The Daily Ping

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February 10th, 2010

The Pep Boys Got Me

I don’t mean it in a good way. Really, is there any good way?

I was listening to a stream of a Chicago radio station yesterday – one with the most annoying DJ – and the host came on and gave a station ID. The stream then cut to a pretty jangly rock song which sounded vaguely familiar. Then I started hearing part of the chorus: “When the light comes on… just come in…” and I started freaking out a bit. Where have I heard that before? Wait… the Pep Boys commercials? That short jingle? I didn’t hear the next couple of lines but kept the song on.

The song – well over a minute at this point – continued. I started to think that the song from the short Pep Boys commercials was now an actual song from a 70s or 90s rock band. This was a long, flowing song. But then the lyrics came back to the commercial’s core lines: “Pep Boys has everything for less!” At that point I realized that, yes, I had been gotten. The Pep Boys were playing a two-and-a-half-minute commercial disguised as a song on this station.

And now you can hear this song too. MUST… BUY… MOTOR OIL….

Posted in Consumer Commentary

Adam June 16, 2010, 6:20 pm

I hear this song multiple times every day. Each and every day. Over and over. I would now rather push my busted car past a Pep Boys, or drive my car through a Pep Boys, than ever go to a Pep Boys.

Matt August 30, 2012, 6:38 pm

I work at pepboys and i have to hear that song EVERY DAY SEVERAL TIMES A DAY and it just makes me want to punch the singer in the throat. I hate this song soo much.

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