There's a line, and Kmart crossed it.

[Freaky Fender]

I don't want this to become a "Selling-out" thing. But the line has to be drawn at some point.


Yesterday, at 10:16 PM, my dad was watching TV. It was a Martha Stuart K-mart commercial. Afterwards, he told me he weeps for advertising.


The soundtrack to the commercial?


John Coltrane's "My Favourite Things".

Now, I don't care weither you think putting a song in a commercial is selling out or not, but I think we can ALL agree that the line has been crossed.

[James Hart]

The line was drawn when James Brown's "I feel good" was used in a laxative commercial a few years back.

[Freaky Fender]

Originally Posted by James Hart

The line was drawn when James Brown's "I feel good" was used in a laxative commercial a few years back.

I remember I that they used it for I think a celery commercial...

[Lyle Caldwell]

The flip side is that I heard that ad and now I've had Coltrane playing in my head all day. That's no bad thing. So hurrah to Target for hipping millions to what good music can be.

Remember, Nick Drake sales went through the roof after the Volkswagon ads came out.

[sargebaker]

the line was crossed when they used We are the champions for a viagara commercial.

[Freaky Fender]

Originally Posted by Lyle Caldwell

The flip side is that I heard that ad and now I've had Coltrane playing in my head all day. That's no bad thing. So hurrah to Target for hipping millions to what good music can be.

Remember, Nick Drake sales went through the roof after the Volkswagon ads came out.

It wouldn't be so bad if they used it for like a music commercial like

"Here at Target, we love music, especially groundbreaking music! *cue Coltrane* "

But it was used to sell a martha stuart line... Win some and lose some... :-/

[The Golden Boy]

Too bad Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire wasn't used for the hemrrhoid commercial- I believe his kids all thought it was funny, but just not appropriate.

Sort of like using the Beatles' Revolution to sell tennis shoes.

[funkycarnivore]

I feel sorry for "Let's Get it On".

[DigMe]

I'm sorry to inform you that Coltrane did not write "My Favorite Things." It's just a Rodgers and Hammerstein song that he covered and Rodgers and Hammerstein were putting out pop music of the time...well musicals really but they were very popular and still are. So it's not like Kmart is using some obscure song or something. It was from The Sound of Music for pete's sake! Are you sure it was the actual Coltrane recording of this song? If not then it has nothing to do with Coltrane. The song was popular before Coltrane covered it although Coltrane's version is by far the best one out there...followed by the Andre 3000/Norah Jones version in which Jones plays a pretty smokin' solo.

Besides...Kmart crossed the line LOOOONG ago.

brad cook

[bassmonkeee]

Originally Posted by DigMe

I'm sorry to inform you that Coltrane did not write "My Favorite Things." It's just a Rodgers and Hammerstein song that he covered and Rodgers and Hammerstein were putting out pop music of the time...well musicals really but they were very popular and still are. So it's not like Kmart is using some obscure song or something. It was from The Sound of Music for pete's sake! Are you sure it was the actual Coltrane recording of this song? If not then it has nothing to do with Coltrane. The song was popular before Coltrane covered it although Coltrane's version is by far the best one out there...followed by the Andre 3000/Norah Jones version in which Jones plays a pretty smokin' solo.

Besides...Kmart crossed the line LOOOONG ago.

brad cook

It's the Coltrane version. But, I don't really have a problem with it. It's not like KMart did it without permission.

If Alice Coltrane wants to approve the use of her husband's version, and RnH's estate holders want to approve it, who really is hurt by it?

Coltrane's legacy certainly isn't impacted in the least bit.

[McHack]

I dunno, the whole Cadillac/LedZeppelin thing pissed me off.

At first, I thought it was cool... But, damn,, I have no desire to drive a Cadillac, & this only strengthens that resolve.

[kaboom133]

K-mart crossed the line long ago and they're never coming back. I worked there for a year, and the things I saw... sickening. That store treats customers so bad as a rule, it's sickening. After seeing what goes on, how things are treated, and teh conditions in which they're stored, I WILL NOT ever shop there again.

[DigMe]

Originally Posted by bassmonkeee

It's the Coltrane version. But, I don't really have a problem with it. It's not like KMart did it without permission.

If Alice Coltrane wants to approve the use of her husband's version, and RnH's estate holders want to approve it, who really is hurt by it?

Coltrane's legacy certainly isn't impacted in the least bit.

Oh ok...well I agree with your comments too. The song being on the commercial has little to do with Coltrane. The greater public knows that song from The Sound of Music and all the other things it's been in...they don't know it because Coltrane covered it. Besides...maybe someone will pick up a Coltrane CD and get into Coltrane because of it. Who knows?

brad cook

[canopener]

Originally Posted by McHack

I dunno, the whole Cadillac/LedZeppelin thing pissed me off.

At first, I thought it was cool... But, damn,, I have no desire to drive a Cadillac, & this only strengthens that resolve.

Page and Plant were both paid painfully great amounts of money, and each were allowed to take classic Caddies that were sitting around in Cadillac HQ. Not bad for a post midlife crisis/pre-retirement presents!

[Philbiker]

this just in: Music is a commercial product!

The line was crossed when the first ancient troubadour charged somebody a fee for watching him or her play or sing.

[Benjamin Strange]

Originally Posted by Philbiker

this just in: Music is a commercial product!

The line was crossed when the first ancient troubadour charged somebody a fee for watching him or her play or sing.

But at least then they weren't using music to sell something else. Selling music is fine - using music to sell products is a bit sketchy.

[Cacklingjackyl]

Originally Posted by The Golden Boy

Too bad Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire wasn't used for the hemrrhoid commercial- I believe his kids all thought it was funny, but just not appropriate.

Sort of like using the Beatles' Revolution to sell tennis shoes.

I bet Lennon rolled over in his grave when that happened. I felt that crossed the line back then. I think Michael Jackson may have had something to do with that since he owned the Beatles music at the time.

[The Golden Boy]

For some reason I recall Yoko having final approval and she OK'd it. That was a long time ago- but I remember the furor over it.

[Cacklingjackyl]

Originally Posted by The Golden Boy

For some reason I recall Yoko having final approval and she OK'd it. That was a long time ago- but I remember the furor over it.

I guess it's all about the Benjamins these days. I can't really sit here and say I wouldn't do the same thing, despite some of my disdain for some of these huge corporations out there and their products.

[The Golden Boy]

Originally Posted by DigMe

Besides...maybe someone will pick up a Coltrane CD and get into Coltrane because of it. Who knows?

brad cook

Is it credited in the commercial?