'You, Me and the Bourgeoisie,' by the Submarines

Indie pop duo the Submarines never expected a song of theirs to complement the latest gadget. "I always thought it would be slightly ironic if someone decided to use it in a commercial, given the somewhat anti-consumerist lyrical content," band member John Dragonetti tells Spinner, admitting, "it's a catchy tune, though."

The folks at Apple seem to agree on its appeal -- they've now used the track in two different iPhone 3G ads, the most recent shown above. But how did the pair feel when they first heard their song being played while the iPhone's features were being lauded?

"It was exciting. We laughed. We didn't actually believe they were going to use it," Dragonetti says.

'Colors,' by Kira Willey

Once upon a time, kids could spend hours drawing rainbows, or maybe going outside to look for them after a rainstorm. Now, of course, they need a laptop to Google rainbows. Preferably a laptop in a color that matches the kid's own personality.

That's the idea behind Dell's recent ad campaign, which features a bunch of overgrown kids -- a DJ spinning black vinyl, a young lady on a pink scooter -- and their color-coordinated computers. The understated ad is based on the song 'Colors,' by Kira Willey, a Pennsylvania yoga-for-kids instructor. It's a fuzzy little ditty, not without a wry smile or two: "I am orange today, loud and messy like finger paint on the wall."

'Secret,' by Max Morgan

Is Izzie nuts, or what? Or is there some sort of medical disorder behind her weird hallucinatory relationship with her dead fiance?

Whatever the case -- and we came a little closer to finding out with last night's 'Grey's' -- the fact that she has a secret was telegraphed loud and clear by the soundtrack selection. The song is called ... wait for it... 'Secret.'

The showcase was an early windfall for the British newcomer Max Morgan. Months before he releases his debut album, it's no secret that the Liverpudlian songwriter is on the fast track. For one thing, his MySpace sneak-peeks have already been played more than a million times. 'Wait for Me,' the lead single from his debut, is now up on iTunes. Getting the gold-plated 'Grey's' treatment, just minutes before Kanye's episode-capping 'Street Lights,' pretty much sealed it. We'd understand if he's talking to himself today.

'Around the Bend,' by the Asteroids Galaxy Tour

When Apple is brave enough to label one of its products "the funnest iPod ever," they'd better back it up. And they do with Copenhagen's the Asteroids Galaxy Tour's 'Around the Bend.' Bouncy, dance-ready drums? Driving bass line? Horns? "Oooh yeahs"? A promise of "good, good times around the bend"? Okay, we'll play along with that.

"It's a song about sexual energy," Lars Iversen of AGT, who make their U.S. debut this Wednesday at New York City's Pianos, tells Spinner. "An energy that you want so bad from someone, and you'd do whatever it takes to get it." Ah, there's the fun.

Iversen, who says he and music partner Mette Lindberg complement each other like some sort of yin/yang, king/queen pair, is having visions and dreams of Apple products despite remaining schwag-free. "We attended our personal guru last week. He looked into his crystal ball and saw this great sight: Apples everywhere!" Iversen jokes. "He then told us that a big load of toys should arrive very soon from the big fruit company. Steve? Are you there?"

'The Ecstasy of Gold' (Bandini remix), by Ennio Morricone

It's a nice thought: that star athletes such as the San Diego Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson and the Pittsbugh Steelers' Troy Polamalu were fated from birth to meet at the highest level of competition. Set to the cinematic majesty of one of Ennio Morricone's grand soundtrack scores, however, this mini-tale of two kids living their pro-sports dreams takes on truly epic proportions.

From Clint Eastwood's classic Western 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,' 'The Ecstasy of Gold' poses the biggest of all questions -- Why are we here? -- with no need for a single word. Hark, the herald angels vocalize, punctuated by rumbling orchestration and a periodic death knell. It's all mountaintop stuff, and the hip-hop remix used in the commercial just adds to the grandeur. (The Morricone original was tailor-made for hip hop: Jay-Z sampled it on the title track of 'The Blueprint 2.')

'Bruises,' by Chairlift

Apple debuted the fourth-generation of the iPod Nano this week in nine different uber-bright colors -- or, as the company itself puts it, they're "nano-chromatic." So what better to compliment the new TV ad's visual feast of, like, a totally awesome rainbow explosion than, say, the sound of the '80s? Cue Chairlift.

The self-described folktronica trio hails, as its name might suggest, from Boulder, Colo., where the quest to find the raddest powder stash never dies, dude. But what it doesn't suggest is that their tunes are heavy on the synth 'n' psych -- not the jam and crunch. And while the band, who relocated to Brooklyn in 2007 and keeps company with local "It" outfits like MGMT and Yeasayer, admits that it initially drew inspiration from faux goth architecture and haunted houses, it knows how to make a pretty pop song, too.

'Samson and Delilah,' covered by Shirley Manson

Anyone who watched the first season of 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' knows that the film-trilogy spin-off is all about action -- blowing up vehicles, buildings and people have all proven to be fair game. And if Monday night's premiere was any indication, the second season will be no different. So while it isn't surprising that the show opened with pistol whipping and a house fire, it was a bit strange that the sequence was rendered in slow-motion and set to a slow and creepy gospel track. Where was the Slayer?

The opening song, 'Samson and Delilah' was originally composed by Reverend Gary Davis. It follows the biblical story in which Samson, a Jewish hero, is betrayed by his love after he confides in her that his remarkable strength is compromised only with loss of his hair. (For fans of the show, you'll remember last night's episode ending with John chopping off his locks in front of the bathroom mirror). The song has been covered by a number of musicians -- Ike Turner and Tina Turner, Peter, Paul and Mary and the Grateful Dead, to name a few.

'Pot Kettle Black,' Tilly & the Wall

Last night's highly anticipated, two-hour premiere of the new '90210' was punctuated by many a musical moment. But the most significant one arrived when Omaha indie poppers Tilly & the Wall performed 'Pot Kettle Black,' the first single off this year's 'o,' at Naomi's (AnnaLyne McCord) sweet sixteen party. So we hooked up with the group's resident tapdancer (yes!), Jamie Pressnal, to talk about the unlikely collaboration and hear about her favorite 'Beverly Hills, 90210' episode ever.

How did this whole thing come about?
The producers contacted our label and wanted to fly us in for a performance. We were already on tour and about to be in L.A., so we ended up filming just a few days later. It was complete crazy scheduling for a few days, but so awesome and totally worth it.

Are you/were you a fan of the show?
Umm, funny you should ask. Yes! I would have '90210' parties at my house every week. It was honestly a dream of mine to play the Peach Pit, so when we got the call I could not believe it -- I feel like my life has come full circle. [Laughs]

'Only in America' by Brooks & Dunn

Brooks & Dunn blasted over the loudspeakers Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention after Barack Obama concluded his history-making speech, accepting the Democratic nomination for president. Despite the nonpartisan, patriotic message of the hit country song, some may find it a bit of a surprising choice for Senator Obama. That's because the same song was used in President George W. Bush's 2004 re-election campaign. Brooks and Dunn were also supporters of the president, performing at a Republican rally the night before the 2004 election.

Still, the song was a natural fit to conclude Obama's speech, given its patriotic "dreams come true" message. And the country duo have not come forward with their political preference for 2008.

Listen to 'Only in America'
Buy It on iTunes
Can't find that song from that commercial? Send the commercial, movie or TV show to us at whatsthatsong@aim.com.

'Train Song,' by Vashti Bunyan

The National Football League certainly has its share of freaks of nature. But freak folk isn't exactly the first style of music that comes to mind when we think of HGH-addled behemoths in high-tech armor.

Yet here's an impossibly wispy, nearly 40-year-old recording by Vashti Bunyan, sometimes called the "Godmother of Freak Folk," providing the soundtrack for Reebok's "Join the Migration" ads. In the commercials, NFL players are portrayed as migratory animals, drawn back to the arena after their off-season breaks in warmer climates. "Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you," quavers Bunyan, once a contemporary of Donovan, the Stones, Nick Drake and the rest of foppish London. She sounds as though she might shatter. No great success in her day despite cheerleading by such well-connected blokes as Andrew Loog Oldham and Joe Boyd, she dropped out of music and raised a family and a barnyard of animals in Scotland. Until her recent rediscovery, she had no idea her music had become a cult favorite of psych-folkies such as Devendra Banhart and Joanna Newsom. In the U.K., her song 'Diamond Day' was used in a mobile phone ad, which might explain how her music made its circuitous route to the American sporting goods market.