Blogging Along the Brandywine: Vanishing commercial jingles
I’m going to make a bold statement that’s downright un-American. Here goes…
I don’t like football and didn’t watch the Super Bowl. There, I said it.
But even I will concede interest in that other competition. You know, the one to create commercials that for some bizarre reason tell you absolutely nothing about the product.
Budweiser had their usual Hallmark-esque offering. This year’s featured their adorable puppy getting lost and finding his way home with the help of his Clydesdale buddies. It works for greeting cards, but the commercial just made me want to go down to Gateway Stables and feed some apples to “Hulk,” their Amish draft horse.
So that brings me to today’s question: What ever happened to the commercial jingle?
For you young-uns, a “jingle” was a catchy tune you kept singing, until you walked zombie-like to the nearest store to buy that item. And 50 years later, while you confuse your LinkedIn and G-mail passwords, you can still sing the jingle word for word.
If you’re one of the early Baby Boomers, you’ll remember….
“I love Bosco, it’s rich and chocolaty.
Chocolate-flavored Bosco is mighty good for me.
Mamma puts it in my milk for extra energy.
Bosco gives me iron and sunshine vitamin D.
Oh, I love Bosco, that’s the drink for me.”
Or ask anyone of a certain age to sing along…
“Once upon a time there was an engineer,
Choo – choo Charlie was his name we hear.
He had an engine and he sure had fun
He used Good ‘n Plenty Candy to make his train run”
Clever Oscar Mayer had a hit that taught you how to spell their product.
“My Bologna has a first name, It’s O- S- C- A- R.
My bologna has a second name, It’s M- A- Y- E- R.
Oh I love to eat it everyday, And if you ask me why I’ll say,
‘Cause Oscar Mayer has a way with B- O- L- O- G- N- A”
And millions of over-worked housewives dreamt of the ever-smiling body builder who cleaned houses:
“Mr. Clean gets rid of dirt and grime and grease in just a minute
Mr. Clean can clean your house and everything that’s in it.
Mr. Clean, Mr. Clean, Mr. Clean”
Funny – just last week, my husband was making some Nestlé’s Toll House cookies (he really likes cookies) and started singing,
“N- E- S- T- L- E- S, Nestlé’s makes the very best…”
At which point we both chimed in “Cho – colate”.
At the end of this commercial jingle, Farfel, the ventriloquist’s hound dog dummy shut his wooden jaws with a loud clap. The nuance was as catchy as the jingle itself.
And every little girl including me, wanted to look like the grown-up Halo Shampoo model. At the age of three I could sing,
“Halo everybody Halo!
Halo is the shampoo that glorifies your hair.
So Halo everybody Halo!”
We knew what we wanted and why!
However, even last week’s inspired commercial featuring centenarians certainly made me think about life …but not about buying a Dodge.
On the other hand, if you’re collecting Social Security you’ll certainly remember bouncy Dinah Shore singing:
“See the U.S.A. in your Chevrolet- America is asking you to call.
Drive your Chevrolet through the U.S.A., America’s the greatest land of all!”
Dinah sure sold a lot of Chevies. I bet they wish they still had her.
About Sally Denk Hoey
Sally Denk Hoey, is a Gemini - one part music and one part history. She holds a masters degree cum laude from the School of Music at West Chester University. She taught 14 years in both public and private school. Her CD "Bard of the Brandywine" was critically received during her almost 30 years as a folk singer. She currently cantors masses at St Agnes Church in West Chester where she also performs with the select Motet Choir. A recognized historian, Sally serves as a judge-captain for the south-east Pennsylvania regionals of the National History Day Competition. She has served as president of the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates as well as the Sanderson Museum in Chadds Ford where she now curates the violin collection. Sally re-enacted with the 43rd Regiment of Foot and the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment for 19 years where she interpreted the role of a campfollower at encampments in Valley Forge, Williamsburg, Va., Monmouth, N.J. and Lexington and Concord, Mass. Sally is married to her college classmate, Thomas Hoey, otherwise known as "Mr. Sousa.”
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