Yesterday's radio commercials and related jingles are disposable flotsam and jetsam. Often rescued from the dumpster and tape eraser, here's where they live to celebrate another day, and give us a peek into the pop culture of the past. All material has been sourced from tapes or vinyl discs (records) used on the air at radio stations or dubs of said tapes, transferred for pristine quality when possible.
Showing posts with label Public Service Announcement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Public Service Announcement. Show all posts
Today March 26th, marks a decade this little project I started because I collected all these tapes, and it's time to come up with something to do with them. Working in radio production for a couple of radio stations, I tended to take a few tapes home after the commericals were finished airing, before they were erased to be reused for other purposes. Stuff that caught my ears one way or another. My wife actually came up with the name, and I wrote the purpose as posted on this page. Everything came together, and over time, I've had people contact me looking for "that one spot" that they cannot find anywhere. I wish I was a miracle worker, but the reality is, I only have so many, and this is why posts have not been frequent over the last few months. This will continue, but this blog will not be considered dead in my mind. If I find something of interest, it will be posted.
For our 10th Anniversary, I have a rather incredibly nice package that is a time capsule of the mid 1960s that a friend gave me cleaning out his records. the "now sound" of the 1960s reflects in this jingle package that is more a PSA then anything else, about taking a portable radio everywhere you go a "lively companion" as it were. It was done right, top 40 artists and stars of the time, with the Johnny Mann Singers, who sang a majority of the big top 40 radio station jingles in the US and beyond of that time.
The whole package is colorful with distinctive artwork and coloring, so I have included lot of pics of the package.
Should I start how it seemed to be the winter from hell?
In my area in Atlantic Canada, it was easily the worst winter in a decade, back to back storms dumping feet filled piles on snow down on the roads. I got stuck multiple times in my own driveay, besides the fact of the 5 feet of snow I had to shovel more then once out of the end. You work all week and then have to shovel snow in the driveway, oh wait, even one day I couldn't get to work because the snow drift was too high for the car, I call in sick, and still spend 4 hours shovelling a way out of the driveway. That and being sick on and off because I never had time to really recover....made for a really exhausting last few months. Hope yours was much better.
I guess I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel now, as I'm back posting on the jetsam.
One of the things we like to post here is stuff that's likely long forgotten. We can get the more famous TV spots and radio ads on you tube, and other places on line, but over here, if we find something like this, we love posting it because it's likely not been heard since originally aired.
Here's two that haven't been heard in a long time.
Two Carlsberg Light Beer jingles with a real jazz flavor to them. I guess they were trying to market to a more high brow discriminating clientele? makes me wonder.
From 1984, Carling O'Keefe Breweries Ltd. Carlsberg Light
Produced by Ogilvy and Mather (Canada) Ltd.
Duet and Cut Time -English
Each :30 sec full Sing
As a bit of a bonus, I found a reel doing some sorting around of a PSA that Johnny Cash did for the Seventh Day Adventists on quitting smoking. Apparently their program helped him and now it can help you. The date on this is probably 1970s, but I have nothing to go on. Lots of Johnny Cash fans out there still, so thought i'd put this up as a rare piece of audio.
Johnny Cash Seventh Day Adventists-Quit Smoking PSA's. 3x60
I'm had some inquiries about the MARS Production Library album I posted sometime ago, asking if there were anymore and/or if I had the whole set. The truth is yes and no. Yes I have more (and just actually found them looking for something else a couple weeks ago) and no, I don't have the whole set...maybe 8. It's likely I'll be posting one next month since it's been awhile, and hey, I found the ones I have....watch next month to find out for sure.
No,the jetsam isn't dead.....just hibernating for a bit, and with a bit of warm snap (well, around where I live) this winter, it's time to wake up and smell the cheese on this reel of tape.
Another reason is my beloved Studer Reel to Reel Machine was sick for a few weeks. After some time troubleshooting the problem, parts were ordered and a couple weeks of waiting, parts were installed and up and running again. Can't complain, the last time it broke down to this degree was 7 years previous, so while i'm fixing other gear in my vintage gear radio studio here in the basement of my humble house, I feel like a maytag repair for this beast. Willi Studer seems to have lives up to his reputation. And to think, this machine was tossed, and avoided the dumpster thanks to a friend of mind in the right place at the right time! Gotta love that.
And what's the first thing I dubbed on the machine after the fix? Why the reel posted here today:
I forget exactly where this came from, I think it might have come in as part of a music service at a station I worked for. It was never played until I transferred it for the jetsam and fortunately, in great shape because of it.
Now about the content. Over time, some things hold up better then others when we look back. This can be largely because of our biased memories of fondly remembering things with our happy filters. This stuff doesn't hold up well. I suppose that's what makes it interesting today.
In the era of "We Are The World" and "Hands Across America" just a few short years before, I can sort of see why an important message about AIDS would get the happy feel good spin in song. Today, looking back it's more of a WTF going through your head when you listen to this in all it's glory. When hormones rage, I doubt anyone would really care about anything written like this. REALLY!, yet here it is. If anything it's a good laugh at how a serious matter was dealt with in the 80s.
For the rest of the reel, It's a mix of campy PSA's and reflects the time. Of special note is Tom Bodett of Motel 6 ad fame doing a PSA for voting away from home, Voting for Black American's featuring one PSA voiced by Canadian actor Percy Rodriguez, who was all over TV and movies from the 1950s-80s including movie trailers (Wiki Info: HERE) just a great set of pipes, and even in 1988, some people didn't have a telephone in their home (in 2015, I'm guessing it's all cell phones now) can't you image that? Apparently so.
Enjoy!
I've spaced all the material off this 40 min reel in sections as per the original listing. Refer to the tape box pic for specifics.
Media General" Take the Time" Aids Project Song (FULL SONG ONLY!)
Since it is summer, I thought I'd pull a few from the 80s and 90s with a summer theme or what aired in the summertime based on the dates on the tape boxes. We get rather Canadian focused for the most part, but funny thing is, 2 of the jingles cover American classic hits. I have made a single mp3 file for each reel tape this month, as it's just easier for me to deal with.
The Canadian Cancer Society in the summer of 1995 rewrote "Little Deuce Coupe" by the Beach Boys into "Slip Slap Slop" and created an effective way to remember to put on some sunscreen and stay out of the sun at certain times of the day. It's very memorable, and almost 20 years later, still effective. Just goes to show you how good song writing just seems to last forever. These aren't "full sing" jingles, there is people on these spots, but still fun to listen to for the entire spot.
Canadian Cancer Society-Sun Sense Radio Announcements (1995)
Speaking of the Beach Boys, which even the thought of them instantly transports you to a summer on the beach, the canadian burger chain "Harvey's" (since 1959) turned out this "Beach Boys" full sing jingle in the summer of 1986. I think it's safe to say it wasn't the group, or even one of their songs, but this sound alike is catchy, sticks in your ear and really makes me think of a fun summers day...though not necessarily eating burgers, unless your hungry of course...maybe that was the idea. Hungry? Harvey's!
Also on the summer menu is "The Keg" a Canadian Steakhouse restaurant chain founded in 1971 in Vancouver BC. Simply called "summer" I get the feeling this full sing jingle wants you to drop in when you have a chance and get a "taste of summer" which obviously includes steak. hell, beats cooking on a hot day.
Finally, Mcdonalds in Canada can't be left out. 20 years ago this month, they were promoting their Chicken Fajitas as a menu item by rewiring the classic hit "La Bamba" to their use. I really forget if they still have the product, I'll have to go look the next time i'm there, but don't go and expect the promotion price....You're about 20 years too late...:)
