Original 1976 Tennessee Trash PSA

This is the original 1976 public service announcement for an anti-littering campaign in Tennessee. The commercial was produced by the advertising agency Hudson & Associates. The song was performed by country songwriter Ed Bruce and stars Irving Kane.
This particular clip was encoded for KZbin from an original U-Matic tape the Dept. of Transportation sent to TV stations.

[@wildamerican2771]

I think it's time we bring this commercial back all I see is trash on the roads in Nashville.

[@bobbybosche4372]

Or we could just burn your trash hole of a state to the ground.

[@bobbybosche4372]

@Self hating Alabamian fuck you wrong I prefer Virginia or the Carolinas. Tennessee is average at best

[@CJColvin]

@Self hating Alabamian I totally agree brother.

[@bobbybosche4372]

@Self hating Alabamian I dont live in Tennessee or the south anymore douchebag. I live in the western united states Colorado way better state then Tennessee. I never wanna go back to that shithole backwards humid dump of a place for the rest of my life.

[@thebiglebootski357]

Well yeah, the people there grew up listening to this song, so they think throwing out trash is the funnest thing.

[@megazenn22]

oh man! I didn't know littering was so fun D:

[@philg4116]

hahahahahahahahahahaha

[@ezHiker35]

We need to bring this back, along with the Crying Indian, Give a Hoot Don't Pollute, Pitch in, and everything else. There were so many great anti-littering campaigns back in the 60's and 70's, and they seemed to be effective. Now nobody seems to care. Why? I see trash everywhere along the roadsides in East Tennessee...even otherwise beautiful places like boat ramps and picnic areas have garbage everywhere.

[@CJColvin]

There's even litter bugs in Missouri as well as some parts of the Midwest.

[@ilychan3580]

The anti-littering ads were made by highly polluting companies to shift blame from themselves onto the consumer.

[@MagnumLoadedTractor]

Avoid LA

[@jeremycook4670]

Right I'm seeing it come back soda can here and there, lol mom used to sing this to me when she drove so much so that I will not throw a cigarette but out the window with its filter.

[@Skimeric]

I don't know... this PSA kinda makes littering look pretty bad-ass... Kinda wants to make me toss shit out my corolla going 80 on the highway

[@feathersax]

Irving Kane, wonderful trombonist-composer & fellow musician at Opryland in 1975...he played this role great! Funny fellow.

[@KikiandHoss]

Thank you for posting this. I have a lot of good memories pertaining to this ad. My father was the producer, director, set designer, cinematographer, editor, & refuse picker upper (haha), His name is Julian Cole. He won many national awards for this spot, plus "Best of Show" for the Nashville Ad Federation. Search his name to see what kind of art he is doing now. Bill Hudson was the agency and the late Mike McCrickard was the executive producer.

[@BananaMan-wm1ge]

Kelly Roberts what kind of car was used in this original commercial? We have a bet going on between friends!

[@WildwoodClaire1]

I remember this ad from my youth in east Tennessee. I think it is the greatest public service commercial E-VER!

[@susancraver]

@@BananaMan-wm1ge It is a Corvair.

[@georgemarvin1054]

I love this. The song and the meaning has always been with me since the first time I saw it when I was a teenager.

[@chobeeboy44]

I was raised in Knoxville. And I remember this commercial was haunting and cool at the same time! The song had a dark somberness to it along with a powerful tag line! Still to this day, “There ain’t no lower class than Tennessee trash!”

[@transman1977]

Back in the 1950's, my father put a small trash container in our car. My two siblings and I were taught not to litter. When I started driving, I have kept a trash container and plastic bags in my vehicles. Some highways have garbage cans and there are also rest stops to dispose of trash. Please help keep Mother Earth beautiful!

[@jg41187]

The singer of this song Ed Bruce, a singer/songwriter and actor who had his own run of hits on the country charts but was best known for co-writing Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings’ “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” has died at age 81. rest in Peace

[@lamarweeks7457]

I loved this commercial as a kid and nearly 40 years later still find it funny.

[@neroclaudius7284]

God does this tune just make me wanna go litter, it just looks like so much fun.

[@YisraelBernstein]

Thank you for posting this. I laughed at it as hard as I did when I was 5. Stupid song has been stuck in my head for over 30 years. Lol.

[@POsomething]

Heck, mate, this song's been stuck in my head for nine years and I'm Finnish after all and this was never on TV in this country. I wish they made PSA's like this now...

[@mikestandifer1549]

I was 4 when this commercial came out in the summer of 1976. It’s always stuck with me also. There was something about that commercial that was crazy and appealing at the same time when it came out.

[@weswsp01]

The New Tennessee Vols fight song

[@farmerjoe01]

The "Trash" tat was a sweet touch.

[@rosssoutherland8118]

When I was a kid I sat with my dads Gibson Melody maker in my hand plugged up & ready to go-just daring this commercial to come on where I could practice with it. It was very much responsible for my music career. Love Ed Bruce!

[@phillipwells7383]

"25 years laterrrrr...on a Saturday night.."

[@obiwannabe4235]

Long ago, as a child in TN my father has stopped the car and made me walk back with him until I found the trash I through out, and I got to pick it up and carry it until I found a trash can. I think worse, he seemed very disappointed in me and that was the end of my littering. Since then I really don't litter and have trash bags in every car I've ever owned. A very small example of a good man.

[@transman1977]

Fred...Your father taught you well. Kudos to both of you!

[@julianhermanubis6800]

The actor playing the "trash" driver was best known for his role as Nashville horror movie host Sir Cecil Creape.

[@birdman5939]

That's Irv Kane......he's a musician.....Cecil Creape was played by Russ McCown

[@julianhermanubis6800]

@@birdman5939 You know what? You're absolutely right. I have no idea where I thought I read it was McCown. He did do some tourism commercials later.

[@ChrisAllenSkywx]

The song is song by Country Music legend Ed Bruce.

[@andrewdouglass1427]

This video was produced when Music Row was some scrappy houses and West End was disposable. I'm glad things are better.

[@chillpenguin64]

He did a remake of it in 96' and even played the trash man. That was the version I grew up watching.

[@mikehancho2082]

Tennessee football throwing trash on the field music video!

[@JustLuke69]

Welcome to Ordinary Things

[@erniemckrackin9520]

Most trash in Tennessee has out of state plates.

[@cumminsrealpower680]

Ernie McKrackin Totally agree with you on that!!!!! Great comment!!!!

[@ilovetennessee5556]

Cummins Real power Stupid Tennessean Trump supporter you're the trash.

[@ilovetennessee5556]

Cummins Real power Ain't no lower class than Donald trump trash!

[@vmass4287]

Cummins Real power God hates Tennessee!!!!!! kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGrSYouVibOLjaM

[@vmass4287]

Ernie McKrackin God hates Tennessee!!!!

[@Daehawk]

Saw this a lot on tv as a kid. I was 7 in 76.

[@cjknox1973]

The bumper falling off at the end did it for me😂🤣😂

[@markcleveland1986]

I often think about and reference the powerful impact of that iconic ad where a native American sees pollution and a tear falls across his cheek. A friend suggested I check this out. Love it. Iconic and powerful. Leaders can develop strategies to positively influence behavior change and apply it to all kinds of challenging social issues, from smoking to highway trash...

[@Brent-jj6qi]

Sadly, the man in that advertisement was Italian and not Native American.

[@chriscook7394]

That guy was at Neyland Stadium 10/16/2021

[@provost5752]

I remember singing along to this as a kid.

[@AA-hg5fk]

The music and lyrics on this ad are brilliant!

[@matthewearlywine5535]

I have a feeling this video has been getting some hits today🤣

[@DeLorean4]

This commercial makes me want to litter, and drive a Chevrolet Corvair. I actually found the perfect one a couple of years ago but called in too late : (

[@DacLMK]

This commercial makes me want to trash the highway. It looks cool

[@donkeeton7897]

Was aired throughout the summer of 1976 as I remember as a 7 year old kid some memories from the bicentennial year.

[@lisarynaiwomac8898]

I remember this commercial from when I was a kid. I been singing the jingle ever since 😂

[@RS-gu2ne]

Without Jon Shulenberger who wrote music and words to this by way of Soundshop Recording Studios none of the names listed would have been listed assisting in this production. Jon won a Cleo Award for this. Ro Shulenberger

[@birdman5939]

R.I.P. Shuley

[@birdman5939]

Oh, this post is from you Ro...

[@865TN]

I grew up in Memphis and as a kid I memorized the lyrics to this PSA - I used to sing it all the time Thanks for posting this, brings back alot of memories from the late 80s and early 90s for me

[@thetowndrunk988]

God, what a classic. I laugh my a** off every time I think about this

[@justinmajors2872]

They were all at Neyland last night

[@jackgreen412]

I agree with other's comments: we need this message over and over.

[@mmydaisy]

This is so classic! They were brave enough to really let it show.

[@gtageri100]

This song bussin respectfully, I’ll resume to not litter

[@darrylnelson6361]

Thanks for posting this. I have lived in Tennessee my entire life. And I Love Tennessee. But this old video is hilarious. It is as funny now as it was when I was a kid. Go Vols !!!!

[@Guitcad1]

I just watched another video about them doing a remake of this. It looks like probably in the late 90s/ early 2000s. The guy who wrote and sang the song is Ed Bruce and for the remake he took on the role of "Trashy." The actor from the original 70s psa was named Irv Kane and, sadly, was no longer living when the remake was made. The original Corvair was also no longer up to the task and was replaced by what appears to be a Chrysler LeBaron convertible.

[@lukeinvictus]

Ordinary things

[@susanstephens2305]

I was 19 when the commercial came out. Its still cool to watch.

[@adammagee2113]

I sing this song as i chucked trash from my sh** box car every day

[@Jeffmackens]

Challenge! Find the song from the eighties, “Follow Me to Tennessee” believe Ed Bruce sang this as well.

[@michaelparham9359]

As best I recall, it was filmed on a stretch of unopened I-24 near the Joelton area. That portion didn't open until the late 70's.

[@Mystic0157]

What about the Lake Scene near the end?

[@jedisok13]

I live in Tennessee and rep this song.

[@bobbybosche4372]

Fuck tennessee

[@jedisok13]

@@bobbybosche4372 fuck yourself. You'll get more pussy

[@neskey]

Tennessee is joining the war on trash. on the side of the trash

[@Druidikal]

thank you!!! I used to love this as a kid

[@maddog57ful]

I remember this like yesterday.

[@torpedohippo8493]

"Ain't no lower class, than Tennessee Trash!" love it haha

[@ButlerTL]

For cans, bottles and glass the national bottle bill might help some and give you back some money.

[@WildwoodClaire1]

greatest public service commercial ever!!!

[@oak1day]

Rest in peace Irv. I miss you to this day,

[@michaelmartin9235]

This song is pretty amazing

[@RedElephantStampede]

Couldn’t be said any better.

[@fitzfleenor1893]

Corporate TV in Tennessee should be required to show this. It would save the state $money$

[@shawnp6744]

Did they film this at Neyland?

[@philiprichards2010]

I saw this Tennessee trash ad on tv when I lived in Franklin TN .

[@MrGemHunter]

On the one hand, this is a very catchy song, on the other hand, it kinda makes littering look cool in the worst way possible

[@user-mb5hc3vi7v]

needs to be a 2023 PSA---

[@clydestamp6970]

Wonder how many inmates they used to clean up afterwards?

[@jakobdanowski1325]

Im here from Ordinary things

[@samthomas9404]

This brings back some hilarious memories of living in Tennessee back in middle school. Anytime some hick wanted to pick on the "Yankee" all I had to do was tell them there's no lower class. A couple kids actually tried to fight me over it. Hahah

[@jimbirmingham7713]

Thank You

[@jeronragoonanan8136]

This video is vibes

[@SteveOfKentucky]

Great job! :)

[@CyberRager]

This Anti-Littering advertisment kinda sucks at the "Anti" Part

[@frankm.2850]

While the song is a banger the anti-littering ads were made by highly polluting companies to shift blame from themselves onto the consumer. Big business will always prefer to shift blame for its pollution and environmental harm onto the consumer when it can.

[@Jack-ns3jv]

my hero

[@samp.8099]

He's the enemy

[@CJColvin]

Thats one beat up Chevy Corvair.

[@ronnmiller9085]

For a minute there I'd forgotten who did that song and I'm sitting here thinking, danged if that don't sound just like my old buddy Gary Gentry singing.

[@tonygammalo5602]

The irony would be NOT cleaning up after this commercial was shot.

[@callmecamo]

I love the vair

[@perturabo7825]

Volunteers on their way to Neyland Stadium, colorized

[@lonnieporter8566]

Funny how they used a rusted out Corvair as the Trash Car. Symbolism?

[@megazenn22]

symbolism for what?

[@lonnieporter8566]

@@megazenn22 the Corvair was a piece of trash. Think about it.

[@megazenn22]

@@lonnieporter8566 you're gonna have to point out the symbolism to me

[@lonnieporter8566]

@@megazenn22 🤣🤣 Okay, man, so sweat. The man is throwing trash from a trash car. The Corvair was rolling trash; rolling litter, if you will, spreading more litter. Funny, ironic, and symbolic. An epic ad - and I typically hate ads.

[@megazenn22]

@@lonnieporter8566 so it's not symbolic of anything, tnx

[@dbgrfdg]

what a banger

[@DremOnTV]

Lol this guy used to scare the fuck outta me as a kid! #memories

[@videokyle]

Thanks for the comments! I have a couple others from this era and hope to post them soon. Do you know where they shot this? I've always been curious about that.

[@vonh6660]

Blue Devil Music & Green Wave Archive how about the one(Tennessee trash commercial) where there’s an Indian crying in it? Bet it’s long gone.

[@Brent-jj6qi]

According to another comment, this was on an unopened (At the time) part of the I95

[@bigrobbyd.6805]

One part of the commercial looks like I-24 in Robertson County, just east of Exit 24.

[@DarthLowIQ]

@@Brent-jj6qi that’s interesting. I95 doesn’t even go through Tennessee.

[@thetowndrunk988]

@@Brent-jj6qi so they shot it somewhere between Florida and Maine, along the coast?

[@jaydenxxxbear256]

Looking at you Kingsport TN.

[@fbifbi9528]

Welcome to ordinary things

[@spy4863]

I love this ad and I love that jingle! I'd like to know how they did the shoot-how did they get permission to use the roads in the ad, how did they block them off for the shoot, and mostly did the crew clean up the roads after the shoot? I would hope so! Otherwise it defeats the whole purpose of the commercial! Thanks for posting it!

[@NightriderXP1]

+spy4863 The new highway had just been paved and hadn't been opened to the public yet so it was an ideal location for the shoot. They did clean up afterwards and before the highway had been opened to the public...

[@darrylnelson6361]

It looks like John Sevier Highway in Knox County.

[@thetowndrunk988]

@@darrylnelson6361 definitely not. John Sevier is a 2 lane, always has been, and has a lot more rolling hills than this. It looks like one of the highways in central TN

[@coweatsman]

Who knew that this guy would be elected President in 2016?

[@darrylnelson6361]

The trash guy is that trashy trump.

[@Whackadoo1]

Retro. Where was this filmed in TN?

[@utbeef18]

Was this videoed in Benton Co?

[@e70ish17]

At least the Vawls fans pick it up wearing their colors

[@skmc6915]

Yes, it used to be this bad.

[@wildamerican2771]

It still is

[@jedisok13]

Wild American then move

[@spy4863]

I'm also interested to know how they got that junky car to work!

[@amandabeare-martin2014]

😂😂😂

[@ivydivine8722]

how all other countries see anyone from America

[@gravysopper]

Good ol rocky flop

[@leeallen3626]

We just got the hell outta TN... all this is absolutely still true today.

[@Workingclasswarrior]

You are absolutely right I live in a neighboring state and drive to Tennessee to work sometimes. The state doesn’t take care of the roads and the people trash them. I have never seen people who could make something look like shit so quick anywhere else

[@JC-lk7ux]

How did they ever clean all that up?

[@andrewdouglass1427]

Was Don Gant involved in this?

[@sebd8237]

There trying to make you not liter but why are they littering??

[@waterdog9555]

😂🤣😂🤣 and the Trash Bred,,,, Into Trailer Trash & they had kids.

[@PepperDarlington]

Don't keep us in suspense! What did you name your children??

[@waterdog9555]

@@PepperDarlington Children!!! 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂 And saddle myself with CrumCrunchers, that are Unemployed and Totally Uneducated. Never Pay Rent. Now WHO would do such a stupid thing. I can’t spend all my money fast enough on new TOYS. Boooooom that blew back fast. 🤡

[@PepperDarlington]

@@waterdog9555 are your arms long enough to pay yourself deep in the middle of your back or did you tear a shoulder up patting yourself on the back, Chief?

[@waterdog9555]

@@PepperDarlington Ohhhhh the Brown 🤡 again. 😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@thetowndrunk988]

Praise God you don’t live in Tennessee, then

[@gaelicwolf]

I think people crying about the new Gillette ad aught to take a look at this. Calling out people's shit behaviour is nothing new.

[@meenachheda2383]

anda perlu menjelaskan kandungan

[@tenacious3911]

Is this supposed to be pro or anti littering?

[@brianas420]

this makes me want to litter even more

[@YouTube_can_ESAD]

Vols fans, this song is about you and your ilk!! 🤣👉🏽🍕💩

[@thetowndrunk988]

Ask LSU or Bama……