If you’ve watched tv recently and played the Monkey Island series in the past, you may know exactly where I am about to go: Lechuck’s theme. Yes, the new commercial put out by Kohls sounds note for note like Lechuck’s theme… with the added Christmas tone of sleigh bells in the background of course.



Watching the commercial a few times over on youtube, there’s no way that the composer of the commercial simply hit on the melody by chance. The intro of the song is note for note with the blaring brass of Lechuck’s theme, and as the song continues it still fits comfortably in with the game music. This brings up the question of why.

Did the composer for Kohl’s have some motivation to do this act? Did he or she have a short deadline and had nowhere to turn to, or was it a brilliant homage to a well loved adventure game series? Even more possible: did the composer hope that the classic adventure game demographic was so small that few would actually catch on to the theme being used?

If the sole intention of the composer was a time limit or lack of inspiration, then he/she chose one hell of a theme to *pirate*. All puns aside, Lechuck’s theme is incredibly ominous and evil and it’s supposed to entice people to buy bright red and white objects? I guess in that aspect, Kohl’s wasn’t really interested so much in the music, and their thinking did not stretch past, “gotta have more sleigh bell”.



If this song was a nod in the direction of adventure game fans, then I can say I’m thrilled – but, I wouldn’t shop at Kohl’s anyway… I, of course, can’t speak for everyone else who experienced the same joy or anger at hearing the theme on tv, so it could be a brilliant ploy.

If the composer did not want to get caught stealing, well it’s not in the news *yet*. Even still, I don’t really think Michael Land is going to be incensed enough to pursue Kohl’s – if he even learns of it, anyway.

So to the composer, wherever you are. I take my hat off to you -whatever your intention may be – because you committed an act of piracy, introduced the world to Monkey Island, and turned Lechuck’s theme into a sleigh ride of doom. Rock On.

-Dan

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