Need song ideas for a commercial

I am working on a TV commercial at the moment and I am trying to think of exotica, mambo, or other loungey type songs that people would know, to use as the soundtrack.

I don't think people like Martin Denny (though I'd love to use him) are popular enough for the general public to sing along to. I'm thinking more like 'Girl from Ipanema', 'Papa Loves Mambo', that sort of thing.

All ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Tikifish...

What type of product (or what product specifically) is the commercial for?

Also, I'm not sure the popularity factor is necessarily an issue. That Mitsubishi commercial with the girl robot dancing in her car seat to the Dirty Vegas tune boosted sales of their CDs in a big way.

And the VW ad for the New Beetle Convertible that featured ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky" did really well, too...ELO isn't exactly in the mainstream lexicon of current pop music :)

I think the appropriateness of the song to the product and message is a lot more important than identifying with with the song "in a vacuum".

If you choose your song well based on the message you're trying to get across, people will associate the song with the product, and that's what you want.

A6

[ Edited by: A6Louie on 2003-03-10 09:44 ]

[ Edited by: A6Louie on 2003-03-10 09:44 ]

Thanks for the tips, but this needs to be specifically a known song, and unfortunately I can't disclose what it's about, either!

I just need lots of ideas. I'm under a tight deadline, as usual...

Oh TikiFish, how do you do? As far as mambo goes, I really like Perez Prado's stuff. Caballo Negro , Mambo 8 or the Cherry Pink Blossom(not sure if that is the actual name). Now I am going to have to carve to mambo all day.

Fish...Do you have any of the Ultra Lounge series? Everything on there is pretty catchy.

On 2003-03-10 09:43, A6Louie wrote:
That Mitsubishi commercial with the girl robot dancing in her car seat to the Dirty Vegas tune boosted sales of their CDs in a big way.

....and that VW ad with Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" spawned a new generation of fans.

--cyn

What mood are you trying to set?

Ok, not a known song, but a known artist. Nelly Furtado's song "Party" has a sultry, sophisticated tiki lounge sound.

TikiFish~
I have a little experience in the media field, so I thought I'd thought I might suggest the following:

Pick up Herb Alpert's Definitive Hits CD. I assure you that you cannot listen to it without getting the creative (media) juices flowing. You will instantly think of different avenues for use of his music (legally). Buy it. Trust me.

SugarCaddyDaddy

...or Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 "Mais Que Nada". VERY well known, but getting the rights? Who knows? A good mambo besides the above-mentioned Perez Prado (that's "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White", close enuf!) is Cal Tjader's "soul Sauce" - has no vocals (minimal anyway) to distract from some very cool vibes playing. Also highly recognizable. Let us know what happens!

aloha,
em

Herb Alpert might be do-able - Tijuana Taxi and The Girl from Ipanema and Whipped Cream and Tequila are all being downloaded right now...

Wheee! (and other delights)

... oh, but keep the ideas coming! We usually start with a list of 10 songs for 1 spot... then they get killed for various reasons (client hates the band, creative director doesn't like jazz, lyrics too raunchy, etc) then when we have 3, we find out how much each one costs - we find out they're either too expensive or the rights are in dispute or something... so it's back to the drawing board. Then we go back, get another 10 songs on a list, etc... usually we go through 50 before something sticks!

Herb Alpert is excellent! "Rotation" was my favorite. Makes me think of sailing on warm tropic seas.

TikiFish~
You may want to include "Mexican Shuffle" and/or "Spanish Flea" in your decision making.

AlpertCaddyDaddy

I say, check out Cousteau, they are very Burt Bacharach-ish.

Thier song "Last Good Day of The Year" was recently used in a Nissan Altima commercial, very hip baby!

Tikifish: check out the album called "The Sound Gallery vol. 1". Hanford turned me on to this album-- GREAT little loungey jingles, very catchy, will have people humming for weeks...

I agree that it doesn't need to be anyone famous. I had that SBC song in my head for days before Frenchy put me out of my misery by knowing who it was (the Swingle Singers)-- and nobody knows who does that current Saturn commercial, even though it's catchy as hell. (BTW, it's the Walkmen!)

-mig

Actually I am looking for more 'cheesy' than hip.

It's hard that I can't explain what it's for! But think less cool, and more karaoke.
That might help!

Oh hey Mig, just read your reply. I agree that for a song in a commercial to be good, it doesn't normally have to be famous - but in this case it does.

PS. It's not a cool car commercial. Actually, I bet one of our Vancouver forum members could tell you what it's for... but I can't.

That much I can tell you!

Watermelon Man?

On 2003-03-10 19:18, tikifish wrote:
Actually, I bet one of our Vancouver forum members could tell you what it's for... but I can't.

What? Really? That means me and fartsatune, doesn't it? Is this an intelligence test?...:)

em

If you are looking for something that might be interpreted as cheesy - although we all know it's ultra hip, just look at all the covers that Les Baxter did... try his renditions of "Born Free" or "Goin' Out of My Head" on one of my fav albums The Colors of Brazil - Africa Blue or any of the great Pop hit covers on any Escovel.

You want famous and cheesy? Jimmy Buffet!

Or Mr. Smiley's rendition of "MacArthur Park". I'm sure he'll sell you his karaoke version for cheap... I think he even has it recorded...

Check out the Ultra-lounge "On the Rocks" CDs for cheesy versions of famous songs. The version of "Blackbird" just cracks me up.

Then what about picking a song you like and that fits and actually having it sung "as karaoke" :)

A6

Vancouver forum members...no, not that...can't be! Tikifish, maybe you could leave a coded private message or something? I can't believe they would want cheesy, familiar, mambo-y! Very confusing...

em

Yma Sumac's album Mambo. That stuff has a hook.

Actually, it's fartsatune I was referring to. Sorry to make your brain hurt!

I believe the answer is in the monkeys & fezzes thread.

Now a loung-y cover of a famous song, THAT might work. Born Freeeeeeeee! Free as the wiiind blooows...

Tikifish, you said the song should be cheesy. I'd suggest something from that 70's porn movie soundtrack compilation that came out a few years ago, the name of which escapes me. But its instrumental, loungey and cheesy. Of course there is the danger that the client will like it what its called and you will have to say "Its the theme from &*%!!$#@"

I am at a loss! Is it for the Olympics bid?

The best cheesy spanish song is called "La Cologiala", but I believe Nescafe used it many years ago in a commercial.

On 2003-03-11 09:49, fartsatune wrote:
I am at a loss! Is it for the Olympics bid?

That's eggzackly what I was wondering! I can just see 15-year old boarders shredding at Blackcomb in slo-mo to Perez Prado...:-?

em

Here are ten very well known, somewhat loungey songs that might help you out ....

• Hernando's Hideaway
• Windmills of Your Mind
• The Look of Love
• Theme from 'Love Story'
• Guantanamera
• The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)
• Tiny Bubbles
• Mexican Hat Dance
• Hawaiian War Chant
• Mah- Na, Mah-Na

Vern

What tempo are we looking for here?

Two favs of mine that might work are "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" and your suggestion "Pap Loves Mambo" on the pop side.

There are more gems on that Tabasco LP by Perez Prado with Rosemary Clooney. I have it on CD now and could shoot it to you.

My mind is swimming with ideas. Can I upload a few tracks to a webserver for you to try? Please email too.

The Swank Pad Broadcast - If it's Swank...

[ Edited by: Swanky on 2003-03-11 10:54 ]

Wow! What a response. Vern's list is closest to what I need... although most of us here are well versed in exotica and lounge, the general public is not. If I don't know what the song is from the title, my client doesn't have a hope in heck of knowing it, so it will never get bought. C'est la vie!

I feel bad rejecting any of your song ideas though - I feel like I am the grumpy client now! Woe is me.

If I could, I would make a 30 minute extravaganza with ALL those songs, with a dancing monkey, fezzes, mamboing lizards, and mai tais. Oh yeah and my client's logo at the end, ahah!

The Geico lizard is gonna mambo?

Percy Faith has done some great exotica. Vic Damone has done "Poinciana" and "Ebb Tide". Duke Ellington did "Flamingo with Herb Jeffries. Andre Kostelanetz did some nice stuff in his day.

There's also a group called Pink Martini that does great exotica.

Hope this helps.

aye yi yi yi yi
sunshine on my shoulders
aye yi yi yi
off to the fair I go
aye yi yi yi
I'm enjoying life now
aye yi yi yi
refreshing mango drink

from Brak, sung by his undersized hispanic father.

I know Brak! I worked at Cartoon Network and I even had a couple of dates with Space Ghost!

We are going going to suggest the Girl From Ipanema for tomorrow's meeting... (among other things).
I'll be burning the midnight oil tonight putting the presentation together... aieeee!

Thanks for all your help everyone! I amassed a cool collection of tunes. Maybe I'll use them next time too!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooo.....

What happened? Which did you pick? 3 pages of correspondence and no update?! ugggh!

The wheels of commerce turn slowly.... verrry slowly! The Girl from Ipanema is approved, pending we can get the rights to it, however the spot will not run until fall/winter.

Patience, grasshopper!