What's That YETI Commercial 'Heaven' Song?

Before YETI co-founders Roy and Ryan Seiders started their company in 2006, the entrepreneur brothers were in the angling business. Disappointed with boat-friendly cooler options, the brothers struck out on their own, designing coolers that are altogether durable, popular, and, perhaps most impossibly, chic. Coolers, however, turned out to be a jumping-off point for the brand. With more products and an influx in merchandise has come an increased focus on commercials through which YETI can market its wares. 

In the TV spot "All Seasons," YETI demonstrates how its sturdy drinkware is suitable for all environments, whether on a temperate fishing trip, in the punishing heat of the desert, or in the snow. The ad sticks to the company's outdoorsy roots, letting the sounds of nature shine in the background. Also in the background is a rendition of "What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?" by The Deslondes featuring Twain.

Originally known as The Tumbleweeds, The Deslondes are a country-soul band based in New Orleans. The band has released three records to date — 2015's "The Deslondes," 2017's "Hurry Home," and 2022's "Ways & Means" –  lists music from Atlantic, Stax, and Sun Records among its influences, as well as the field recordings of Alan Lomax. Given the band's interest in classic Southern music traditions, it's no surprise that they covered the popular hymn "What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?" 

The Deslondes released "What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?" as a single in 2016, but the song dates back to 1901 when it was penned by Charles Albert Tindley. A Methodist minister, Tindley composed almost 50 hymns during his lifetime and is often considered a godfather of gospel. One of his compositions contained lyrics later included in "We Shall Overcome."

"What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?" — sometimes written as "What Are They Doing?" or "What Are They Doing in Heaven?" — features a narrator looking back at the lives of his friends who have suffered due to poverty or disease. Nevertheless, it's a hopeful song that envisions their salvation. The song has been recorded dozens of times by countless musicians as varied as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Vince Gill, Mogwai, and Colin Stetson.

"What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?" is a noted favorite of Mavis Staples, who recorded a version with The Staple Singers on their 1965 album "This Little Light." In 2013, she re-recorded the track for her album "One True Vine," produced by Wilco's Jeff Tweedy. In an interview, she recalled hearing the gospel at her grandmother's church in Mississippi. "This church was just wooden floors, wooden benches, no organ, no piano. It's the best sound I've ever heard in my life. I'll never forget it, one song they would sing...is 'What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?" she said.