Posted on 04/15/2003 4:46:52 PM PDT by mikeb704
Eva Narcissus Boyd was buried in North Carolina earlier this week. The name may not be familiar, but her music certainly is.
Under the name "Little Eva," she recorded "The Locomotion." The song was a giant hit in 1962.
Forty years is a very long time, even if Baby Boomers recall the era as though it were last week. I thought of Little Eva a few of months ago while driving. Her hit was playing on the radio and I wondered how many times I’d heard it over the decades. Surely hundreds of times. Maybe even thousands.
I began conjecturing if "The Locomotion" will still be listened to in yet another 40 years. Given how pervasive 60s music is today, I think there’s a possibility of that happening.
It’s not just on oldies stations. Turn on the TV and chances are you’ll hear 60s music in commercials.
Donovan, the Sunshine Superman, sings "Colours" in a Kohl’s commercial. A Gap ad uses his "Mellow Yellow." The same company features another commercial with The Troggs’ "Love Is All Around." What, you thought "Wild Thing" was their only groovy ditty?
Admittedly, some of the music in TV ads emanated from one hit wonders. Flowers.com runs a spot with "Concrete and Clay," a 1965 hit for the legendary Unit Four + Two. GMC’s Yukon included "Our Day Will Come." The first song released by Ruby and the Romantics, it was also the only one for which the group is remembered. Old Navy used "California Sun," a hit by the Rivieras. The band made the Golden State sound like heaven, which was quite an accomplishment for some Indiana boys who’d never personally been out there a’havin’ fun in that warm California sun.
It’s surprising to me that, given their sheer number and popularity, more Beatles tunes aren’t incorporated in advertising. Possibly it’s because of legal impediments. Michael Jackson has owned the rights to over 200 Beatles songs. Of course, Michael is always busy with either not getting plastic surgery or being named in multimillion-dollar lawsuits, so perhaps he just hasn’t had the time necessary to exploit his ownership.
Another consideration is that some Boomers consider Beatles music sacrosanct. These folks feel disgust with what’s perceived as tawdry commercialization of their heroes’ works. They must have not paid much attention when the group cranked out barkers like "Dig A Pony" just to fill up an album.
The mid-80s marked the first use of a Beatles song in an ad. Lincoln-Mercury had a sound-alike group singing "Help." A couple of years later, Nike featured "Revolution" performed by the Beatles and the company credited it with increased sales. Apple Records sued Nike, but until the case was settled kept employing it.
In the late 90s, Nortel Networks licensed "Come Together" for a new marketing campaign. H&R Block latched on to "Taxman" for commercials last year. Around the same time, an Allstate Insurance ad included "When I’m 64." Julian Lennon performed the tune, which added a nice touch of irony I thought.
Car companies especially look back to the golden age of rock. Steppenwolf does a heavily mixed version of "Magic Carpet Ride" for Dodge Viper. "Unchained Melody" was a 60s hit for the Righteous Brothers and Mercedes Benz incorporated it in a commercial last year. The Kinks’ "You Really Got Me" has been used in other ads for Mercedes Benz.
A song I’ve heard in several commercials is the great "Time Has Come Today" by the Chambers Brothers. It’s pitched beer, cars, and even an investment company.
One advertisement highlights "It’s A Beautiful Morning," a hit for the Young Rascals. The product being sold is Vioxx, an arthritis pill purchased by many Boomers, possibly even the not so young anymore Rascals.
When most of my generation finally leave this vale of tears – if they ever do – maybe then the 60s music will fade away. But what will take its place? The Insane Clown Posse, Eminem, Twisted Sister?
You know, The Locomotion keeps getting better with age.
He's a superstar in Europe, especially Germany and Spain.
Here in L.A., his Tubular Bells II tour was unable to fill the Greek Theatre and was moved to the (much smaller) John Anson Ford theater. He no longer tours in the U.S. because there is no profit in it.
I thought him lost after "Songs of Distant Earth" but his recent release, "Tres Lunas" still shows some Oldfieldian promise.
Nevertheless, I think him the finest composer since Gershwin.
A brief list of my faves, in no particular order:
Tubular Bells I
Tubular Bells II
Hergest Ridge
Ommadawn
Five Miles Out
Incantations
Platinum also released as Airborn
The Songs of Distant Earth
The ones that leave me cold include:
Earth Moving
Guitars
Voyager
Orchestral anything
I can listen to Crises but it is just not 'it'. Although the Oldfieldian web group is called "Amarok" I don't particularly enjoy the album by the same name. I characterize it as "occasional moments of sheer brilliance interspersed with gobs of filler."
When Mike is on he is ON and he hooks into the alpha rhythm like old papa Bach.
--Boris
Drat. I'm always the last to hear stuff.
Got it on vhs - amazing how young the boys look. the footage of plant's home/farm/ranch is beautiful - I don't remember too much more. wished many times i was at one of those shows on the video - they say bonzo pounded the sticks like nobody's business and page ripped out tunes on his guitars.
Yes that's excellent. And I especially like "No Quarter" on there too, although the live version on The Song Remains The Same is the one I listen to more often.
I began conjecturing if "The Locomotion" will still be listened to in yet another 40 years.
If you were a teenager in 1962 - let's say you were 15 - then in 2043 you will be 96. If you were 12 in 1962, then you will be 93 in 2043.
Sorry, but that music is likely to die out with the last of that generation.
Some people will always be attracted to retro music, but it will only be a small minority - certainly not a majority of people.
For a brief time they were the best Rock & Roll band on the planet.
Duane died.
They were never the same.
Not even close.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.