Morrissey allows John Lewis to use Smiths track for Christmas ad campaign

Mr Reynolds

Active Member
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/...e-Smiths-track-for-Christmas-ad-campaign.html

The famously curmudgeonly singer has given his blessing for a cover version of Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want to feature on the chain’s £6 million television advertising campaign.
The track will be performed by Slow Moving Millie, a relatively unknown musician and actor whose real name is Amelia Warner and was once briefly married to the Hollywood actor Colin Farrell.

The advert will first go out on Facebook and YouTube on Friday, followed by a series of prime time slots over the next five weeks, including a break during The X Factor on Saturday night.

Created by advertising agency Adam & Eve and directed by Dougal Wilson, it focuses on the joy of giving loved ones the perfect present at Christmas time.

The song will appear on 90, 60, 30 and 20-second versions of the advert, which features the slogan: “John Lewis: for gifts you can’t wait to give.”


Craig Inglis, John Lewis’s marketing director, said Morrissey was “delighted” that the chain was using the track, which was released as the B-side on The Smiths’ single William, It Was Really Nothing in 1984.
“It wasn’t a long and difficult road actually. It was relatively straightforward getting the rights,” he said.

“We approached the record company and Morrissey back in July, and they gave their approval. It is an iconic track from an iconic British band.

“We know our audience holds The Smiths and bands from that era in high esteem.”

He added: “It’s a magical feeling when you find that perfect present for someone; there’s a great sense of anticipation from the moment you buy it to the moment you give the gift on the big day.

“That feeling is exactly what we’ve tried to capture with this year’s Christmas campaign.”

Ruth Paterson, head of marketing at Rough Trade, the record label which released most of The Smiths’ work, said she was entertained by the collaboration.

“I do like the idea of a really good song by a really good band being played in Middle England’s living rooms,” she told The Times.

“I’m sure that wasn’t the song’s intended purpose, but I think that’s a good thing.”

The deal is likely to provide a substantial pecuniary boost for Morrissey, 52, who is revered as one of the most influential rock lyricists of all time, first as frontman in The Smiths and then as a solo artists after they disbanded in 1987.

The retailer’s festive marketing campaigns are traditionally eagerly-awaited productions, with last year’s TV ad featuring Ellie Goulding singing Elton John’s Your Song.

Director Wilson has worked with John Lewis in the past, and was responsible for the retailer’s popular Never Knowingly Undersold advert in spring 2010, featuring the Billy Joel hit Always a Woman, performed by Fyfe Dangerfield from the Guillemots.
 
Interesting that this is presented as Morrissey's decision? Does only Morrissey own the rights to the songs? - doesn't Marr at least have to agree?
 
Interesting that this is presented as Morrissey's decision? Does only Morrissey own the rights to the songs? - doesn't Marr at least have to agree?

Well shouldn't it be Joyce who gives consent if he owns the royalties? Or does Morrissey now have royalties?? :confused:

AND why don't they play the damn original song by the best UK Indie Band The Smiths then some stupid crappy cover singer? gods sake!

Thirdly why is Morrissey wanting this song to go on some stupid middle class advertisement for food? It's soooo stupid! Just like Sex Pistols John Lydon appearing on a fecken Butter Advert (although I can let him off since he's completely insane to begin with)
The Smiths were never middle class and didn't speak to the middle class either. It would rather be more suited going on an ASDA advert than John Lewis.

Don't wreck and overplay your good songs, Morrissey. The Smiths should be left alone!
 
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Well, if Moz can use some cash, her certainly deserves it, and I think it is so funny. When I heard a Smith's song for x-mas, I wondered 'what could THAT possibly be?' But when I found out what is the song, I laughed. I don't like to take things like this so seriously - there are worse things that can happen in life!
 
but it's a waste of a Smiths songs :( why let someone else butcher it and stick up on a terrible ad? I just don't see the point...Its The Smiths we're talking about, not Take That, not Lady Gaga, not Madonna...
 
Mmm... So please, please, please... let me get the Christmas present I want... Santa knows it will be first time :thumb:
 
Well shouldn't it be Joyce who gives consent if he owns the royalties? Or does Morrissey now have royalties?? :confused:

AND why don't they play the damn original song by the best UK Indie Band The Smiths then some stupid crappy cover singer? gods sake!

Thirdly why is Morrissey wanting this song to go on some stupid middle class advertisement for food? It's soooo stupid! Just like Sex Pistols John Lydon appearing on a fecken Butter Advert (although I can let him off since he's completely insane to begin with)
The Smiths were never middle class and didn't speak to the middle class either. It would rather be more suited going on an ASDA advert than John Lewis.

Don't wreck and overplay your good songs, Morrissey. The Smiths should be left alone!

I don't think Joyce gets anything does he? I thought he would only get performance royalties, not for songwriting.

I also don't think JL would be advertising food, probably some nice clothes and the latest gadgets. I know that doesn't make any difference to your point.

I don't think there is anything wrong with using the song. Lots of people hope that Christmas brings them what they want, in whatever form. Not everyone reveres the group like most of us do.
 
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I think there's more it to than money-grabbing in Morrissey's mind:

Millions may download the original culminating in the Smiths being the Christmas number one. In these times of austerity

and then I can release a Christmas single every year like Cliff Richard

and I can pay my court costs in case i lose
 
It is indeed odd that it's been portrayed as Morrissey's decision when it's clearly just as much John Marr's. And of course, as a cover version, it's nothing to do with Joyce Michael as he had absolutely nothing to do with writing the song.
The dreary indie snobs will (predictably) hate the idea but I think it's a brilliant thing.
A genius song that has only ever been heard by fans of indie pop music will soon become familiar to millions of people of all ages. It will become only the second ever Morrisey/Marr song to be known to the masses - the first being Ronson's cover of Stop Me.
It could potentially get released as a single as happened with the last JL campaign where Phil Dangermouse (from The Guillemots) covered a B Joel song.
Bring it on!
 


Cute.
In a machine-gun kinda way.
 
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Wow. It actually made me cry. I must be getting old and soft.

If there is such a thing as a beloved song used respectfully and cleverly in a tv ad, this is it.
 
It is indeed odd that it's been portrayed as Morrissey's decision when it's clearly just as much John Marr's. And of course, as a cover version, it's nothing to do with Joyce Michael as he had absolutely nothing to do with writing the song.
The dreary indie snobs will (predictably) hate the idea but I think it's a brilliant thing.
A genius song that has only ever been heard by fans of indie pop music will soon become familiar to millions of people of all ages. It will become only the second ever Morrisey/Marr song to be known to the masses - the first being Ronson's cover of Stop Me.
It could potentially get released as a single as happened with the last JL campaign where Phil Dangermouse (from The Guillemots) covered a B Joel song.
Bring it on!

I guess this is why Warners produced those industry demonstration CDs - so that marketing people pick up on it and use the songs in adverts
http://www.vulgarpicture.com/images/smiths/hi/2006/hi_2006_universaldemocd_3.jpg
http://www.vulgarpicture.com/images/smiths/hi/2005/hi_2005_umpgpresentscd_4.jpg
http://www.vulgarpicture.com/images/morrissey/hi/2004/hi_2004_musicofcd_promo_3.jpg

Given that there's none of Johnny Marr's music on the cover version, I suppose they might only have needed Morrissey's approval.

Dave
 
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Given that there's none of Johnny Marr's music on the cover version, I suppose they might only have needed Morrissey's approval.

Haha, are you off your head? Or do you just not know what "music" is?
 
...The flippin' prices of stuff in John Lewis's....I woulda picked "Shoplifters" meself.......


And...so much for campaigning for Animal Rights.....Christmas is murder....ask any turkey.......bah humbug to it, I say...
 
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...The flippin' prices of stuff in John Lewis's....I woulda picked "Shoplifters" meself.......


And...so much for campaigning for Animal Rights.....Christmas is murder....ask any turkey.......bah humbug to it, I say...

Wheyy! A Smiths fan here!
 
It's very touching. With the sister quietly watching in half the scenes, the gift poorly wrapped, the shaZAAM! I loved it. Good choice, Moz.

It just kinda floors me, people here and other sites screaming SELL OUT! It's like they think they own a piece of Morrissey and since they weren't contacted personally about the production he's betrayed them. It's bizarre. TRUE FANS!!!! :squiffy:
 
It's very touching. With the sister quietly watching in half the scenes, the gift poorly wrapped, the shaZAAM! I loved it. Good choice, Moz.

It just kinda floors me, people here and other sites screaming SELL OUT! It's like they think they own a piece of Morrissey and since they weren't contacted personally about the production he's betrayed them. It's bizarre. TRUE FANS!!!! :squiffy:

Yeah, I don't understand how he is a sell out.

I didn't really like the commercial, though. (Nothing to do with the Smiths song, although I didn't feel that it fit the commercial.) Why the pouty-face until Christmas? When I can't wait to give someone their present I make stupid excited face. :)D) I think the commercial would have been cuter with the kid looking really impatient, but excited. And a happy song in the background.
 
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