Keep Musicking: Fandom derailed: Why former fans turn their backs on Train

There’s something about the way a song hits you. Many pop songs are memorable for their hooks—a melodic and rhythmic gesture which gets stuck in your head. However, Train’s “Hey Soul Sister” is a song which many former fans would like to forget; but, they just can’t. The song is everywhere.

Sometimes a song and a commercial fuse together in perfect harmony… “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing” became known as the Coca Cola song. But what’s good for Coke became bad for the song. People cannot think of this beautiful song about peace and brotherhood without singing, “I’d like to give the world a Coke.

Many long for the days of the simple jingle created just for the product. People have often complained about old favorite songs suffering indignity for the sake of a payout. “Have a Coke and a smile.” Candy was never cooler, “Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t. Almond Joy’s got nuts, Mounds don’t because…” And in terms of the soda wars, alternates had great ads, “I wanna pop, I wanna Shasta. I want a thrill, I want a wow, taste it all, I want it now.”

Dr. Pepper seems to have many fans of their ad campaigns. They got a great deal of mileage out of the jingle, “I’m a Pepper, he’s a Pepper, she’s a Pepper, we’re a Pepper. Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper, too? Be a Pepper. Drink Dr. Pepper.” Now seriously, their commercials rock in ways that Coke’s just don’t. They’re use of rock music seems enjoyable. We all need “A little Kiss” every once in awhile.

Recently Vampire Weekend’s “Holiday” popped up in two commercials. The Tommy Hilfiger commercial fit their image perfectly. Honda…not so much.

One of the greatest indignities seems to have hit in the form of “Hey Soul Sister” whose everpresence and popularity inspired a hefty backlash of hatred. “Hey, Soul Sister” is now the most played song in Australian Radio History, the most downloaded i-tunes song of 2010, the bestselling single in Columbia Records history, and has been certified RIAA 6x platinum. In addition, the song has been featured in ubiquitous ads. Former fans began a blog online dedicated to every instance of the overuse of the song and how the song has begun to grate the nerves of longtime fans.

Just when you thought it might be safe to turn on the television again, just when it seemed like Summer was over and we were no longer seeing 30 Seconds to Mars paired with Sunkist; just when it seemed like the Samsung commercial with “Hey, Soul Sister” might just die... The same former fans felt a double dose of spite when Train wrote a song for that great ruiner of beautiful songs, Coca Cola, called “Shake Up December.”

The everpresence of the “Hey, Soul Sister” song rates as grating, but no one in the band has taken it personally. The worst ever use of a song in an ad still has to be The Violent Femmes Wendy’s commercial. One wonders how one of LA’s favorite songs, “Bliter in the Sun” passed through LA advertising execs. Bassist Bryan Ritchie felt it was so damaging to the band that he sued Gano in Federal court.

Said Ritchie, "I don't like having my sound misappropriated to sell harmful products, such as fast food. That's not why we made the music. It should not be hijacked." A Violent Femmes reunion seems highly unlikely.

Meanwhile, the runaway “Soul Sister” Train steamrolls along with full approval from all band members without stopping causing fans jump off the Trainline in droves. The song recently made Village Voice’s list of Top 20 Worst Songs of 2010. Oh, LA, is this your fault?

If you would like to join forces with Train Derailers, please visit: http://stopadvertisingfrompullingatrain.info