My baby drove up in a brand new Cadillac

[venta]

On the way in to work this morning I followed a white Nissan for some distance. This was annoying because said Nissan wanted to drive at a consistent 10mph below the speed limit (driving at 50 in the 60 limit, and dropping neatly to 40 when we entered a 50 limit). The road's not good for overtaking, and I just didn't have enough go to overtake safely in the road space available.

However, it did mean that I spent some of the drive in thinking of a car advert that really should have been made:

[Bloke wearing leather trousers and a t-shirt with the sleeves ripped out leaps onto centre stage and grabs a mic. The band strikes up.]

"I love TV and I love T-Rex
I can see through your skirt I've got X-ray specs.

I drive a Pri-i-i-i-i-Pri-imera"

Thank you. That is all.

Comments

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

Do you need to be a fan to know "London Calling"?

Why isn't there a noun meaning "the song for which a band is famous, to the extent that most people who have heard nothing else by that band, and indeed have never knowingly even heard of the band, can nevertheless sing or at least hum along to it".

Although I guess that doesn't really apply here, on account of "Rock the Casbah".

[venta.livejournal.com]

Do you need to be a fan to know "London Calling"?

No, I very much doubt it. But (I'm assuming the anonymous commenter is my mother) I was confused as to why, despite the fact that I'm sometimes listening to music which she clearly does know, or stuff that's equally famous, then why would she suddenly point out knowing London Calling ?

Why isn't there a noun meaning [snip]

I don't know. There should be. It'd be useful. Any suggestions ?

What's the canonical example ? I'd suggest (in light of recent posting) MC5/Kick Out The Jams, except I suspect that song's more famous by title, and I doubt people could hum along.

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

What's the canonical example

Well, there's "There She Goes" by The La's, although that's a bit of a con because although they were around for several years they only had one album, and "being a one-hit-wonder" isn't the same as what I'm talking about.

"Fools' Gold", maybe.

[venta.livejournal.com]

"Fools' Gold"

What, by The Stone Roses ?
Get away. I'd describe myself as a Stone Roses fan, and I can barely hum that one. Surely there are others much better known ?

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

I'm prepared for my instinct to be wrong, but as a first-pass sanity check:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=&cat=&meta=&num=&ie=utf-8&q=%22stone+roses%22+%22fools+gold%22

14400 hits

http://www.google.com/search?hl=&cat=&meta=&num=&ie=utf-8&q=%22stone+roses%22+%22I+am+the+resurrection%22

6000 hits

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22stone+roses%22+%22She+Bangs+the+Drums%22&btnG=Search

6000 hits

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22stone+roses%22+%22waterfall%22&btnG=Search

18000 hits

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22stone+roses%22+%22Turns+Into+Stone%22&btnG=Search

600 hits

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22stone+roses%22+%22second+coming%22&btnG=Search

18000 hits

So maybe Waterfall is more famous. Humph.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Hmm. My logic was just that Fools Gold isn't nearly as hummable as, say, Waterfall. Mind you, if asked for the best known song I'd have guessed at She Bangs The Drums which appears to be clearly wrong.

I did wonder about Love Spreads as well, on account of ubiquitous radio-play at the time, but...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22stone+roses%22+%22love+spreads%22&btnG=Search

6200 hits

...apparently not.