A blog about television by TIME’s TV critic James Poniewozik.

Big Sandwich, I Know You're the One

Which is sadder:

(A) The Jam's "Start" being used in a Cadillac commercial

(B) The Violent Femmes' "Blister in the Sun" being used in a Wendy's Four-Cheese Spicy Chicken Sandwich commercial

(c) A grown man being concerned about all this?

Extra credit: This is not the first time a Violent Femmes tune has been used in a commercial. (And a four-cheese chicken sandwich does sound like something you'd eat when you're "high as a kite.") I don't know of a previous Jam appropriation, though. What's next? "A Town Called Malice" for Desperate Housewives promos? "In the City" for the urban-parking-friendly Mini Cooper?

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  • 1

    The fact that I TiVo most everything usually allows me to skip commercials, but the other evening I was cooking and the TV was on in the background. I heard "Blister in The Sun" come on so I went to investigate! My heart broke when I saw that it was a BK commercial!! Seriously??

    Another commerical that makes me die inside, the use of "I Melt With You" in a Ritz Crackers commercial! UGH!

  • 2

    What about the Buzzcocks' "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" in that AARP commercial? It makes me sad on so many levels:

    1. There are people out there who don't understand irony, yet are probably making double my salary in advertising.

    2. The former Buzzcocks must be hard up for money.

    3. The AARP is marketing to me? Already!?!

  • 3

    I Melt With You has been used in a variety of commercials.

  • 4

    Dolo! Or person impersonating Dolo! Welcome! I remember really enjoying that AARP ad, until I saw who it was for and then felt Death's clammy hand on my shoulder.

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