Jefferson Airplane's "Volunteers" in a Tommy Hilfiger commercial...

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

...I now OFFICIALLY declare the sixties deader than a fucking DOORNAIL.

The commercial just aired at the end of "Seinfeld" on TBS.

:grr:

[hippywife]

1. For me, Dylan and Victoria's Secret rendered

a mortal wound. I could hear the final death rattle with the Stones/Ameriquest partnership. But you're right, this really did kill it dead.

[Deja Q]

2. Which part of the song?

I ain't volunteerin' to buy their large logos embroidered into the sweatshop clothing...

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

8. "Look what's happenin' on the street, got a revolution"

And

the "Volunteers of America" chorus.

I was pissed.

:grr:

[Redstone]

3. So much for the "revolution," yes?

Redstone

[hippywife]

6. Hey! I thought you had

a warm wife waiting for you! Get moving, mister! :hi:

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

9. Well, the "Revolution" ended with Michael Jackson...

...when he sold John Lennon's song of the same name to Nike.

I looked at the Jefferson Airplane thing as salt in a wound that never closed.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. The 60s were over with "We Built This City"

[hippywife]

5. Ouch!

Forgot about that! :puke:

[bridgit]

7. it was over for me years ago when i heard dylan's...

'like a rolling stone' being rendered by 101 strings in an elevator in downtown l.a. x(

[TheMightyFavog]

10. Not as bad as Wrangler using CCR's Fortunate Son in a jeans ad.

Using the line Some people are born, made to wave the flag, ohh they're red, white, and blue, with images that are completley out of context with the song as a whole.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

11. Yep. Reminds me of when Reagan wanted to use "Born In The USA"...

...and Springsteen said NO.

Some of these sixties rockers need to use that word more often.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/indepth/bornintheusa.shtml

"Born In The USA" has been widely misinterpreted and misused – the strident, anthemic chorus overwhelms the verses, which contain the poignant story of a worn-out Vietnam veteran who can't get a break, despite living in the land of opportunity. Ex-US president Ronald Reagan attempted to co-opt the song – and Springsteen's support – for his '84 re-election campaign, an act that Springsteen was at pains to distance himself from. And when Republican White House contender Bob Dole used "Born In The USA" on his campaign trail in 1996, Springsteen wrote to his local newspaper to make clear that he was not backing the Republican ticket.

Springsteen once compared "Born In The USA" to Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land", a song that was written in response to Irving Berlin's patriotic 'alternative anthem', "God Bless America" and has itself been misinterpreted. According to Springsteen, Guthrie's song was "what America could have been about" rather than what it actually turned out to be.



SPRINGSTEEN: "What they missed was the shameful part. The guy in the song was just proud that he lived."

[Babel_17]

12. The Doors

afaik never sold out. Back when advertising tobacco was legal they were offered, IIRC, a million bucks for the use of "Light My Fire" by Tijuana Smalls.

Lots of their hits have commercial value for ads, "Break On Through" being another example, but I don't recall seeing them used.

The 60's aren't over till we say they are. :)

[mitchum]

13. Actually, The Jefferson Airplane did ads for Levis in 1967...

so it's more like the 60s are still alive (or at least the smug, privileged brat playing at revolution version)

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

14. Jeff Tamarkin writes about this in the band's bio "Got A Revolution."

They were approached by Levi Strauss, offered full creative license in the studio, the only stipulation being they had to mention the product name. They wore Levis, they figured no big deal, some cash, and free studio time.

Abbie Hoffman wrote a letter to The Village Voice in May 1967, accusing them of selling out and talking about Levi-Strauss workers protesting deplorable working conditions.

Jefferson Airplane read the letter, decided not to do any more commercials, and Levi-Strauss released them from their contract to prevent any further bad publicity.

Tamarkin closes the anecdote by saying "they never made another commercial," so I view the Tommy Hilfiger thing as more of a deliberate sell-out by a band that should have known better.

Tamarkin's book, by the way, is excellent and highly recommended.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0671034030.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

:toast: