Martha & The Muffins, "Echo Beach"
Used as the theme for modern fake/real British soap "Echo Beach", the companion to show-about-writing-a-soap "Moving Wallpaper". We used to watch the shows back to back. They were mildly entertaining. My wife assumed the theme was a silly made up song for the show. She'd somehow missed it in her youth. I love the guitar riffs in this song, and the stereo keyboard throughout.
The Swingers, "Counting The Beat" and The Cars, "Let's Go"
"Counting The Beat" is used in adverts for K-Mart, while "Let's Go" is used in adverts for Target. I don't remember hearing either song before their use in the adverts. The idea for this compilation was forged by my desire to hear the entirety of songs like this... songs reduced to riffs to sell stuff. I don't really think much of either of these songs, but I wanted to hear them in the context of a song.
The Who, "Who Are You"
I first became aware of this song via the adverts for "Who" magazine. Later, it was used for the theme for CSI. On listening to the whole song properly, I think it's a tragedy such a great song has been reduced to the chorus. The little piano breakdown in the middle breaks my heart. The left/right stereo keyboard through-out is genius production, and weirdly echoes "Echo Beach".
Golden Earring, "Radar Love"
The lyric "radar love" is used on a local radio station's traffic report. Again, another great 70s proggy pop song. I was tempted to buy the album, but it is very difficult to get, and on listening to samples, not that great.
Michael Brook, "Arriving In Deadwood"
The song used for the DVD menu for the Deadwood series discs. I heard this song a lot. I like it. It's the kind of little riff song I'd come up with. I also thought it would be funny to put on as it is deliberately a song that is little more than a riff, something I was trying to rescue the rest of the songs from being.
Gerry Rafferty, "Baker Street"
I can find no evidence of this being a theme to anything, but it was the theme to something in my head. Perhaps it has just been used as a joke song in so many shows and movies I've just absorbed it as such.
Foreigner, "Cold As Ice"
Used to sell not-particularly-good beer. Another song I really like. It has a bit of a Queen feel to it, especially in the guitar solos.
Madness, "Our House"
This was definitely the theme to something I used to watch as a kid as I specifically remember asking why they're build their house in the middle of the road ("our house, in the middle of the street"). It might have just been used once and I just latched on to it. I had a similar experience with "Electric Blue". I heard it in a movie once and remembered it being awesome so I spent many a year trying out different movies trying to find it. I suffered through "Electric Dreams" because of that damn song.
Barenaked Ladies, "Big Bang Theory Theme"
I'm not completely sure, but I think the theme for this (usually) great show was so popularly those naked ladies released a full version. I struggled to get a copy of this. It was on iTunes, then it wasn't, it isn't on the band's website or on any CDs... finally it came back to iTunes.
Al Jolson, "Hello Ma Baby"
Looney Toons frog. Obviously. But it's a popular song. It has been for over one-hundred years. I was stunned to find out how old this song is. This is the one failure on the compilation. I struggled to find a version sung in the manner of the frog, but including the verse (which you never hear anyone do). I failed. There are a few covers on YouTube that are almost there.
Ivor Cutler, "I'm Happy"
Theme to the modern sitcom "The Old Guys" which I watched as a guilty pleasure. I was pretty surprised to find out this wasn't a recently recorded ditty but was in fact one of billions of similar silly little songs. Again, very difficult album to track down.
Piero Umiliani, "Mah Ną Mah Ną"
Those crazy muppets. This is the original version. Surprised at how faithful the Muppets were to the original. Also happy to see this released as an EP on iTunes with four different versions. Someone is paying attention.
Bee Gees, "Spicks & Specks"
"Spicks and Specks" music quiz show is ending soon. I like the old pre-disco Bee Gees stuff, thanks in part to "Faith No More" covering "I Started A Joke".
Donovan, Mellow Yellow"
A song that appears to be celebrating drugs and paedophilia being used to sell Caramello Koalas. Nice one.
Jace Everett, "Bad Things"
One of those cases where the first time I heard a song I thought it would bug me but it grew on me very quickly. Used as the theme for vampire series "True Blood". One of the many songs slowly getting me into the dark side of country rock music.
Stiltskin, "Inside"
The intro and riff for this was used Levi's 501 jeans in the mid 90s [YouTube]. A friend of mine had the single on cassette and I taped it off him. I was playing it in the car once and someone asked why I had a jeans-ad on tape. Because it's an actual song you know, I said. That memory and song help inspire this compilation. Today I think the song is a more than a bit rubbish, like a record companies idea of what grunge should be... but it has grown on me a little.
Love Spit Love, "How Soon Is Now"
In hindsight I'd have probably used The Smiths' version of this, but I like this version (from "Charmed"). It's pretty faithful to be fair.
Sylvester Levay, Mark J.Cairns and Jan Michal Szulew, "Airwolf Main Theme"
I loved this song when I was a kid. This, with "Paint It Black" (as used in tv series "Tour of Duty") shaped my music preferences.
Charlie Morgan & Andy Pask, "The Bill Theme"
Who doesn't like "The Bill" theme? Originally called "Overkill" apparently. I found something that might have been the "original" version from a vinyl b-side, but I'm not sure. I like this funky keyboard filled version. I could imagine it being playing in the middle of a "Rainbow" set. This isn't the version with the guitar, which in full sounds a little bit cabaret.
Phil Collins, "In The Air Tonight"
Used to great effect in the Cadbury ads with the drumming gorilla, and again used in the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie. One of those songs that builds up so well, then fades out. I hate fade outs.
David Bowie, "Life On Mars"
I got to like this song only when I saw David perform it on Parkinson in 2007. Later it was used in TV series "Life On Mars" and its sequel "Ashes To Ashes".
Johnny Mandel, "Suicide is Painless"
I, like many, had no idea this song had lyrics until I saw the movie. *cry*