I know I’m not alone on this one: If I gotta hear another one of my favorite songs used in a commercial, I’m gonna start breaking some or all of The Ten Commandments.  

I don’t know exactly who’s behind this, because you never know just who’s in control of the rights of the material in question, but whoever it is, would you please just stop?  Pretty please?

Can’t you people just hire a professional to write you a freakin’ jingle and leave all the cool songs alone?

I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want to be thinking about product placement the next time I hear my favorite song because, God forbid, it was used in a feminine hygiene commercial.

(Uh-oh; scary mental image.  Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts…)

I’m over it, I really am over turning on the television and seeing a new product reaping the benefits from the nostalgia associated with the song playing in the background.

It’s not like this is a new phenomenon or anything; it’s been going on for a long time.  But now it just seems to be going on way too much.

There was actually a time when artists didn’t want their songs used in commercials.  And they didn’t endorse products, either.

That was the ultimate sell-out.  Rock was the anti-establishment soundtrack, and to be used by Madison Avenue to sell widgets was unthinkable.

But that was then and this is all about the bling-bling.
 
I’d love to blame it on Pepsi and Coke, but when someone’s offering you millions of dollars for an endorsement, what are you gonna say, no?  Not likely.

 And due to the current state of the music industry, which is basically collapsing, you gotta do what you gotta do when it comes to paying your bills.  Believe me when I tell you I understand all that.

However, the problem is that at some point commercialization got out of hand.  Now I’m not against big business or making a profit, but how many freakin’ yachts can you water-ski behind, Mr. Gekko?

And since everyone seems to be out searchin’ for the quick-hit in a gimme all I can get my hands on, take the money and run, bling-bling kind of way, who really cares if corporate America uses some song to sell some product?

I mean, who’s really getting hurt here?

In truth I’d have to say it’s we, the people.  Reason?  Simple: we live in a society where there ain’t nothing sacred anymore.

But a little self-restraint can go a long way.  It would be nice to see a little dignity, a little self-respect and a little more self-control when it comes to spreading around the tunes for a 30-second spot on “Must We TV”.

And while we’re at it, there once was a time when coliseums and arenas were named after people who actually contributed to society in some way. 

We use to name them after people who made a difference, but now we’ll name one after the Nike Swoosh if the price is right.

It’s all so very sad, but I digress…

Well, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.  (I’m not saying these artists should let their songs be used, I’m just saying What If!)

So here are my picks for the next series of commercial sell-outs and I encourage you to post your own:

For Viagara: Slaughter’s “Up All Night”.

How about one for those products that relieve painful feminine itching: Glen Frey’s “The Heat Is On”.

We all know little kids are prone to getting head lice in school, so what better song to promote that product than a variation of Vanilla Ice’s hit: “(L)ice, (L)ice, baby!”.

This could go on all day and I’m looking forward to what you all come up with.

But the bottom line is we as a society have made it not only all right to sell-out, but also made it something that you should aspire to. 

Now, that doesn’t mean if somebody wanted to use a song I wrote to sell some sanitary napkins and offered me a pile of cash for it that I’d say no.

I mean, I’m not stupid or anything; I’d take the money.

But, boy would I feel bad about it. 

That’s my two cents, now gimme my change
 
 

Chuck DiMaria is Los Angeles based musician, actor and antiMUSIC columnist (his resume goes on). Check out his website ChuckDiMaria.com for more of his writings, MP3s and more (be sure to read about his adventures in online dating!!) Plus be sure check out the site for his band Under Pressure.

Your turn. What are you guilty pleasures?

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