Wednesday, February 18, 2004

Thank God! For Rosie.

Love Is A Burning Thing
And It Makes A Fiery Ring
Bound By Wild Desire
I Fell Into A Ring Of Fire

CHORUS:
I Fell Into A Burning Ring Of Fire
I Went Down, Down, Down
And The Flames Went Higher

And It Burns, Burns, Burns
The Ring Of Fire
The Ring Of Fire

I Fell Into A Burning Ring Of Fire
I Went Down, Down, Down
And The Flames Went Higher

And It Burns, Burns, Burns
The Ring Of Fire
The Ring Of Fire

The Taste Of Love Is Sweet
When Hearts Like Ours Meet
I Fell For You Like A Child
Oh, But The Fire Went Wild

CHORUS
I Fell Into A Burning Ring Of Fire
I Went Down, Down, Down
And The Flames Went Higher

And It Burns, Burns, Burns
The Ring Of Fire
The Ring Of Fire

I Fell Into A Burning Ring Of Fire
I Went Down, Down, Down
And The Flames Went Higher

And It Burns, Burns, Burns
The Ring Of Fire
The Ring Of Fire

And It Burns, Burns, Burns

The Ring Of Fire

The Ring Of Fire

Yes! A classic Johnny Cash tune, one many of us learned from our parents, handed down as if a gift. So what the hell, was song co-writer Merle Kilgore thinking, when he seriously considered the idea of using the signature tune to flog anti-haemorrhoidal products. Kilgore was approached by Florida TV producer, Sula Miller, who apparently suffers from said affliction. Her idea was to use the song as the theme to an advertising campaign.

Fortunately for Cash fans and fans of good taste, the idea was vetoed by Roseanne Cash, who blocked the move saying she would never let his music be demeaned that way.

In the past, Johnny Cash had done his share of advertising, one of his most kitschy ads was for the Canada Trust banking service in the 70's, his Johnny Cash card commercials still a pop culture hit. But this idea, was too off the wall for any fan of the Country legend, not to mention the bad precedent it might have set.

Imagine if it were the thin wedge of commercializing his hits. Other Cash tunes may have followed, Pickin'' Time for Kleenex, Get Rhythm for Trojan condoms, A boy named Sue for transgender clinics, just to name a few.

Sometimes it's best to leave our icons alone. Let the music rest as it was composed, without the need to trivialize it in a commercial. Thank Heavens that Rosie is on the job to guard her father's legacy. It appears that it may be full time job.

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