My Chemical Toilet: Where Have I Heard That Song Before?

Lithuanian person disqualified from Eurovision for ripping off The La's' "There She Goes"

Who knows if Deivis' "Lietuva" will go on to be scrutinised for drug references like the song he ripped off. One thing's for sure - eastern Europeans can now scratch early-90s British indiepop from their list of genres to plagiarise.

WE ARE WATCHING YOU, YOU LOT. HANDS OFF OUR POP, ETCETERA.

See NME Video Blog for the full, sordid tale...

Attic Lights annihilate Minder theme tune in honour of Shane Richie

Believe it or not, despite being a passionate music fan, I am not one of those bores who will grumble on about songs being "sacred" and untouchable. If you think you can cover a classic song and give it a decent twist, good luck to you. There are plenty of other folk out there willing to roast you just for considering the idea.

The point at which I start vomming word-bile is if the cover is an insipid, life-draining piece of shit. As is the case with The Attic Lights' rendering of "I Could Be So Could For You", which they have recorded to soundtrack the new version of Minder (starts on Five at 9pm tonight, viewers!).

2009 AVN Adult Movie Awards unveils "Best Original Song" nominees

The Brits and The Grammys are on the horizon, but coming first are The Adult Video Network Awards. While the winners of categories such as "Best Gang Bang/Orgy Release" and "Best MILF Series" may take the limelight, it's gratifying to know that there is also a section for "Best Original Song".

S'true. You thought all the budget went on baby oil and silicone, didn't you?

It's probably just as well clips for "Big Phat Apple Bottom Bootys 13" and "Tinkle Time" can't be found, but I am pleased to be able to present "Rock & Roll In My Butthole" from the movie of the same name, performed by the elegantly-monikered Brutal Enigma. Catch it over the page. (NSFW I imagine. All you see are buttocks, though.) It makes The Darkness appear refined.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on January 8, 2026 11:35 AM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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CSS remix of Chromeo's "Fancy Footwork" soundtracks Kickers ad

Terribly misleading, this little collaboration between Kickers and Chromeo. I just gave it a look having been sent it by Brandish editor Isabelle and immediately hit the Kickers website to try and splank some money on a pair of helicopter boots. Nothing. THEY DO NOT EVEN EXIST.

Harrumph. Once you get over that disappointment you're able to appreciate that this is quite a cool little clip, with other Kickers turning into cute wittle monsters and stuff. Plus, it has something relatively new from Chromeo, in the shape of a CSS remix of "Fancy Footwork". Since Chromeo appear to dragging their own Kickers when it comes to MAKING A NEW FLIPPING ALBUM, this will have to do for the time being.

Check out the full clip after the click.

Madison Avenue ad agency "signs" Los Angeles band Miss Derringer

When EMI honcho Guy Hands intimated a few months back that bands might need to look for strategic brand alliances to make money - or at least raise decent marketing budgets - there was general outrage from quarters who still quaintly believe in the notion that music is not "product".

But things are definitely heading that way. A few months ago Media Week touched on the notion of a brand breaking an entirely new band in the manner that record companies traditionally have. Now Madison Avenue ad firm Deutsch has hooked up with an unsigned band by the name of Miss Derringer in a "strategic partnership".

Posted by Stuart Waterman on December 8, 2025 12:15 PM in Music News| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Katy Perry joins David Beckham in Adidas Originals commercial

If you're anything like me, you're an original. And you demonstrate your originality by wearing the same shoes as everyone else, right?

Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" + Billy Idol's "White Wedding" = DJ Schmolli's "Wicked Wedding"

DJ Schmoli has gone and mashed up Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" (you know, the one that goes #"Oh IIIIeeeeeeee don't wanna fall in lurve..."#) with Billy Idol's "White Wedding" to rather impressive effect. Billy in particular sounds even more menacing than in the original, which is how I prefer to see him - rather than like this.

It's almost worth getting married just to play this at the reception. Who's up for it?

James Bond movie themes that never were

There's something fascinating about albums that never came to fruition, songs that were shelved, collaborations that were too shite to be released, no? The Guardian today has a veritable dooziefest of such matters - it's a list of songs and acts who almost, but didn't quite, make the final cut for previous Bond themes.

And even better than that is the fact that there are links to many of them, so you can close your eyes and imagine Alice Cooper doing the theme for The Man With The Golden Gun, Blondie doing the honours for For Your Eyes Only, and - ohbloodyyes - Ace Of Base smeared all over Goldeneye.

Sadly no link to the mooted collaboration between Winehouse and Ronson, of course. Maybe one day, eh?

Check out who else missed out on the Bond theme honour at The Guardian

Hewlett Packard are the eejits in the TouchSmart TV ad furore, not Gary Glitter

Well, look. Gary Glitter has done many extremely bad things, of that there is little doubt. You wouldn't ask him to babysit. You wouldn't hire him as an after-school tutor. You wouldn't ask him to dress up as Santa at your local shopping centre and have kiddies on his lap. On that we are all, I imagine, agreed.

However, if he earns royalties from a song that silly advertising creatives didn't realise is a leeeetle bit insensitive to use in a TV commercial, that's not his fault - it's theirs.

Some of those lyrics go:

Do you wanna touch? - Yeah! Do you wanna touch? - Yeah! Do you wanna touch me there? Yeah!

Hands up who can't help thinking of Brass Eye at this point?

Posted by Stuart Waterman on October 29, 2025 10:55 AM in Music News| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Chairlift's "Bruises" soundtracks Apple's iPod Nano commercial

I heard "Bruises" for the first time while going through one of my customary Hype Machine trawls the other day. And lo, watching some televisual entertainment later the same day it came on again during the ad break.

Following the likes of Yael Naim's unthreatening "New Soul" and The Ting-Tings' "Shut Up And Let Me Go" it's another calculatedly canny choice by the Apple folk - catchy, upbeat, whimsicute. And now almost impossible to judge on its merits alone :(

[video: davidfuckinggray]

EDF Energy turn Kermit's "Bein' Green" into ode to the environment

If you've seen those EDF Energy ads over the course of the year and think you've heard the song it uses before, it'll be because Kermit The Frog sang it. Yep, "Bein' Green", when it first hit the TV screen back in the 60s, was Kermie's lament at being coloured an unglamourous shade.

The colour green has developed its own associations over the years, of course. As well as being the colour that signifies when you're about to spew out the previous night's boozy pops, it's come to be associated most clearly with efforts to preserve the environment so that the children of the future can grow up and spew out the previous night's boozy pops.

Check out the Kermit original and the EDF Energy-approved cover after the jump...

Huey Lewis and the News hop aboard the Pineapple Express

You thought M.I.A's "Paper Planes" was the theme tune for Seth Rogan's forthcoming movie Pineapple Express, didn't you? Can't blame you really, since it's been used to great effect on the film's trailer and has since become a bona fide international hit.

However, although the song was used for the trailer, looking at the disgruntled comments on YouTube it seems it doesn't appear in the film itself at all.

But fear not, for the official theme is just as noteworthy, having been written and performed by 80s soundtrack faves Huey Lewis and the News. And it's not a million miles away from the upbeat, horn-festooned sound you'll associate with Huey (above, click to enlarge) and the chaps, either.

It does have a stoner vibe to it though, which is appropriate for the film but feels a leetle odd coming from a guy who is *checks Wikipedia* 58 years of age.

Kudos to Lewis & co., however, for shoehorning the rather awkward title of the movie into the song's chorus. See them performing it on Jimmy Kimmel Live over the page...

The Feeling cheat on Toyota with Intel® Centrino®

Have you got that Feeling-soundtracked Toyota Auris ad out of your head yet? You know, the one with "Join With Us" playing over the top as the band "rock out" in a glove compartment? Me neither, which is a shame really, because the insanely popular drivetime residents are about to embark on a whole new brand-related publicity thingy.

In association with Intel® Centrino®, The Feeling are going to create a music video for their new single "from the drawing board to the small screen in just 24 hours".

They're going to be using Intel® technology to do it, of course, hence the brand alignment. I just hope all the people involvedare 100% focused, because get me within 1 metre of a laptop and my first instinct isn't work but rather Facebook, Twitter, Hype Machine, YouTube, Cat Prin...

Posted by Stuart Waterman on July 17, 2025 9:54 AM in Music News| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Feist on Sesame Street: # "1-2-3-4 monsters walking 'cross the floor..." #

If you watch this video of Feist on Sesame Street adapting "1-2-3-4" to become about "counting to 4", and fail to emit a single "awww", you need to have your hearstrings tested.

Check it out over the page...

Posted by Stuart Waterman on July 16, 2025 11:43 AM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Walter Meego's "Forever" used to flog Heineken

I had a little rave about Walter Meego's album Voyager recently. I've gone off it a bit now, to be honest - but am still a fan of several of the more sugary confections contained therein.

I'd heard that their tracks have popped up here and there on ads and TV shows, but was quite surprised to hear it's being used to flog a big old manly beer like Heineken. Then I saw the advert and lo, it all made sense. Heineken's DraughtKeg thingy allows it to be positioned as a more cosy, IKEA-esque booze.

Check out the lifestyle porn after the jump.

That Tropicana Smoothies "Catch A Falling Star" ad: all you need to know

You might have seen that whizzy new ad for Tropicana Smoothies on your tellybox recently. It features lots of fruit apparently exploding, over a female voice crooning Perry Como's "Catch A Falling Star".

This is one of those instances where people are going to see the ad and just DIE if they don't find out who sings it, etc. So allow me to fill you in.

Why are HMV using Sam Cooke lyrics to sell Duffy's Rockferry album?

While flicking through this month's Observer Music Monthly I encountered what struck me as a weird way of advertising Duffy's album Rockferry. It was a page with lyrics from Sam Cooke's emancipation anthem "A Change Is Gonna Come" prominently displayed, against a picture of Duffy.

The bottom right has a plug for Duffy's album, and the bottom left has the HMV logo. So it's an ad for Duffy and HMV, but it uses Sam Cooke's lyrics.

As a way of advertising Sam Cook's music it might be effective, perhaps, if the ad mentioned his album more prominently. As a promotion for Duffy, however, it struck me as extremely cynical, and a little insulting.

Brains from Thunderbirds boogies to "Rhythm Is A Dancer" for Drench water

I don't know how long this ad's been doing the rounds, but I saw it this morning on E4 and I was rapt. RAPT, I tell you. I've never been that big a fan of Snap's "Rhythm Is A Dancer", but when you've got a wee man from Thunderbirds shaking his strings to it, it ascends to that elusive "next level". OK, so it's clearly CGI, but 'tis still mucho clevs.

It's all in aid of a brand of water called Drench, who clearly have their viral video head screwed on right proper. It sure beats a drumming primate, anyway. Click over for Brains's moves - and try not to get distracted by how much he looks like the guy from Hot Chip.

New NER*D track "Spazz" features on Microsoft Zune commercial

I'll be honest, the new "business models" surrounding paid-for music confuse me a fair bit. The salient details of how to pay for, and get music onto, this Zune doo-dah pretty much passed me by as I watched this new ad.

BUT! It has a clip of a new N*E*R*D track soundtracking it, which is a crafty way of getting people to check out the commercial, if not the actual gadget. The track's called "Spazz" and features rather pleasing rat-a-tat-tat percussion with a typically bangalicious bass backing it up. Give it a listen over the page.

The Ting Tings' iPod + iTunes ad probably won't do their career too much harm

They were already doing pretty well Stateside, but getting the nod from the ad folk at Apple to appear in one of their era-defining commercials should mean The Ting Tings can sell out venues of a slightly larger size before too long. They will also be able to buy as much fizzy pop as they like, which may make their next "product" even more jumpyshouty.

See the ad over the page. Although you can probably guess more or less how it goes...

Where Have I Heard That Song Before?: Minnie Ripperton 'Les Fleur'

H&M; are using it, as did Bailey's a while ago. Minnie Ripperton's 'Les Fleurs' has been long loved on the breaks scene, and rightly so. Of course, Minnie is best known for her crystal shattering 'Loving You', but for me, 'Les Fleur' is by far her best and most outrageous work.

[video:hoopkim]

Posted by Mof Gimmers on April 30, 2025 2:38 PM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Where Have I Heard That Song Before?: 'Feathers' by Andrew Weatherall from the Volkswagen Tiguan ad

You may have seen a commercial recently, starring a Volkswagen Tiguan. Well, in it is a tune by one of electronic music's true pioneers, Andrew Weatherall. His 'Feathers' track is the one featured here, but before that, Weatherall has been in Two Lone Swordsmen, Sabres of Paradise as well as essentially creating the masterpiece that was Screamadelica for Primal Scream. Salute him.

[video: soundstick62]

Posted by Mof Gimmers on April 24, 2025 1:58 PM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Where Have I Heard That Song Before?: Isaac Hayes - 'Run Fay Run'

Recently, Vauxhall advertised something called an Antara. Sod the product! Just what was that funkyass track at the back? Well, that track bruthas and sistas is the Black Moses of funk, brother Isaac Hayes and his dynamite 'Run Fay Run'. Yessir, it's the Stax-man who you may recall provided a voice for chef in South Park.

Of course, there's much more to Hayes than a dumbass cartoon. He's been sampled to hell with the beautiful strings of 'Ike's Rap' and of course, scored blaxploitation flick, Shaft. Also, Hot Buttered Soul from '69 is one of the greatest soul LPs ever made. But wait! Back to 'Run Fay Run'... I know it from somewhere else! Yep. You may well have heard it on the Kill Bill Soundtrack. If you still don't know what I'm talking about, click over and press play.

Posted by Mof Gimmers on April 17, 2025 3:21 PM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Where Have I Heard That Song Before? - Evelyn Knight 'A Little Bird Told Me'

No matter how rubbish an advert is, or what tat it's selling, now again, you hear a tune and say "Yes! I want that!" Well, this happened to me quite recently during a Head and Shoulders commercial of all things. Cooing along, the tune goes "A little bird, told you that you love me...". After some hunting, it turns out it's by Evelyn Knight and it's called 'A Little Bird Told Me'. And here it is for your listening pleasure. [video:gramophoneshane]

Posted by Mof Gimmers on April 10, 2025 2:16 PM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Where Have I Heard That Song Before?: Erika Eigen's 'I Want To marry a Lighthouse Keeper".

There's a scene in A Clockwork Orange where Alex's family are listening to a strange ditty when he bursts in on them upon his release from prison. That song is Erika Eigen's 'I Want To Marry A Lighthouse Keeper'. You'll probably recognise the song from the recent M&S; ad starring Twiggy & Co. Who would have thought you could make the leap from a British supermarket to ultra-violence in one go? Here's the full track for your delectation.

[video:rsensorat3]

Where Have I Heard That Song Before?: 'Clubbed to Death' by Rob Dougan

'Clubbed to Death' by Rob Dougan. Where have you heard it? You're probably listening to it right now. And ten minutes ago. And last night. In fact, this tune will have dogged you around almost constantly for the past year if you've switched the telly on at all in that time. Reality TV shows simply can't survive without using this track to give an air of tension or credibility. Someone needs to take this tune outside and put it down before it keels over with exhaustion. That or I stick nails in someone.

[video: nh3nh4]

Where Have I Heard That Song Before?: Steve Earle's 'Galway Girl'

St Patrick's Day is almost upon us, which means only one thing. Stupid novelty hats. So, with everyone saying things like 'bejaysus', much to the annoyance of real-life Irish people, let's have a look at a distinctly Irish-flavoured track. This is Steve Earle's 'Galway Girl', which you may have heard on the recent ad campaign for Magners; which, would you can believe it, is another Irish drink. And there's you thinking that there was only Guinness to be had on Paddy's night.

[video: Bogus2387]

Where Have I Heard That Song Before?: 'I'm a Man' by The Spencer Davis Group

There's a VW Polo commercial knocking around at the minute featuring a bizarre singing dog. That's by-the-by, because the real rub is in the killer 60s beat classic that soundtracks the clip. The hit is the dancefloor classic 'I'm A Man' by The Spencer Davis Group, featuring a young Stevie Winwood (pre-Traffic, Blind Faith and, uh, 'Higher Love'). Now, press play and GET DOWN!

[video: maritchy]

Posted by Mof Gimmers on March 6, 2025 11:52 AM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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SongTapper: a fun way to not Google song lyrics

You know when you hear a song in a pub / club / restaurant / STD clinic / needle exchange, and you don't know what it's called? In bygone days you were stuffed. You had to ask actual people if they knew what it was called, and this would entail you trying to sing the melody to them, and then their ears would start bleeding, and then they'd tell you they never wanted to speak to you again. Disastrous.

Thanks to modern technology, these awkward scenarios are thankfully a thing of the past. It's never been easier to find out the name of a song. All you need to do is Google some of the lyrics, after all. Or play a burst of the song to Shazam, perhaps. And now there's a new, fun and not very good way to discover the name of that elusive track - SongTapper!

Posted by Stuart Waterman on March 4, 2025 11:26 AM in Online Music| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Where Have I Heard That Song Before?: Jon Allen's "Going Home", as heard on the Land Rover ad

There's a Land Rover commercial doing the rounds at the moment with a rather pleasant folk number on it. I've scratched my head and flicked through LPs, and then it hit me. Look online! So, a quick scurry around the web unearthed Jon Allen and his gorgeous track "Going Home". Well worth a listen and well worth keeping an ear out for.

[video: jeps16]

Posted by Mof Gimmers on February 21, 2025 11:50 AM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Where Have I Heard That Song Before?: Camille Yarborough's "Take Yo' Praise"

I've known Camille Yarborough's 'Take Yo' Praise' for some years now. It's been a pretty big tune on the soul circuit for yonks, so when Fatboy Slim's 'Praise You' came out with a big ol' sample of the track in it, tears of sadness rolled down my pathetic cheeks. "Oh no. Everyone is gonna be on this now" I thought. Strangely that never happened, and Camille's tune continued doing the business under the radar. Now, in a hugely hypocritical move to 'get everyone on it', here's the original. Go buy this incredible tune and git down!

[video:19urban72]

Posted by Mof Gimmers on February 15, 2026 12:08 PM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Where Have I Heard That Song Before?: ESG's 'Tiny Sticks', as heard on the Mini Clubman advert

Who the hell are ESG when they're at home? Well, bucko, ESG were a group that influenced loads of bands, from the punks to the post punkers, to the disco kids, to the hip-hop heads, to just about anyone who liked to go mental on a dance floor. You probably know 'em from the Mini clubman advert with a brilliant elastic bassline and congas.

ESG hailed from the South Bronx and were an "art-funk ensemble". Don't let that put you off though. They've shared a producer with Joy Division and been sampled by TLC, Wu-Tang Clan, Beastie Boys, Big Daddy Kane, Gang Starr, J-Dilla... and more. If you need your memory refreshing, read over and you'll see a video which has the track on it... you'll know it as soon as you hear it.

Posted by Mof Gimmers on February 14, 2026 12:42 PM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Where Have I Heard That Song Before?: Allen Toussaint's "Sweet Look Of Love"

Allen Toussaint is an American music legend. One of the most influential figures in New Orleans r&b;, Toussaint penned a whole heap of super famous soul-shakers. Which ones? "Working in the Coalmine", "Ride Your Pony", "Brickyard Blues", "Get Out My Life Woman", "Southern Nights" and "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky", for starters.

Another number which is filling the airwaves as we speak is his wonderful "Sweet Touch of Love" which stars in the newest Lynx advert... y'know... the one that has that bloke who is made out of chocolate and women start snapping his nose and balls off for a chew. Well, even though the commercial is on the sinister side, Toussaint's cheery New Orleans stomper is still one of the cheeriest tunes you'll ever hear. Wanna listen? Click over.

Posted by Mof Gimmers on February 7, 2026 1:24 PM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Lost is back! Check out all the music used during the show's run

OHMYGOD LOST IS BACK DID YOU SEE THAT BIT WHERE- Ah. Of course, I can't say anything because whether you've seen the new episode depends on whether you live in America, Britain, whether you have the right TV package, whether you've dodgily downloaded it yet, et-freakin'-cetera. Remember the days when you could actually discuss TV with people?

If you're into the show and have been avidly catching up with your boxsets in its absence, and have subsequently been wondering what that song was - as usual, you can thank Wikipedia. The mysterious nerdlingers who spend their spare time updating the 'pedia have compiled a handy list of all the songs that have appeared during the show's maddening three (and a bit) seasons. Of course, you knew the bafflingly-titled "You All Everybody" was by DriveSHAFT, but what about the rest? Click here to have all revealed.

[via Pop Candy]

Posted by Stuart Waterman on February 4, 2026 9:52 AM in Music News| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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Where Have I Heard That Song Before? - Jackie Mittoo and His Soul Brothers' "Free Soul"

You may well be thinking "who the hell is Jackie Mittoo when he's at home?" Well, Mr Mittoo (to you) is a reggae legend who "masheditop" on the keys at Studio One and, well, other legendary reggae recording studios. His track, "Free Soul", is a classic slice of jump up and down ska which, as those with keen ears may note, was sampled by Lily Allen's producers for "Smile". Now gwan. Lissen up. You can even sing along if you like!

[video: ogodefacto]

Posted by Mof Gimmers on January 31, 2026 11:54 AM in Video| Where Have I Heard That Song Before?
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