… if you are using a theme song, you should know the lyrics!
With the television on, just for the noise while I knitted, a commercial caught my attention. The advertisement was accompanied by a haunting song that is a favorite of mine. Originally it was performed by David Bowie; it’s called “Space Oddyssey.”
I like that song, it makes me cry. I wondered what was being advertised. It turns out that Lincoln is using it for a car commercial.
A what? Yes, a car commercial.
Here is a snippet from the advertisement that I found on-line at Tape Recorder.
Now, when I heard that song, the first thing that came into my mind is :
What were those ad executives thinking??? Didn’t they listen to the whole song? Do they not know what it is about? Do they not know the lyrics?
The song is the one of the saddest I know… about an astronaut who is lost in space because his engine failed!
Here are the lyrics, now YOU be the judge.
Ground Control to Major Tom
Ground Control to Major Tom
Take your protein pills
and put your helmet on
Ground Control to Major Tom
Commencing countdown,
engines on
Check ignition
and may God’s love be with you
[spoken]
Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Liftoff
This is Ground Control
to Major Tom
You’ve really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now it’s time to leave the capsule
if you dare
This is Major Tom to Ground Control
I’m stepping through the door
And I’m floating
in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today
For here
Am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
Planet Earth is blue
And there’s nothing I can do
Though I’m past
one hundred thousand miles
I’m feeling very still
And I think my spaceship knows which way to go
Tell my wife I love her very much
she knows
Ground Control to Major Tom
Your circuit’s dead,
there’s something wrong
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you….
Here am I floating
round my tin can
Far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue
And there’s nothing I can do.
Of course, the commercial didn’t play the part of the lyrics I put in bold, but did they think I’m too senile to remember them. Nope. You ain’t even gonna get me in that car! I don’t care if it does have an “OnStar System.”
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{ 4 comments }
I haven’t thought about that song in FOREVER. That is a weird choice for the car commercial though, isn’t it??
It seemed strange to me!
Nope, I wouldn’t either. Commercials these days are absurd! Just asked hubby the other night..do they think we are all idiots and children? Maybe they’ve forgotten there is OUR generation still watching!
Maybe they are just trying to appeal to a different generation? One that doesn’t listen to the words?
I’ve always loved that song, but it is definitely NOT a smart choice for a car commercial!
I was obviously a bit surprised, myself.
Call me crazy, but I think this was a great choice for the song and the target market. Naturally, the portion of the song used for the commercial is well fitting for the images and the rest is not, but that’s neither here nor there. Lincoln is targeting the drivers who remember this song when Bowie did it. Nostalgia is great consumer motivation.
Then again this is coming from a person in the advertising biz, so don’t mind me!
Well, unfortunately, those of us who remember the song also remember that the rocket man got lost in space. Then, again…this is just coming from a consumer…so don’t mind me
. Sorry. I don’t mean to be smart aleck. But, for me the first thought when I heard the song was that this car might have circuit problems.
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