The Hillside Singers - "I'd Like to Buy the World A Coke"

[chebingeo]

Does anybody know of this jingle? It was recently voted VH1's #1 Greatest Commercial. Didn't they release a single of this?

[Edf85]

[BFMR]

you wanna buy all of us a coke John?? wow, mighty generous of you ;)

never heard the song, or saw the commercial

[Michael1973]

That's likely because it's 30 years old. It was on TV around the time I was born, but I vaguely remember seeing it in my early childhood.

[mst3k]

There were actually two hit single versions of this song during the winter of 1971-72 (although the line about "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" wasn't included)... the New Seekers went to #7 and the Hillside Singers hit #13. The singles were titled "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)".

I remember Coke used this commercial around Christmas time for quite a few years back in the '70s... a few years ago they did an updated version with new people standing out in the snow holding Cokes and freezing their bums off.

[stevie nice]

Yeah good call Aaron, I have this original 45 in my collection somewhere. I guess this might have been one of the first product type commercial endorsements I can think of. Who knew how annoying it would become. Well, Archie Bunker also had his twinkies in his lunchbox so I guess thats another.

[mst3k]

You can download a mid-1980's version of the Coke commercial here... this one features Disney characters joining in the pyromaniacal fun.

x-entertainment.com/adventcalendar/2003/december4/

[musicsweep]

I remember this jingle.....I think they ran it in the early 90s...when everyone (myself included) started getting back into their "hippie" mood.

Then Pepsi countered by running their ads for Woodstock '94, with those two old guys sitting on their front porch, looking at the line of cars approaching, saying "Here come those damn hippies again!" and an interviewer asking Country Joe McDonald if he remembered Woodstock '69, and he replied "no."

Oh yes, good times, great commercials.

[BillboardBoy]

Smash Mouth borrows some of the lyrics in this song, but replaces "coke" with "toke." It's in "Walkin' On The Sun."

[reception]

It's extremely cheesy.

[Bob]

is this not the same as the new commercial with the black lady walking down the side walk handing out cokes from a bag while she's singing some song? that commercial has been played in movie theaters a lot

[johnnywest]

BillboardBoy said:

Smash Mouth borrows some of the lyrics in this song, but replaces "coke" with "toke." It's in "Walkin' On The Sun."

Rick Dees played a drop of it in 1997 when "Walkin' On The Sun" was in the Top 40.

Good song. :)

[mst3k]

Bob said:

is this not the same as the new commercial with the black lady walking down the side walk handing out cokes from a bag while she's singing some song? that commercial has been played in movie theaters a lot

Nah, I'm pretty sure she's singing a totally different song (although the lyrics of the original would certainly go along with what she's doing).

[johnnywest]

I believe the real title is "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing In Perfect Harmony."

[dth1971]

The Christmas Coke commercials with "I Like to Buy The World a Coke" jingle used to air in the mid-late 1970's to early 1980's during the commercial breaks of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on CBS.

[WotUNeed]

mst3k1 said:

There were actually two hit single versions of this song during the winter of 1971-72 (although the line about "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" wasn't included)... the New Seekers went to #7 and the Hillside Singers hit #13. The singles were titled "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)".

The Hillside Singers stayed true to the product promo in their version. The New Seekers did not. I'm surprised Coke didn't give HS an extra push so they could come out on top Stateside.

Then again, I guess their campaign had already been wildly successful.

[johnnywest]

Funny that both versions (New Seekers/Hillside Singers) were in the Top 40 at the same time.