Saturday 4 July 2009

Carlberg: Probably the best ad music in the world

It's always disappointing when your favourite music is appropriated by The Man (whoever he is) for the purposes of hawking tat on TV commercials; but I was more surprised than anything else when Riverbank by Pelle Carlberg popped up as the music on the latest Kellogg's Special K advert in the UK. It's even more surprising when you bear in mind that the song is actually about unquestioning consumer consumption and opportunistic advertisers shoving their products down our throats. Oh the irony!



Pelle Carlberg - Riverbank mp3

3 comments:

mrorangespangle said...

I couldn't believe my ears when I first heard Riverbank being used to flog processed cereals! I thought I was hearing things.

Normally I'm in the camp that feels an artist loses any integrity by allowing their work to be used in commercials, but in Pelle's case I think fair play to him.

I saw him play last year in Brixton, and he was absolutely amazing. But there wasn't a massive amount of people there - certainly not enough to reward him financially for the cost of getting him and his bandmates over from Sweden.

He sings about the lack of money his singing career brings in 'Crying all the way to the pawnshop'

So if Kellogs want to give him a handful of coins so be it. But I do agree there is an irony in the choice of Riverbank as a tune.

Kippers said...

Oh I agree. There's nothing wrong with an impoverished artist putting food (or processed cereals) on the table by flogging his wares to the highest bidder. Good luck to him I say!

I doubt he'll be getting a Ryanair ad any time soon, mind. ;)

mrorangespangle said...

True, but for the right amount of cash the chorus could easily be amended to "I'll always fly with you again Ryan"... The commercials could feature Mr Carlberg and Michael O'Leary dancing lovingly and hand in hand on some Portugese beach. It's a winner.