A good fit for the product indeed.
Oh Yeah by Yello -
This is a real oldie, a good 17 year old ad for good old Oxemberg shirts. The song was re-recorded with "Oxemberg" being substituted for "Oh Yeah". This came on in the background while I was watching a Michael J Fox movie - The Secret Of My Success.
A cheesy, nothing number. Listen to it just for the sheer 80s pop nostalgia rush.
Gangster Of Love by Johnny "Guitar" Watson -
This one goes way beyond the Ben Affleck Axe deo ad... it was re-recorded a good 17 years back again, for that VIP Frenchie ad, featuring a wimp sitting on a park bench, ogling at a PYT, only to have a stud wearing said undies whisk her away, caveman style. "What's he got that I ain't got?!!!!!". Ring a bell?
Was very crushed to know that it wasn't an original composition, was one of my favourite ads.
Lovely laid back number. Real smooth.
This entry was posted
on Saturday, November 18, 2006 at 11:36 AM.
4:14 AM, December 02, 2006Bumped into your blog after searching for links to give to my non metal hearing friends regarding indus creed.
And what do you know, a fellow RAITian. The linmks have been carefully bookmarked for forwarding to anyone who asks what RAIT was all about.
I"m in Final Year now and college is not at ALL what it used to be.
Great blog, keep it going!
8:23 PM, December 02, 2006
Suyog,
That link is pretty handy man... let me know if you can figure that title song out :)
Santosh,
I'm trying to keep writing.. work's been bad lately. Thanx :)
Manas,
Always great to bump into an RAITian ... have heard from a lot of people too that RAIT isn't what it used to be. Which is kinda sad... cos those 4 years were the best ones of my life. Maybe your memories will grow fonder once you're out of the place. Happened to me, that's why. :)
10:23 PM, December 04, 2006
Hey Tapan
Its Sudharshan here..nice to know you haven't given up the habit of blogging..its a thing I am looking forward to here..
10:23 PM, December 04, 2006
Can you forward your mail id please??
11:34 PM, December 07, 2006
Some others I remembered -
Hit the Road Jack by Ray Charles - Was it the ad for VIP where a Dad barges into his daughter's bedroom to find a guy in and chases him with a gun?
Happy Jack - The Who
This one is from the US, an ad for Hummer - love the song and the lyrics.
Then there's this one I cannot place - a guy teaching a girl how to ride a scooter on a sunny afternoon until she whizzes away and gives a ride to another guy? Shot in black-n-white, the track evades me...:(
Plus the Tata Indica 'Baby I'd love you to want me...' wonderful.
11:38 PM, December 07, 2006
Sudharshan,
Thanx... I try :)
Lakshmi,
Hit the road jack - how could I forget! :) I LOVED that ad, and the song too... thanx for that.
The scooter ad was for Bajaj Sunny - and the song went something like "All in the game"... great ad, and song there too :) Let me know if you figure out whose song that one is :)
12:55 PM, December 17, 2006
true .... so true
i spent 3 years searching for a track which i had heard over and over again in different commercials. the latest being the vh1 promo add with a aqua theme and salvadore dali icon....
finally found it... royskopp - eple
!!
11:40 PM, December 20, 2006
phenomenal, man.........simply phenom
9:10 AM, January 01, 2007
Prash,
That's brilliant man... this tune has been used in COUNTLESS ads... :)
I never thought it would be a proper song in itself...
Quenyan,
thanx... :)
12:12 AM, January 27, 2007
Hey does anyone know the song used in the VIP frechie X ad where a panty is floating in the air
David
9:07 AM, July 22, 2007
I finally found the Bajaj Sunny ad on google video.. OMG.. I have been looking for this song for Soooo many years..
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8035375002154626353&q=bajaj+sunny&total=10&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
10:14 PM, December 01, 2007
hey anonymous..
Thanx a lot for the bajaj sunny ad link... i ve been going crazy in search of this song...
5:01 PM, December 18, 2007
Hi all,
Did somebody get what song it was for Bajaj sunny ad? I recorded it by playing the google video but would like to complete song.
Cheers
KB
12:05 AM, April 05, 2008
Dude,couldnt agree with you more.I had this song from a Levi's ad stuck in my head for a good decade i guess.Despite my attempts at googling ,i couldnt find out the name of the track until tonite while watching the movie Lord of War,that song was playing in the background in a scene,and i was like "HOLY SHIT!Finally.".I thought i wud never be able to find the track Glory Box by Portishead.Wat a cool song.Enjoyed reading this blog.
2:41 PM, October 16, 2010
Hey... Brilliant read...
Wonder if this thread is dead but still I'll post :P
It seems the Bajaj sunny ad is a sung by Gary Lawyer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPCcB81RmJc
Another bajaj ad which I've been searching for quite sometime is "I'm the man" ad of Pulsar 220
Some say its specially composed for the commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr8AT-eHHUU
9:56 PM, December 20, 2016
Hi...What's the song played for Nokia Lumia 435 ad...Thanks
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