I love piano, hate commercials

 Posted by on 28 February 2009  Modern Life, Music
Feb 282009
 

So what happens when a lousy car commercial uses a famous piano composition?

It drives me crazy, that’s what.

There’s a new Lexus commercial that I see almost every ad break while watching an hour-long show. I don’t really watch too much T.V anymore, but this commercial is always on.

It’s a typical car commercial these days: slow motion action shots of the interior and exterior, in the big city, comforting dad looking through the rear view mirror at young daughter, shots intended to show how well the car maneuvers while still being a comfortable hunk of metal, shots intended to show how much better a car it is than the one you’re driving.

I dislike all commercials, but ones involving cars are especially egregious. But this commercial, well, it always catches my attention. Instead of changing the channel, I wait and listen because I’m drawn in to the beautiful piano.

Now I’m sure you’re dying to know what it is. Wait no longer! Here!

The actual commercial doesn’t have the handy song information like in this video, so while I kept saying to Grant every time it came on, “I know this song!” it took him 45 minutes to find out it was Clair de Lune by Debussy (Of COURSE I thought). Because Lexus is notorious for using classic songs. Or something.

Anyway, it reminded me how much I now love Erik Satie, and of my perennial favourite, Moonlight Sonata.

Damn you, Lexus. Damn our love/hate relationship.

Amy Breen

  • http://www.absurdintellectual.com/ Grant Hamilton

    Yeah, don’t Google “lexus ad piano” or you’ll get a bunch of other ads that ARE NOT THIS ONE but you’ll have to sit through YouTubes of them all, trying to find the one that is.

    And then you’ll find it, and be the hero.

    Oh, Amy, if I were rich, would I buy you a Lexus? Only if I was a little bit rich. If I was a a lot rich, I’d pay to have Debussy brought back from the dead so he could write you a composition at my behest. And Erik Satie could arrange it or something.

  • Determinator

    Definitely one of the most beautiful piano pieces I know of, and part of a great soundtrack from Ocean’s 11.

  • H. Bergeron

    I love a piano too and here’s two versions to prove it.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOMZB1p1xhE

  • http://www.absurdintellectual.com/ Amy Breen

    Oh right! That song is playing at the end when they’re watching the water show at one of the hotels and going their separate ways. Right?