We shouldn’t be surprised to hear a familiar pop tune when watching a television commercial. Musicians have been willing to sign over their songs to make a few bucks (nothing wrong with that!) for some time now. Remember Carly Simon’s “Anticipation” for Heinz Ketchup? Or the “Cheese, Glorious Cheese” commercial which took the melody from “Food, Glorious Food” in Oliver!
But somewhere along the line it started getting under my skin. Maybe it was “New Sensation” in a car ad (Michael Hutchence would have never allowed this!) or “Steak and Shrimp” at Applebee’s, which used the melody for “Happy Together” by the Turtles: Imagine steak and shrimp, or shrimp and steak. Imagine both of these, on just one plate. Or perhaps it was hearing CCR’s “Down on the Corner” for Walgreens.
And each time I think it can’t get any worse. Then, last night, I caught this commercial:
That’s right. Nelly’s “Must Be the Money” line from “Ride Wit Me” has become Cheerios’ “Must Be the Honey.” There’s even a website, in which the bee and the rapper have joined forces. But it makes me wonder if the extended version includes these original lyrics:
hey yo now that I’m a fly guy
and I fly high
n*ggas wanna know why why I fly by
but yo it’s all good
Range Rover all wood
do me like you should
fuck me good suck me good
I know what you’re thinking. How on earth can a bee by a fly guy? And wait, is that your stinger or …