As Rachel Madow says, someone please talk me down here.

Anyone else notice the opening bars to "We Shall Overcome" played on an autoharp in a GE ad that's been playing on TV lately? It devolves into a different tune, but then is repeated mid-commercial. I find it hard to believe that they got the rights to the tune.

Try to catch it and please tell me I'm wearing a tinfoil cap. I hate to think that the 'hymn' has been co-opted to sell more souls.

I wonder if the song is "public domain"? These people have no souls~If they ever did they sold them long ago......or should I say "souled" them???

I looked up the song online & came up with this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Shall_Overcome

It's sad they are using hymns to make money...

is this the song?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97df0Q5qxa8

Yes, Agnes--that's it. Thanks so much. I feel much better knowing (assuming) that a musician got money for his music, and that he just did a little folk processing. But I still hate the way the big corps are using music to give their images a 180-degree spin.

Thanks again for your expert sleuthing.

It's a common folk guitar pattern. I don't think the writer or GE were ripping but who knows. I worked for GE early in my career. They were a good company inside. The Welch Era was tough on what was otherwise a courtly business culture.

Here is something fresh but old folkie sweet. Daddy loves his little girl, and this just got me the biggest smile. awwww!

http://home.hiwaay.net/~cbullard/mp3/BeautifulBoo.mp3

There's some of the rudimentary notes and chord patterns of "Overcome" in there but I think your "mind's ear" was filling in the ones that are missing. With the small number of musical notes available (not counting octaves of 'em), it's inevitable that some tunes are going to sound a bit like another. Don't see any subliminal corporate manipulation going on other than trying to sell something with a pleasant soundtrack. I mean, you wouldn't expect them to a death metal band soundbite or the chord pattern from "Eve of Destruction".

Len , every time i here your voice i must think of Angelo Branduardi : Take it as a compliment please .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lblz8g5m ... re=related

I do, GuitarMan. Thanks. The Celtic Jones seeps like ooze.

It might be more appropriate, but no, I wouldn't expect them to.

Come to think of it, it also sounds a bit like Tom Petty's tune "Wildflowers".