A memory that all generations have in common since the advent of broadcast radio is the Coke jingle. Coca-Cola has spent untold millions, likely billions, of dollars on advertising over the years. And a large percentage of that cash has gone to creating jingles that stay with you.
And stay with you they did! One even became a hit single. The others are as familiar as a pair of old house slippers. Even though you may not have heard them in years, they are quite familiar.
Today's column will be a bit different. I will be presenting a nice batch of jingles in various formats. I hope you won't have any trouble listening to them. If you do, leave comments and I'll see what I can do about converting them.
I purchased a CD full of jingles a while back, and will be doing a few upcoming columns featuring many of them. I thought I would begin with the long-reigning King of soft drinks, due to the fact that so many of their advertising tunes are still bouncing around my bald head 40 years and more after I last heard them.
The Limeliters, 1963. Let's begin with the first jingle I remember hearing. This particular one was performed by the Kingston Trio the Limeliters. Coke has long had a practice of hiring popular music stars while their recognition factor was at its peak. The Trio had recently scored a chart-crossing hit called Tom Dooley when Coke hired them to hawk their wares with this irresistible, unforgettable tune. Yikes, better watch those adjectives. I'm going to need a slew of them before I'm through. (Note, edited to actually credit the correct singers)
The Bee Gees, mid-1960'sThe Bee Gees had some 60's hits, but didn't really explode until the Disco Era. But this pleasant tune highlights their easy-going harmonic style long before polyester.
The Supremes, Circa 1965 Diana Ross and the Supremes sing about the little things. There was nothing little about the popularity of Motown's greatest girl group, or Coke. Feel the irony . . .
Otis Redding, 1968 I never enjoyed Otis Redding when I was a kid. He died tragically young, and his music wasn't played much on the radio during the 70's. But I am now a dedicated fan. This presentation of "Things Go Better," in which the great man is accompanied by his incomparable brass backup, is a treat for the ears.
Nancy Sinatra, 1966 These boots weren't yet made for walkin', but Frank's sultry offspring still got her point across.
Whew! That was a lot of work. Tune in tomorrow for more Coke jingles to jog your Boomer memory!
Comments (5)
It's a coincidence that you wrote about Coke jingles, because it was recently announced that jingles writer for a Coke commercial passed away on October 13 of this year. Thomas W. Dawes, a member of the rock group Cyrcle (1966 hit "Red Rubber Ball"), wrote the Plop Plop Fizz Fizz for Alka Seltzer, and some others with his wife, including 7-up, L'eggs, American Airlines, McDonalds, and the Coke is it jingle. from the New York Times article, "He was 64. The cause was a stroke after carotid artery surgery, said his wife, Ginny Redington Dawes." Let's open a cold one in honor of the late Mr. Dawes and others who try to make the ads bearable.
Posted by David S Paleg | November 7, 2007 5:19 AM
Posted on November 7, 2007 05:19
What I remember vividly was one kid 2 years older than I had Coke pants. Red and white pants. Actually, to me then, they did look pretty cool. But I suspect they got dirty real easy and I do not know what his peers in Jr. High would have said. I was about 10.
Posted by Scott Irv | June 8, 2009 4:09 PM
Posted on June 8, 2009 16:09
Wow! Hearing the Bee Gees do a Coke ad is just too far out, man! Excellent! Same for Otis, Diana, Kingston Trio and Nancy. I had a crush on Nancy way back when. I had a weakness for blonds anyway. She later when on to promote Royal Crown Cola. I never noticed what she was promoting. I only watched her. Great music links, Ron. Great post.
Posted by Scott Irv | June 8, 2009 4:18 PM
Posted on June 8, 2009 16:18
That's actually not the Kingston Trio, it's the Limeliters, and yes, it's from 1963. This was the first "Things go better" jingle recorded for the campaign - it was used in both tv and radio ads. That's the group's lead vocalist Glenn Yarborough doing the voice over, by the way!
Posted by Tim S. | September 17, 2009 9:04 PM
Posted on September 17, 2009 21:04
I remember them well, although I perfer the competition over Coke, but Coke is good too! I did like that Coke often had the baseball and football players of your favorite teams on the inside of the coke lined caps! Then you would glue the caps on a collectors sheet! These caps are becoming harder to fine! Seems today the jingles are gone for using popular music to sell the ads? Some say that big act groups sold out commercially? Hey, if it makes them money, then go fo it!
Posted by Rivers End | December 8, 2009 8:59 PM
Posted on December 8, 2009 20:59