Poll: John Lewis Advert

[Dumbfish1]

The latest John Lewis advert has caused a fair amount of controversy over it's use of The Smiths song 'Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want', played over a condensed, feel-good christmas narrative of a boy waiting for christmas.

The outrage comes from the shock at how The Smiths, of all the anti-consumerist, anti-Thatcherite and anti-establishment bands of the 1980s, allowed a song so clearly about non-material varieties of desire to be used to part us from our festive cash. That song is, definitively, not about wanting things. Nor is it about the cosiness of family life and our fantasies of the perfect Christmas. It is a raw, painful song about alienation and unfulfilled longing, not duvets and crockery and baubles.

Others though are arguing that it may bring a resurgence of popularity for The Smiths, like other artists have experienced, such as Vashti Bunyan or Bedouin Soundclash.

 

[XDravond]

Well a few things
1. It is just a song, a good one but still music that is used to get you attention.
2. I'm not sure "The Smiths" really had to be asked since many of these songs etc are not owned by the artist but rather a large music company (do not know if that is the case here)
3. A songs meaning do tend to change over time, not the original meaning but what it means at the time it is played...
4. It is a cover in other words another artist have created something new of something old...
5. I guess your right though they should not used the song. But money talks.

 

[EeveeElectro]

Is that why people were kicking off about it?! I kept reading stuff about a dogs head in the box, it was confusing.
I suppose it's a nice advert. A bit long for one, but it's nice. People should stop whining.

 

[Dango]

It's a silly overreaction. That's all.

 

[LuckyClover95]

Overreaction. People should get the fuck over it really.

 

[Sun Flash]

Like EeveeElectro said, the only talk I've heard about it is that the dog from last years JL advert has obviously been beheaded and is in that box.

Spoiler

Other than that, it's just a song, I don't really care. All my music message hate was used up when Johnny Rotten started plugging butter.

 

[Nickolai77]

How do think this guy feels?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

You know there's a dog's head in the box at the end, don't you?

 

[ToastiestZombie]

You know there's a dog's head in the box at the end, don't you?

How is there? Im not hating or anything im just bewildered on what reference the ad gives that there is a dog head in there?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

You know there's a dog's head in the box at the end, don't you?

How is there? Im not hating or anything im just bewildered on what reference the ad gives that there is a dog head in there?

Well all the clues are there...

 

[ToastiestZombie]

You know there's a dog's head in the box at the end, don't you?

How is there? Im not hating or anything im just bewildered on what reference the ad gives that there is a dog head in there?

Well all the clues are there...

What clues? I'm gonna watch it again. I honestly can not see any clues.

 

[Something Amyss]

Others though are arguing that it may bring a resurgence of popularity for The Smiths, like other artists have experianced

And hey, if that's worth betraying their values to license the song, more power to them.

 

[Lunar Templar]

i know know nothing of these 'smiths', so i can say for a stand point of neutrality

its a cute and i 'd'aww'd at the end

people just need to chill

 

[WarDialler]

i know know nothing of these 'smiths', so i can say for a stand point of neutrality

its a cute and i 'd'aww'd at the end

people just need to chill

Did anyone else just age 25 years in 2.5 seconds? *shudder*
Meh, quite frankly if I caught myself shopping in John lewis I'd A- Wonder where the money had come from and B- Shoot myself in the face for supporting the capitalist machine that seems intent on destroying the UK.

 

[Lunar Templar]

i know know nothing of these 'smiths', so i can say for a stand point of neutrality

its a cute and i 'd'aww'd at the end

people just need to chill

Did anyone else just age 25 years in 2.5 seconds? *shudder*
Meh, quite frankly if I caught myself shopping in John lewis I'd A- Wonder where the money had come from and B- Shoot myself in the face for supporting the capitalist machine that seems intent on destroying the UK.

that would put you in your 50s going off my age chief, they weren't what i listened to

 

[Jazoni89]

I saw this on the tele today, and it felt like a short story rather than an advert.

Nice music though, but i could understand why people would be cross, I know I would hate it if I heard the music i like (cover or overwise) in movies, on TV, in Restaurants, Shops, or just generally played in public, though that could just be my inner hipster talking.