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.
The same sort of somewhat jarring substitution can be managed with the music from Stairway to Heaven and the lyrics to the theme from the TV show Gilligan's Island.
I may not be a great or talented musician, and others are better at working a crowd. But I can still conme up with a kicker or two for the ol' playlist.
-archy-/-
Neatly balanced both musically and in thought by I can see for Miles.
Maybe some of the genre's founders, like Run DMC, Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, etc. might get some footnote rememberance, but like many cheesy hair-metal bands of the 80s, unwashed Seattle greasy hair bands of the 90s, and the tattoed freak deathmetal bands of today, rap will become a thing of forgotten lore. I hope.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
I would also like to recomend another couple of additions to your list of great 70s/80s bands...The Ramones and Hoodoogurus. I'll still be listening to them when I'm sitting in my rocking chair on the porch.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Already got my tickets down that way, via Amtrak's City of New Orleans. A couple of other oldies have come back to the spotlight, too. Canned Heat has a new album out and is touring again, with drummer Fito de la Parra and guitarist Henry Versine doing the vocals that not only recall predecessors Bobby *Bear* Hite and *Blind Owl* Alan Wilson, but do 'em proud. And Steppenwolf is back on the road again as well, playing at the Helena, Arkansas Wild Hawh fest on the 26th of this month.
Could be playing both sides of the fence, but Bono and U2 have always mixed politics with their music. Hasn't seemed to hurt their sales too much.
I think i'll still be able to listen to Bad Company's 'Ready for Love' even when i can no longer.... :)
My guess is though i'll probably fancy more classical music...more strings and less electric...
I saw Canned Heat at a free outdoor show a few years back (already some of the members had been changed out, including the lead singer). 2 more members had passed on since that show. It was a good show but so few of the original members remain that perhaps the name should be changed.
I didn't get to Austin to see the Yardbirds at SXSW. The only review I read said that Billy Bob Thorton sang before their set and that they couldn't help but look good by comparison. Mr. Thorton's singing was compared to the vocal stylings of William Shatner.
Yes
Jethro Tull
Deep Purple
Black Sabbath
Rush
Interesting list. It maybe because these bands were progressive rock bands. Baby boomers tired of prog rock in the mid seventies and turned to earsier/softer rock as performed by simple bands like The Eagles.
I think the prog rock bands like Yes and Jethro Tull will always be remembered. In the case of Yes, they morphed into a very successful pop rock band in the 80's releasing a string of hit songs like 'Owner of your lonely Heart'. Of course i will always remember Yes for their progressive albums, Fragile and Close to the Edge..etc..
On the other hand, Jethro Tull started out as a terrific blues/hard rock band before temporarily releasing prog rock albums like Thick as a Brick and Passion Play. Most people probably are not aware that Tull released a string of hit singles in the late 60's and early 70's. If memory serves me correctly, some of the singles were songs like 'Teacher', 'Living in the Past', 'Witches Promise', 'Sweet Dream', 'Inside', 'Rainbow Blues', 'Bungle in the Jungle'.
Tull Masterpieces:
Stand Up - 1969
Aqualung - 1971
Thick as a Brick - 1972
Passion Play - 1973
Too Old To Rockn'Roll - 1976
Bursting Out - 1978
Heavy Horses - 1978
Stormwatch - 1979
Broadsword and the Beast - 1982
There are a few almost masterpieces like Warchild or Songs from the Wood or Living in the Past. There are also very good albums like Minstrel in the Gallery, This Was, Crest of a Knave, Catfish Rising, Dot Com.
Jethro Tull 1968-2003...and beyond...
She's not going to be forgiven anytime soon by quite a few people that's for sure.
Timeless stuff - "Aja" is as classic as it gets. I still listen to it all the time.
Next to Jethro Tull, i think i listened to Steely Dan more than any other group. ah..thinking about my college days and going to the coach house every Friday Afternoon. Starting off the weekend just right with pitchers of beer and 'Dont Take me Alive' from Steely Dan..
Well, it's better than in a tragic gardening accident or by spontaneous combustion...
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