The Voice And A Raven

The most difficult job in television must be producing an advert that people will watch.

When the adverts come on, most people get up to make a cup of tea or visit the loo or maybe start to argue about what to watch next.

There have been some notable adverts worth watching. The first UK commercial TV advert was for SR toothpaste – something about tingling fresh – do you remember it? Well, it was back in 1955.

 
You may remember Leonard Rossiter in those Cinzano ads with Joan Collins; then there was the Milk Tray series, as sort of mini OO7.

Guinness has probably spent more on advertising than anyone. They tend to go for something artistic and symbolic. Some of their ads are said to have cost up to £20 million but are mostly shown abroad now. Then there was the topical series of Oxo ads with the late Lynda Bellingham.

 
It costs at least £100,000 to make a decent ad with actors and a storyline and then £50,000+ to air for 30 seconds on national TV at a popular time. If you show it in a small regional TV it may just cost £2000 per 30 seconds. Costs are based on the estimated audience.

BBC One – The Voice UK trailer

There is an advert on BBC1 trailing The Voice.

Four people sit in a dark bar and hear a song ‘Black Betty’ by Ram Jam. The four judges turn to face the music: they are Sir Tom Jones, Rita Ora, Will.i.am and Ricky Wilson.

The singer turns out to be a raven. The raven stops singing mid beat as a waiter appears, bearing a roast bird for supper.

 
Black Betty is a song of African American origin first sung by Huddie Leadbelly Ledbetter.

Black Betty was probably a flint lock musket and the lyrics are a metaphor. The child is the musket ball so it is wild (flies anywhere unpredictably) and the child is blind (will hit anyone without seeing where it is going.) Bam-ba-lam represents the sound of firing.

Black Betty Lyric

Whoa, Black Betty (bam-ba-lam) Whoa,

Black Betty (bam-ba-lam)
Black Betty had a child (bam-ba-lam)

The damn thing gone wild (bam-ba-lam)
She said “I’m worryin’ outta mind” (bam-ba-lam)
The damn thing gone blind (bam-ba-lam)
I said Oh, Black Betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (bam-ba-lam)

Oh, Black Betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (bam-ba-lam)
She really gets me high (bam-ba-lam)
You know that’s no lie (bam-ba-lam)
She’s so rock steady (bam-ba-lam)
And she’s always ready (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (bam-ba-lam)

Whoa, Black Betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (bam-ba-lam)
She’s from Birmingham (bam-ba-lam)
Way down in Alabam’ (bam-ba-lam)
Well, she’s shakin’ that thing (bam-ba-lam)
Boy, she makes me sing (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, Black Betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, Black Betty
BAM-BA-LAM

Another interpretation is that Black Betty is the name of a convict train. A version was sung by convicts. Leadbelly’s video suggests that she was a person.

In one minute of video you have The Voice. You can watch all 14 episodes if you like but the essence of it is in the ad.

The ad is rather dark and edgy. Coming on after the glitz and glamour of Strictly Come Dancing, it was an intriguing contrast.

The raven in The Voice trailer

The raven was supposed to be a myna bird but there are no performing mynah birds in the UK.

There were 2 ravens booked for the shoot but the male would not perform. The one you see is a 2 year old female. The British computer animation company Framestore synchronised the beak and legs.

How do I know about the raven? I have an interest because my son-in-law Jason Smith directed the trailer.

BBC One – The Voice UK

The first episode of The Voice UK will be broadcast on 10th January 2015 on BBC One. The judges will be:

• Ricky Wilson
• Rita Ora
• Sir Tom Jones
• will.i.am