A songwriter who’s music career was virtually extinct is set to make a fortune after a track he wrote 30 years ago featured on the hilarious ‘dancing dodo’ TV ad.
Don Farndon, 68, is coming out of retirement and even recording a new album off the back of fruit drink Five Alive’s new commercial.
The 45-second ad features a dancing dodo moonwalking and singing Don’s hit ‘I’m Alive’ on a desert island while being surrounded by washed up cartons of the drink.
Coca-Cola bought the rights to use the song from Don who sang the song in 1970 with his group The Sorrows.
The grandfather-of-two, from Leamington, Warks., said: ”I was more than surprised when I got that phone call.
”I have been extinct nearly as long as the dodo has.”
Don recorded the song on the album ‘Released’ in 1970 but it flopped and soon after the band moved to Italy until they split in the 1980s.
But now Don, who ditched music to run five pubs in Coventry and Warwickshire, hopes the ad could resurrect his career.
He said: ”I was on holiday in northern Spain when I got a call from my record company telling me that a beverage company was interested in using my song fgor an advertising campaign.
”I hope it does the same for me as ‘Show Me The Way To Amarillo’ did for Tony Christie.
”I have gone from nothing to everything.”
Coca-Cola spent £500,000 on the ad and 12 months searching for a catchy song to go with it before stumbling on Don’s cult classic.
Company bosses discovered the hit during a meal with record producers in Chicago.
Don said: ”A guest apparently mentioned my song and immediately the bosses knew they were onto something.
”Straight away the bosses made this man put down his knife and fork and drove him to the other side of Chicago to get the song,
”As soon as they heard it they sad ‘That’s it’. It’s incredible.
”Coca-Cola have exclusive use of the track for two years, but what the final figure I will receive from this is, I don’t know yet.
”But I am sure it will be enough to keep me going on holidays for a little while yet, so I’m nbot complaining.”
Don will fly to the US next month to start recording a new album and has been asked to perform the song at a charity concert at the O2 Arena later this year.
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