Hey, great: the NBC football promo on Sunday night had what sounded like the opening riffs from the Joan Jett song: “I Hate Myself for Loving You”! Maybe that’s so they could make us feel like they understood all of us who over the summer lockout felt betrayed by the sport and thought we’d end up having to watch soccer to get our sports fix! Yes, we hate ourselves for loving football! Or isn’t that what they meant?
I think I vaguely remember that this is actually from some Faith Hill song that has something to do with the NBC Sunday Night Football intro? I missed the beginning of the Jets game, so I didn’t see it. But the fact is, that sounds so much like the beginning to Joan Jett’s song: “I Hate Myself for Loving You” (which was a huge hit in the 1980s), I’m frankly surprised there hasn’t been a lawsuit over it, seeing as how it’s being used for the purposes of advertising the biggest sport in America. (But it is on the lowest-rated network in America, so maybe she feels sorry for them.) The only thing I can figure is that Joan Jett is super cool, and she doesn’t mind having a sound-alike song being used, since she’s a big star anyway.
I don’t know if she’s even aware of the similarity, but she couldn’t have missed it if she’s ever watched football on NBC. But she’s about as cool as they come for hard rockin’ ladies, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d decide not to sue over it. After all, lawsuits are so un-punk-rock. I mean, sure, the Sex Pistols had one, but they’re British. But Joan Jett produced one of the greatest (if not the greatest) punk rock albums of all time (The Germs: GI)! After all, after her great hit songs rocked the charts, and then she made that Germs album happen, what else in life could anyone possible want? She’s a legend: a lawsuit could only tarnish her image.
But seriously, this happens to me every time I see a football promo on NBC. I hear that chord progression, and I say to myself: “They’re using “I Hate Myself for Loving You” for the football music? Really?” And then I remember that it’s actually some Faith Hill song, and that I’ve seen it before. But that’s the beginning of Joan Jett’s song for sure.
All I want to know is this: How come the NFL never asked Joan Jett to do their promo music? It’s perfect for it! (It’s like NASCAR never using Zeke’s songs for their promo stuff: just unbelievable!) Some of the music they use in sports (especially the NFL) is so inappropriate-sounding for the feel of the sport, I just don't know what they're thinking. I suppose they're just using what's popular for what demographic, and saying to forget the feel altogether. But it so often doesn't work.
