Best song of the night heard during the Oscars: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' version of Rowland Salley's "Killing the Blues." (John Prine also has a lovely version).
An odd barrage of commercials that use previously existing recordings landed right about midway through the Oscar telecast Sunday, with the American Living at JC Penney  featuring Plant & Krauss receiving multiple airings.Some day, perhaps, the ads will actually contain and identifier to note who exactly is performing; "Killing the Blues" is one of the best songs on album that was one of my top three discs of 2007.
The other ads:
DJ Casper's party anthem from 2004, "Cha Cha Slide," suggested that children like to cavort before diving into their Happy Meals and that mom and dad will find this so infectious they'll be grinding in their chair as they down Big Macs.
Nouvelle Vague's rendition of Modern English's "I'll Melt You" has been appropriated by GMC for its "crossover vehicle" Acadia, displaying the all-important construction breakdown of a glorified mini-van.
The The mastermind Matt Johnson has gone down Joe Jackson street (that's where "One More Time" hawks Taco Bell) by allowing the licensing of a great tune, "This is the Day," for M&Ms and the candy's bizarre ad involving a doggie door.
Not that it was associated with anything prior to Sunday, but Stereo MC's "We Belong In This World Together" from 2001 is now associated with the red circles of Target.
Besides Plant & Krauss, American Living has tapped Chris Montez's Farfisa organ-driven rocker "Let's Dance" from 1962. It was an actual hit that may cause some fans to break into Who-Zeppelin-like laments - "nooooo, not Chris Montez."
ABC, whose shows are often attempting to assist in the breaking new artists such as the Fray and Brandi Carlile, has joined in Taylor Dayne's attempt at career revival, using her tune "Crash" in the promo reel for the networks' returning shows. Curiously, though, Dayne is attempting to turn her single "Beautiful" into a hit, having moved beyond "Crash."
The link with ABC had a pay-off in a "Jimmy Kimmel Live" booking last week. But it's anyone's guess as to what she hopes to get out of an appearance March 21 on "The Florence Henderson Show" on Retirement Living Network. Are people who remember "Love Will Lead You Back" really ready for AARP? Since we're asking questions, if your name is already Taylor Dayne, what do you change it to if you want to be a stripper?
No idea about the "la la la la"-riddled tune on the L'Oreal ad nor the circular acoustic piano work on Diane von Furstenberg's Amex commercial.
The The, pre-M&M, follows.

Shopping and Running Department: The Apples in Stereo have gone for airplay the newfangled way - they let a corporation buy the music. Their song "Energy" is being used in New Balance ad campaign while Target is tempting consumers with "Go." Band recently added 18 dates to an August-September tour in support of "New Magnetic Wonder." Enhanced CD features Robert Schneider's new "Non-Pythagorean Musical Scale," which features digital files of the scale's notes that enable fans and musicians to create music using the new scale. The "Non-Pythagorean Musical Scale" is based on natural logarithms.