It looks like Bob Dylan's favorite sound these days is the clink-clink-clink of pennies in his retirement piggybank. Why else would one of the world's preeminent songwriters and stewards of music go all commercial on us? Cadillac announced recently that it has teamed up with XM Radio and the magnificent Mr. Zimmerman to move its Detroit-branded luxury iron. Dylan's "Theme Time Radio Hour" show on XM satellite radio is excellent listening, and since XM is now a standard feature in the Cadillac Escalade, the brand was able to get Mr. Dylan in a TV spot for the luxury SUV, as well as create a Cadillac themed episode of his XM show. The Cadillac brand has inspired many a song, and some of those will be featured on the specially-themed edition of Dylan's XM show. We can certainly understand Dylan's desire to cruise around in the lap of luxury, and the Escalade is nothing if not luxurious. And when you've paid your dues, you deserve at least a few nice things. Don't bother wasting your breath with jeers either, Dylan heard it all in '64 when he picked up an electric.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Justin @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:33AM
Beats hearing crappy Britney Spears songs on commercials. He deserves to do whatever he wants at this point.
geekmorgan @ Oct 24th 2007 3:15PM
Being commercially successful ≠ sellout.
More power too him, its better for him to make money off of it than to have his music imitated. Remember all those Moby rip-off commercials from the late 90s?
Menice @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:40AM
he should do what he wants.
however, the folks in the office were talking the other day how any time we here Bob Segar singing we think of a chevy trucks going over gravel hills and how much we cant take Segar anymore.. its like your singing to the maxwell house coffee lady.
or how Phil Collins became the Disney sell out. you cant listen to him without thinking of a Disney movie sap story.
but so be it. if thats what you want to do... go bob.
Mr. Oak @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:11AM
Been a Seger fan for years, still love his music. My iPod can attest to that. This coming from a black male on Wall street.
Dylan's voice however, annoys the piss out of me. Great lyricist, phenom on the guitar.
Menice @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:22AM
agreed on dylan.
i used to be able to handle Segar..
but you cant tell me you can listen to "like a rock" and not imagine a construction site with huge p/u truck bouncing around...
unfortunately it has been jammed down our throats for so many years, that i now associate his voice instantly to a chevy scene.
Shawn @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:58AM
I don't think a blogger selling ads for AOL should be calling anyone of Mr. Dylan's stature a sell out.
Pete @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:39AM
Bob Seger is a Detroit native and a die-hard GM lover. For him it wasn't about the money. It was about his hometown!
And I have no problem with Dylan doing a commercial. My only complaint is the lack of a soy bomb in the spot.
Dan Roth @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:22PM
Why, because he's some kind of deity? I'm sure he's crying inside. I'm a Dylan fan, and I'm sure he doesn't care what a measly blogger has to say. If you've got to sell out to get the types of opportunities Mr. Dylan has had, then I'd sell out pretty quick. In the end, though, he's a guy who plays some music, writes some songs, has interesting things to say. Can we please stop with the deification of entertainers?
Shawn @ Oct 23rd 2007 1:35PM
Dan, I just think it is rather silly for a blogger that works for a giant faceless mega-corp like AOL to call someone like Dylan a sell-out.
A musician at the peak of his popularity who sells it for money is a sell out. Dylan's glory days are long behind him, and cashing in now, when the lights have dimmed, is just an old man enjoying his twlight years.
rem83 @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:03AM
buy my book, buy my book!
halflight @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:13AM
I think 'ol Bob is just having some fun. First Victoria's Secret, now this ad--they're both funny because Dylan is such an unlikely spokesperson for sexy underwear or over-chromed SUVs.
I seriously doubt that Dylan fans will be persuaded to chunk down $60K for an Escalade just because Bob appeared for 30 seconds to make an abstract remark about taking detours. Plus, he gets Cadillac to pay him to plug his own radio show.
Hugo @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:58AM
Truly, Dylan strikes me as the kind of artist who would do all that "sell out" stuff just for the fun of annoying his own fans. He's been vocal in the past about how he hated to be considered a spiritual leader of a whole generation, and having every one of his songs, words or blinks analyzed and interpreted.
If he can get money out of it, too, good for him.
Thanh T. Tran @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:15AM
Art inspires Life. (Bob Dylan's "The times they are a changing"!!!) I recently read in a article that the Cadillac Escalade is very popular among car thieves/joy riders these days, true or false? Hmmm...the times are a changing. Cool commercial by XM satellite radio and Cadillac.
Joe K. @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:21AM
With my patented system, you too can be successful with the Ladies...
Dave @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:25AM
Judas!
paul34 @ Oct 23rd 2007 9:55AM
I think its all just a part of Cadillac's recent campaign to try to market the Escalade as something more than just a bling-mobile for the ghetto elite (or as is more the case, the ghetto with a several year financing deal).
It's only recently they managed to make the Escalade something you *might* want, though. Before, it didn't really suck per se, but it wasn't that great. The fact that it literally was no different than a Suburban other than the Cadillac badges didn't help either.
The latest ones are definitely a huge improvement. Regardless, its still a lard car, also known as a SUV. Nothing will change that embarrasing fact.
Joseph @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:39AM
Hmm, Dave beat me to it. : )
Corey W. @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:16AM
Uh, the "sell out", "commercial" labeling was uncalled for.
Yggdrasilly @ Oct 23rd 2007 1:11PM
You you used to be
So unamused
At the autos of the rich
And the gasoline they used--
Go to them now, they call you
You can't refuse...
RicardoHead @ Oct 23rd 2007 2:57PM
So if you make good money you must be a sell-out?
Or it's okay only if you represent foreign brands?
Hell, we ought to all just be happy Bob doesn't show his crack to the papparazzi every time he gets out of a car. You wanna whine about entertainers - there are far worse than Bob Dylan (on his worst day) to complain about.