I don’t think that’s what they meant…

VIEWPOINT

By RALPH HARDIN

Evening Times Editor

Several years ago, Nike licensed the Beatles’ song “Revolution” for a commercial campaign. It’s a catchy song, and it paired well with the idea that Nike, at the time just beginning to overtake market share in the sneaker and athletic wear world, was the new hot thing in the world of sports.

At the time, the Beatles did not have ownership of their song catalog, so it was not up to them whether or nor the Paul Mc-Cartney and John Lenoon song was used in the campaign. And while I don’t claim to have intimate knowledge of their ideals, I can say with almost certainty that “Revolution” was not written with the end goal of being used in a commercial. The song is not about sneakers, sports or even success. It’s about, you know, a revolution. It was written in the late 1960s when there were actually a couple of social revolutions going around, so it was very much a statement song, not a catchy slogan.

The older I get, the more often I see songs from back in the day getting repurposed for commercials or other purposes that I’m

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not sure the songwriter would be all the way cool with. The first time I really noticed was when Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” was used in a Michelob Ultra commercial. It was, at least, a fun party song being used in a fun party commercial, but given Aerosmith’s members struggles with substance abuse, I’m not sure that wasn’t a little tone deaf.

I don’t have any problem with music acts getting that sweet endorsement deal money if that’s what they want. I know U2 probably made a killing having their album installed directly onto every iPhone that one time.

But, speaking of iPhone, when AC/DC had their big comeback album following the tragic death of their lead singer, they came out with “Back in Black,” which does not make me think about what color I want my new iPhone to be…

There’s probably no greater example of this than the song “Fortunate Son” by Credence Clearwater Revival. Lead singer and primary songwriter John Fogerty famously had to defend himself in court for plagiarizing… himself after he recorded a song and his old record company claimed sounded too much like one of the old CCR songs he no longer owned the rights to (he won that case by the way).

That same record company licensed “Fortunate Son” to Wrangler jeans who used to push the idea that Wrangler was American bluejean brand. Anyway, they literally only used the catchy guitar intro and the line, “Some folks are born, made to wave the flag…

Oh that red, white and blue.”

If you know anything at all about the song, you’ll know that the rest of the lyrics are dedicated to the hypocrisy of that line, speaking out about the privileges of wealth, greed and status. John Fogerty is probably spinning in his grave over that one — and the guy’s not even dead yet.

I think the Beatles were right.

We need a revolution…