Just saw a commercial for “Jersey Girl”. Will you join me in listing the pop songs that should be officially banned from soundtracks, commercial filler and and incidental music?
In this case the offending article is Katrina and the Waves’ “Walkin on Sunshine” – a song that had worn out its welcome a month after it was first released.
I am SOOO with you on that one!
And if they drag out “O Fortuna” for epic horror movies one more time, I’m gonna go postal…
Gag-gag-gag.
That song has always triggered gut spasms, from the first time I heard it.
Skip Jersey Girl. Saw a sneak preview a week or so ago. BAD KEVIN!
“Melt With You”, definitely.
The sad thing about “Walking On Sunshine” is that it was written by Kimberly Rew, who’d just left The Soft Boys (Robyn Hitchcock’s seminal band). From Underwater Moonlight to pop fodder in a matter of months. *sigh*
That song has always triggered gut spasms, from the first time I heard it.
Oh, but there’s the Dolly Parton cover, which is at least good for a laugh.
I’m of a mind to say that pop songs should be banned from film altogether. It’s nothing but a marketing ploy for music licensing and ancillary income and it puts worthwhile film composers out of work.
Realistically, I don’t think most directors go into film shoots thinking about what music is going to underscore what scenes; those are all decisions that are made somewhere between the first rough cut and the final pre-release screening, so music is the very last (and least organic) decision.
Blur’s “Song 2” (AKA “Woo-HOO!”)
Rob Zombie’s “More Human Than Human” (a bit of an old offender, but it still pops up from time to time)
Outkast’s “Hey Ya” (made me want to cry when they wed it to that Sandler flick)
Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life”
Any Blondie (“One Way or Another” for fucking avocado-flavored Doritos?!)
kill now
“all star” by smashmouth. it’s the biggest offender of the last five years.
and my new favorite one to be rankled by is “everywhere” by michelle branch because it’s in the ads, if not the actual soundtracks, for tons of movies aimed at mandy moore and people who like mandy moore, which includes me i guess.
back in the late 80s and early 90s they were using “how will i know” by whitney houston a lot. that’s subsided.
Let’s not forget James Brown’s “I Got You” which was mercilessly pummeled by trailer after trailer (and movie after movie) in the 1980s.
Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings.”
Oh, and that needle-scratching-as-it’s-being-ripped-from-a-playing-record sound effect, that almost every comedy trailer uses.
Okay, you just stole most of my choices.
I’ll also concur with the guy below you regarding “All Star” by Smashmouth, and I’ll add “Brown-Eyed Girl” and “She Drives Me Crazy”.
I don’t know enough song titles to give you a list… however, there are SO many. I’m glad to have my zapper and just click it, and often! I also HATE that Verizon guy… I NEVER curse at the TV but, that one gets me saying f**kyou and signing the *bird* every single time I see it.
*taking a deep breath for calming relaxation*
Oh yeah…and the Cure’s “Pictures of You.”
Bastards!
anything by the Beatles… their songs just rip at ya for nostalgia’s sake and line the pockets of Michael Jackson’s defense team!
Re: kill now
Smashmouth seems like an extra special case, because as far as I can tell they write their songs specifically for the purpose of them being used in commercials. Too bad because for a while I was crushed out on their lead singer, and I tend to respect genuine pop hacks.
“In every life we have some trouble…”
I would have said “Don’t Worry Be Happy”,
but it’s used kind of perfectly in the new
Dawn of the Dead.
There is a place for pop music in film; I think Blondie’s “Call Me” in American Gigolo is a prime example of how pop music can enhance a film and affect its reception.
But am I the only one listening to Celine Dion who asked “When oh when is that fucking boat gonna sink?”
And do we really want to Celebrate Good Times, Come On?
I’m a big fan of Philip Glass, but whenever they make a preview of an “artsy” film, but they haven’t made the music for it yet, they put in parts of the soundtrack to Koyaanisqatsi.
(deep voice) “In a world….”
I am so with on numbers 2 and 3!!
The adagio goes back to “Barry Lyndon” as far as I can tell.
Especially bad is the scratching sound combined with a double take made by running the film backwards and forwards.
“call Me ” is a different case, I think. It was part of the original soundtrack of AG, so that’s not a problem – It’s when previously released songs are used to telegraph moods and more to the point when songs not even in the soundtrack are used in commercials for the film that I start to howl with irritation.
You make me want to write more about this in another post…
“Song 2” is right on the nose!
Also lately I’d add that fucking Coldplay song with the piano…
Don’t worry, I had no intention of seeing it. The only Kevin movie I want to see is “Silent Bob Takes it Deep” in 3D.
He might be into that, actually.
Re: kill now
Also you must be extra sensitive to this, ’cause if I’m not mistaken you must see a LOT of trailers!
Of course, cause it’s ladies’ night and the feelin’s right.
Re: kill now
Smashmouth seems like an extra special case, because as far as I can tell they write their songs specifically for the purpose of them being used in commercials. Too bad because for a while I was crushed out on their lead singer, and I tend to respect genuine pop hacks.
On disco lights your name will be seen
You can fulfill all your dreams
Party here, party there, ev’rywhere
This is your night Baby, you’ve got to be there
Xanadu…
Virtually all rap music.
Anything by the Beatles, since the catalogue is owned by Michael Jackson and given his circumstances we KNOW he’ll whore out any of the Lennon/McCartney creations for the bux, without regard for artistic considerations.
I think one of the sadder examples of this sort of thing is the song “Still The One” by Orleans that was relentlessly beaten to pulp by ABC back in the mid-70s.
I happen to LIKE “Walking On Sunshine” though I don’t know that I’d care to hear it in this sort of context.
I am so with on numbers 2 and 3!!
The adagio goes back to “Barry Lyndon” as far as I can tell.
Especially bad is the scratching sound combined with a double take made by running the film backwards and forwards.
“call Me ” is a different case, I think. It was part of the original soundtrack of AG, so that’s not a problem – It’s when previously released songs are used to telegraph moods and more to the point when songs not even in the soundtrack are used in commercials for the film that I start to howl with irritation.
You make me want to write more about this in another post…
“Song 2” is right on the nose!
Also lately I’d add that fucking Coldplay song with the piano…
Don’t worry, I had no intention of seeing it. The only Kevin movie I want to see is “Silent Bob Takes it Deep” in 3D.
Re: kill now
Also you must be extra sensitive to this, ’cause if I’m not mistaken you must see a LOT of trailers!
Of course, cause it’s ladies’ night and the feelin’s right.
*gulp*
eep!
I’m not accustomed to wielding that kind of influence.
Besides, Debbie Harry can do no wrong.
Don’t get me started…Oops! Too Late!
Tangentially related…
The trailer for Requiem for a Dream used Moby’s Everloving to great effect. I was blown away. The movie score itself left me disappointed.
And then there’s Warner Brothers
I recently saw Bonnie and Clyde for the first time since Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs (!), and was pleasantly surprised by the way Warners had managed to recycle the music from their Depression era Busby Berkeley spectaculars. They were able to create authentic atmosphere, and keep the proceeds in house.
Re: And then there’s Warner Brothers
That was Mancini’s technique for the score of Welles’ Touch of Evil: the production had no money for him to compose new music, so he went into the studio archives and found a bunch of stuff that he then wrote new arrangements for(of?). One of my favorite soundtracks, by the way.
I prefer The Third Man
Though I did just see The Stranger the other night
Re: I prefer The Third Man
hehehehehehehehe
yer chin’s nekkid!
Re: I prefer The Third Man
Well, those were my corporate days. I kept it buzzed usxing a 2 or a 3. Osama, in addition to changing my career plans, also is my beard enabler.
Re: And then there’s Warner Brothers
That was Mancini’s technique for the score of Welles’ Touch of Evil: the production had no money for him to compose new music, so he went into the studio archives and found a bunch of stuff that he then wrote new arrangements for(of?). One of my favorite soundtracks, by the way.
Re: I prefer The Third Man
hehehehehehehehe
yer chin’s nekkid!
Re: I prefer The Third Man
my beard enabler
Is there a twelve-step group for that?
No – Just Climbing Jacob’s Ladder
Blondie Has Sold Out
I was watching the Katie Couric’s Colon show this morning and saw a commercial for the new Heidi Fleiss made-for-tv biopic. You can imagine what song they were using.
Can’t believe no one mentioned “Who Let the Dogs Out?”!!
Re: No – Just Climbing Jacob’s Ladder