KISS: Calling Dr. Love

While I’ve never considered myself a huge KISS fan, there were a number of their songs that I have really liked, and today's song is one of their better tunes. Since it is TV Thursday, I always feature a song from a TV show or commercial. Today is no exception. Featured in the latest Dr. Pepper Cherry commercial, KISS’ “Calling Dr. Love” is being used to sell the soft drink with a “little kiss of cherry.”

Featuring KISS’ bassist Gene Simmons on vocals, “Calling Dr. Love” was the band’s fourth top 20 single. Coming from the album “Rock and Roll Over,” “Calling Dr. Love” peaked in 1977 at #16 and was the follow up to “Hard Luck Woman” from the same LP. The song performed better in Canada where in went to #2.

Due to the popularity of the band and advanced sales, the “Rock and Roll Over” album was certified gold upon its release. Within two months, the LP attained platinum status and was eventually certified double platinum for sales in excess of two million copies.

Dr. Pepper “Little Kiss of Cherry” Commercial

Known as Dr. Love, Gene Simmons was born in Israel and was named Chaim Witz. When he, his mother, and an uncle immigrated to New York in 1957, he took his mother’s maiden name of Klein and the first name Eugene. By the late sixties, he adopted the name Gene Simmons as a tribute to the 1950s rockabilly performer “Jumpin’” Gene Simmons.

Besides his appearances on commercials, Simmons also stars in the reality show, “Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels” and has created an animated series “My Dad the Rock Star.” The father of the series, Rockford Amadeus Zilla, or Rock Zilla, is based on Gene Simmons. Like Gene, Rock Zilla is somewhat immature. When the show ran on Nickelodeon, I watched it occasionally with my kids and enjoyed it immensely.

Trust me, I’m a doctor.

Simmons’ Debut Dr. Pepper Commercial