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What's That Song From the Volkswagen 'Black Betty' Commercial?


'Black Betty,' Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

Taking a stab at the Ram Jam classic, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's cover of 'Black Betty' was snatched by Volkswagen for their 2011 Super Bowl ad to market the new incarnation of the Beetle. In the spot, a stylized beetle-of the insect variety-races through the forest with the style and vigor of its automotive homonym. The insect races through the forest like a driver on the interstate and the ad ends with the beetle in a power slide: action that simulates many-a-car ad before it.

Unlike the much-hyped Darth Vader ad for the new VW Passat, a visual of the new Beetle car was absent in this Super Bowl ad. The ad's final frame-a silhouette-provided a tease to what the new Beetle may look like, and Volkswagen aims to stoke this anticipation by launching an all-out social media and online advertising blitz immediately following the Super Bowl. Young urban professionals of America, get ready.

As for the ad's music, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion recorded the 'Black Betty' cover for the commercial at the request of Volkswagen of America's agency Deutsch L.A. Inc. For other musical endeavors, the band has also recently released an anthology of the band called 'Dirty Shirt Rock 'N' Roll, The First Ten Years.'

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Lee

It's just a song in a 30 second commercial....does it warrant all this debate? Seems alright to me, but maybe I am just too simple minded to see the issue? More importantly....where's the car?

February 07 2011 at 9:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ragamuffin Jim

Before it was a "Ram Jam" classic, it was African-American work song that dates back to slavery. The first recording was made in 1933 by a prison inmate, James "Iron Head" Baker. But it was Leadbelly's 1939 version that introduced the song to blues, folk, and eventually rock musicians.

This tune was very important in the history of pop music. It's one of the earliest recorded examples of the heavily syncopated rhythm known as the "hambone beat" that would later evolve into the Bo Diddley beat, one of the cornerstone rhythms in rock & roll. The staccato chanted lyrics are viewed by some as precursors to a spoken-word blues style that would directly influence today's rappers.

Lastly, the song is not racially derogatory. It's a period piece with obscure double entendre, about a troublesome black woman and a menacing weapon wielded by an overseer like a whip or nightstick. The "bam-ba-lam" refrain may actually be onomatopoeia - a vocal representation of the sounds made when blows are landed or delivered.

February 06 2011 at 11:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
RRW

The first time I ever heard Black Betty was when I started to listen to Leadbelly, a black singer in the 20's, 30's, & 40's.

February 06 2011 at 10:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
J

Um... the song is in the title to the article?

February 06 2011 at 10:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nancy

1) Poor punctuation; "a stylized beetle-of the insect variety-races through the forest ..." needs spaces. It should be "beetle - of the insect variety - races".
2) Again with the poor punctuation; "... that simulates many-a-car ad before it" should NOT be hyphenated, for cryin' out loud. "Many a car ad", fool.
3) "... ad's final frame-a silhouette-provided ..." See 1), above; needs spaces, "frame - a silhouette - provided ..."
4) Yet a ray of hope! "an all-out social media..." is correct. Use hyphens only with adjectives. Someone who writes for a living shouldn't be making such errors.

February 06 2011 at 9:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Nancy's comment
All-knowing-punctuate-r

@Nancy

Life's too short to be a bore. You need a boyfriend or at least good lay.

February 06 2011 at 10:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tim

I rarely read comments posted after news stories, but Nancy, man, you need to get a life. It's just some lame write up about a Super Bowl ad on the Internet, not an English thesis.

February 07 2011 at 10:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chris

Ram Jam made it a hit, but it's not their song - the first recordings of Black Betty were made in the early '30s.

February 06 2011 at 2:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
nick

Apparently it's Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. It's a 30 second spot for the Superbowl.

February 06 2011 at 10:43 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to nick's comment
wydbma

an overseer like a whip or nightstick. The "bam-ba-lam" refrain may actually be onomatopoeia - a vocal representation of the sounds made when blows are landed or delivered.btw,I'm a doctor,30 ,rich but still single.It's hard to get a girlfriend in my town ,most of them like my money more than like me.I just want to find my true love.so i uploaded my hot photos on kissingr ich .c om under the name of hotlove2.u dont have to be a millionaire,but u can meet one there. ..if you girls see this comment,i hope you will check my photos out there.maybe you are the one whom i'm looking for!!!

February 07 2011 at 6:24 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply