I had a moment of disbelief when I saw a commercial pitching a cereal that supposedly eases constipation. Every generation faces this: Boomers weren’t too pleased when Nike co-opted The Beatles’ “Revolution” in the ’80s, and there are rumors of a Buick ad from the ’60s that featured The Doors’ “Light My Fire.” Here’s a list of a dozen songs that were tragically transformed by advertisements. Did I miss any?
- “Total Eclipse of the Heart” for Fiber One
This is the song that sparked my annoyance. Bonnie Tyler’s 1983 classic was rewritten to promote snacks that aid digestion. Imagine the singers belting out “I finally found the right snack!” - “If I Should Fall From Grace With God” for Subaru
Shane MacGowan’s dental work doesn’t come cheap! Thankfully, they left the essence of the song intact. - “Lust for Life” for Royal Caribbean
Using a track about heroin addiction to sell cruises? That’s a bold marketing choice. - “Bittersweet Symphony” for Nike
The Verve’s 1997 anthem was heavily sampled from The Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time.” After a legal battle, the Stones ended up with all the royalties, which they then licensed for commercials, including Nike’s. It’s still a great tune, though. - “Think” for Big Lots
Originally a call for “freedom,” the lyrics were sadly amended to “value.” That’s a significant downgrade. - “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” for Alamo
In 1998, Alamo took Bobby McFerrin’s beloved a cappella hit and altered the lyrics. While this one doesn’t sting as much, the song has faded into nostalgia—much like the movie Cocktail. - “99 Red Balloons” for Coca-Cola
Remember when this song was about the horrors of nuclear war? Now it’s a jingle for soft drinks. - “Push It” for Geico
At least Salt-N-Pepa are in on the joke with this one. - “Mony Mony” for Nissan
This catchy tune shouldn’t be associated with risky behavior like keg stands and poor decisions behind the wheel. - “Blue Monday” for Sunkist
I rank this lower because I’m unsure if it actually aired in the U.S., but New Order for Sunkist? Really? - “Unbelievable” for Kraft
I hope EMF received an abundance of cheese for transforming their lyrics to “Crumbelievable.” - “Whip It” for Swiffer
Devo allowed their iconic track to be used in a cleaning product commercial because they found the concept hilarious. Check out the full commercial, archived for educational purposes.
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In summary, advertisements can sometimes tarnish the essence of beloved songs, transforming meaningful lyrics into product promotions. This list highlights just a few examples, but countless others have also been subject to this unfortunate fate.
Keyphrase: Songs ruined by commercials
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