Jingles, and those that sing them!

[P. Aaron]

So I'm drivin' down the strip and this guy on the radio is singing his heart out on this commercial...about the virtues of owning a Modular Home!

Now it's one thing to show up and play an instrument part for a jingle or a soundtrack (many of us would do that right???). Hearing actors acting for commercials is typical too, but: Would you, if you could, sing your heart out on a jingle for a Modular Home, or a triple bladed razor, or a Financial Institution, ETC?

[Brendan]

"If you've got the money, honey/we got your disease."

[charles21o7]

Alice Cooper is the ultimate unintentional jingle man.

[silentstranger]

I can't help but think of the chick who sings "all it takes is a little TCF!" (which incidentally, I just returned from a few minutes ago...yay money!)

In any case, if somebody paid me enough, I'd sing my heart out for a jingle about hemorrhoid cream, I don't care...call me a slut, call me a sellout, whatever. I would worry more about the institution that would want my voice...there's a reason I only sing backup 98% of the time.

BTW, this is a bit belated, but it's good to see you back on TB, P. If you don't mind my asking, what was the reason for the extended break?

[Against Will]

As crap as Bud's beer is, I like their "Real Men of Genius" ad campaign, the jingles absolutely roll in their own cheesiness like fat contented pigs.

As for whether I would do one would depend on the product and the situation I was in...and the money. Everyone has bills to pay, though I'd probably refrain from watching or listening to TV and Radio for a few months...for fear of actually hearing the jingle played on air.

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

I'd do it if it was a parody/pastiche of another artist.

a weird variation on this is the music they play in my local Poundstretcher store (thrift store?)-
it's all top40 hits eg. Will Smith, Jennifer Lopez, girl/boy bands, but re-recorded with session singers-

very strange for me, as I find myself distracted by realising it's not the original when I'm browsing cut-price video cassettes etc.

speaking of singing your heart out, how about the "waaaaaaah, bodyfor-orm, bodyformed for you" ad- the singer from that has achieved minor celebrity on "I love 199-" programmes from being so over-the-top

[JimK]

Originally Posted by P. Aaron

Would you, if you could, sing your heart out on a jingle for a Modular Home, or a triple bladed razor, or a Financial Institution, ETC?

A good friend of mine does this for a living. What can I say...he seems happier than me; I guess doing jingles is better than working in a shipyard.

Anyway-
This guy does the entire production; he is a keyboardist that plays guitar, drums, & bass(sounds like McCartney on bass...yes, he makes me ill!).
His very 1st jingle is still getting airtime aound here. It's been almost 20 years now!
It's for a Law firm & the funny thing is the names/partners keep changing, so he keeps getting paid to re-do the thing with the new name.
It started as "If you're hurt, call Joines & Beiber"

They split & it became TWO-
"If you're hurt, call Joines Macarri" and
"If you're hurt, call Joel Beiber"

I think there's been 3 more changed since...it's hard to keep track.

...and he does the Real Men of Genius things for this market.

[Chris A]

Originally Posted by Against Will

As crap as Bud's beer is, I like their "Real Men of Genius" ad campaign, the jingles absolutely roll in their own cheesiness like fat contented pigs.

As for whether I would do one would depend on the product and the situation I was in...and the money. Everyone has bills to pay, though I'd probably refrain from watching or listening to TV and Radio for a few months...for fear of actually hearing the jingle played on air.

I saw a segment on this, the guy that sings those is the original singer for Survivor, the same guy that sang "Eye of the Tiger".

Chris A.

[Aaron Saunders]

I'd do jingles in a sec. It's not the height of artistic expression, but it's exposure, and you're playing for a living.

[DB5]

Yes i would... It's all about the $$$ Pro's leave the attitude at the door.

[P. Aaron]

Originally Posted by silentstranger

BTW, this is a bit belated, but it's good to see you back on TB, P. If you don't mind my asking, what was the reason for the extended break?

Lotsa remodeling on the home I'm in. Dust, tools, drywall, parts, 30 yard dumpsters, it's starting to resemble a living space again.

Originally Posted by Against Will

As crap as Bud's beer is, I like their "Real Men of Genius" ad campaign, the jingles absolutely roll in their own cheesiness like fat contented pigs.

As for whether I would do one would depend on the product and the situation I was in...and the money. Everyone has bills to pay, though I'd probably refrain from watching or listening to TV and Radio for a few months...for fear of actually hearing the jingle played on air.

Heck, I'd love a shot at a "The Real Men of genius" type jingle. 'Cause it hits the funny bone.
But the "passion" put out by artists singing about kitchen appliances, and auto dealerships, and all that. I wonder if I could?

Originally Posted by DB5

Yes i would... It's all about the $$$ Pro's leave the attitude at the door.

As annoying as many jingles are, it takes a pro to sing a jingle with passion.

[Chris A]

Pheobe Snow makes a good living singing jingles. She had a couple of records out in the 70's, and she's got a killer voice. She is just very shy/has stage fright.

From what I hear Will Lee gets almost as many vocal jingle dates as he gets playing ones.


Chris A.

[fatbassjazzer]

I would do a jingle in a second. Get paid to write a catchy one liner.

[SheepHerder7898]

Originally Posted by JimK

A good friend of mine does this for a living. What can I say...he seems happier than me; I guess doing jingles is better than working in a shipyard.

Anyway-
This guy does the entire production; he is a keyboardist that plays guitar, drums, & bass(sounds like McCartney on bass...yes, he makes me ill!).
His very 1st jingle is still getting airtime aound here. It's been almost 20 years now!
It's for a Law firm & the funny thing is the names/partners keep changing, so he keeps getting paid to re-do the thing with the new name.
It started as "If you're hurt, call Joines & Beiber"

They split & it became TWO-
"If you're hurt, call Joines Macarri" and
"If you're hurt, call Joel Beiber"

I think there's been 3 more changed since...it's hard to keep track.

...and he does the Real Men of Genius things for this market.

i always love it when I hear those commercials. Those lawyers need to learn how to get along and stay together.

[Bad Brains]

The funniest thing about jingles to me is people actually have to practice and rehearse for that. Thats funny.

[P. Aaron]

Originally Posted by Bad Brains

The funniest thing about jingles to me is people actually have to practice and rehearse for that. Thats funny.

That's so funny it hurts.

[Brendan]

My next door neighbor in Florida does jingles and commercial compositions. He did a Misubishi commercial a while ago, and a host of others I can't recall, and a looong career of studio and touring band work.

He actually owns Jimi Hendrix's first guitar, because he knew Jimi quite a bit back in the day. Worth over a quarter million last time he checked.

[christoph h.]

Originally Posted by P. Aaron

Now it's one thing to show up and play an instrument part for a jingle or a soundtrack (many of us would do that right???).

Hm, I don't share that POV. I don't think it's different at all.
"Studio musicians" includes singers, too, so where's the difference in getting paid for playing the bassline or singing the background vocals or the main slogan.

Originally Posted by Bad Brains

The funniest thing about jingles to me is people actually have to practice and rehearse for that. Thats funny.

There's no rehearsal. The musicians are called, enter the studio and play their stuff.

[P. Aaron]

Originally Posted by christoph h.

Hm, I don't share that POV. I don't think it's different at all.
"Studio musicians" includes singers, too, so where's the difference in getting paid for playing the bassline or singing the background vocals or the main slogan.

Just askin' the question. The same gumption any TB'er may work up to play their own stuff or a cover. Would they sing for a jingle? That's all.
For pro-singers, it's all part of the job, obviously.

[The Golden Boy]

I wrote, sang and played a jingle for a shoe company years ago. I have no idea if they ever used it, but it was a cool experience.

Jingles rule. You have 15, 30, or 60 seconds to write a catchy hook that stays stuck in your head, AND get a message across. All meat and no filler.

That "Real Men of Genius" was changed from "Real American Hero," funny how that changed... I don't think that's actually the Survivor guy, the guy pictured singing in the commercial kinda looks like him, or they've both got a weird set of eyes. The voice isn't even close though...