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.
Timeless stuff - "Aja" is as classic as it gets. I still listen to it all the time.
'They' spend too much time hanging around the major labels' marketing departments.
Music diverged in the 1970s, corporate/arena rock and club level indy rock. In retrospect, the labels look back at some of the bands that they didn't want to promote the first time around.
The mainstream music magazines in this country are style guides (lots of coverage on everything from MTV reality shows to video games to super models). Surface s*** that is a part of the dominant culture but wholly uncool.
It's rare for me to see a performer at any venue that does not have general admission. The shows have more energy and less gimmicks. I'll spend the extra money to see James Brown when he comes to town but those are rare exceptions. Even Dick Dale was playing the small clubs (small venues does not mean small crowds or unknown performers).
Rock is not dead but it certainly is ignored by most of society these days. They know the word "rock" is still cool and even hear mutterings that "rock is back" only they don't know what it sounds like.
Little Steven does a decent job mixing obscure old cuts and genuine rocking new cuts on his syndicated radio show The Underground Garage.
Here's a recent playlist
Remember, if it's new to you then it's a new song...
It's only knock and know all, but I like it.
It took death for Elvis to trancend his music though. He left behind a legacy of some early rock and roll hits (and "raunch"), some lousy movies, some jumpsuits in Vegas, and a strange diet of peanut butter sandwiches and pills. He had a big house that people still tour, he shot his tee vee sets.
He's the model by which all mtv-vh1 stars are compared (what with Cribs, Behind the Music, etc.). Celebrity performers aren't famous for their music today, they are famous for their "personalities".
; )
To which clown are you referring?
Knowing how rebellious kids can be (I sure was), you might be right, something worse is coming. It'll probably be a combination of disco and rap. What a sound... we can call it discrap.
Yeah I noticed that too. The philanderer forgot to take along his bottle of L-Lysine with him lol.
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