Vaseline

Scott Hardie | May 20, 2004
Enjoying Elastica's musical tribute to Vaseline the other day got me wondering about other songs that immortalize commercial products, especially brand names. Who hasn't thought of driving a Chevy to the levee or having fun now that Daddy took the T-bird away? I think there's room here on TC for one more song list, so have at it.

Kris Weberg | May 20, 2004
Paul Simon -- Kodachrome

"Brings you those nice bright colors / brings you the greens of summer"

American Hi-Fi -- Flavor of the Weak

"He's stoned / Nintendo"

The Andrews Sisters -- Rum and Coca-Cola

"Drinking rum and Coca-Cola"

Velvet Underground -- Sweet Jane

"Riding 'round in a Stutz Bearcat, Jim / Y'know, those were different times"

Morrissey -- Reader Meet Author

"Books won't save them / books aren't Stanley knives"

Simon and Garfunkel -- America

"So I bought a pack of cigarettes / and Mrs. Wagner Pies"

Juliana Hatfield -- Girl in Blue Volvo Disowns Self

"I ride in a Swedish car a Swedish car / Drive like a sexy young road star / Buy not American / American everything falls apart"

And the less certain or less ringing endorsements and mentions:

Elvis Costello and the Attractions -- Tokyo Storm Warning

"Between the Disney abattoir / and the chemical refinery / I knew I was in trouble / But I thought I was in / Hell"

Morrissey -- Sister I'm a Poet

(Homophobic and/or poetry-hating thugs often ride in Citroen vans)

The Fuggs -- Saran Wrap

(Claims that Saran Wrap may be used as a crude substitute for a prophylactic)

Juliana Hatfield -- Where Would I be Without You

"Drinking coffee from a mug / That I stole from a Denny's / Down in godforsaken Texas"

REM -- Orange Crush

(may actually be about Agent Orange)

Denise Sawicki | May 20, 2004
Pulp -- Common People

"She told me that her dad was loaded / I said in that case I'll have rum and Coca-Cola"

The Magnetic Fields -- It's a Crime to Fall in Love

"My mother said gently, 'You can buy her a Bentley, but my son, she'll only drive it away.'"

Anna Gregoline | May 20, 2004
Man, that "Jump Around" song has some...

"Trying to play me up as if my name is Sega..."

Scott Hardie | May 20, 2004
Monty Python's "Spam" and Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz" come to mind.

Anna Gregoline | May 20, 2004
Pink Cadillac?

Melissa Erin | May 20, 2004
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Anna Gregoline | May 20, 2004
Cars are prevelant in all rap, as is alcohol.

Erik Bates | May 20, 2004
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Jackie Mason | May 20, 2004
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Jackie Mason | May 20, 2004
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Scott Hardie | May 20, 2004
Save Ferris also did "Spam."

Melissa Erin | May 21, 2004
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Erik Bates | May 21, 2004
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Denise Sawicki | May 21, 2004
Barenaked Ladies -- If I had a Million Dollars -- "we wouldn't have to eat Kraft dinner"

Barenaked Ladies - Something like "I went into the classroom and my knowledge was gone / I guess I should have studied instead of watching Wrath of Khan" (If you call that a product) (I can think of a couple others that mention movies as well)

from the Chicago soundtrack, "I bought some aspirin down at United Drug and all that jazz"

and more in keeping with my usual nature of never mentioning any songs anyone has heard of, Belle and Sebastian have at least 3 songs mentioning the names of British department stores or drugstores, if that counts.

Lori Lancaster | May 21, 2004
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Steve West | May 21, 2004
TransAm - Sammy Hagar
We're Havin' A Party - Sam Cooke
"The Cokes out in the icebox..."
Little Honda - The Hondells
Barbie Girl - Aqua

Melissa Erin | May 22, 2004
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Anna Gregoline | May 22, 2004
"Even saw the lights of the Goodyear Blimp, and it read, 'Ice Cube's a Pimp!'"