Monday, April 30, 2012

ZZ Top - TV Dinners

ZZ Top - "TV Dinners"
From Eliminator (1983)

Many of us remember a time when frozen dinners were called "TV dinners." ZZ Top took this cultural icon and recorded a song, which then was made into a music video. Like the band's other videos, it's quite entertaining.

The video for ZZ Top's "TV Dinners" demonstrates the danger of putting foil in the microwave. Although it isn't as well known as some of their other videos, such as "Legs" or "Sharp Dressed Man," it's certainly a classic worth watching.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Yazoo - The Other Side of Love

Yazoo - "The Other Side of Love"
Single release (1982) later added to reissue of Upstairs at Eric's (1996)

Yazoo, a synthpop duo also known as Yaz, released a fun music video for "The Other Side of Love." The video shows members Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet going dancing, with Moyet seeming to have the time of her life. Things get interesting when Clarke falls and starts seeing some unusual things on the dance floor.

Friday, April 27, 2012

XTC - Making Plans for Nigel

XTC - "Making Plans for Nigel"
From Drums & Wires (1979)

The video for XTC's hit song "Making Plans for Nigel" is all about Nigel, a man who has no control over his own life.

According to XTC bassist/songwriter/vocalist Colin Moulding, the song is "partly biographical," having been inspired by his father's strong desire to choose Colin's career path. The reference to British Steel caused the company to survey their employees named Nigel in an effort to find out whether they were happy.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Wolf Parade - Shine a Light

Wolf Parade - "Shine a Light"
From Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005)

The video for Wolf Parade's "Shine a Light" is the story of a man who is subjected to ridicule and discrimination everywhere he goes, and it's all because of his physical appearance. Watch the story unfold to see what he goes through on a daily basis.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Van Halen - Dreams

Van Halen - "Dreams"
From 5150 (1986)

Van Halen shot three different videos for "Dreams." The first one, featuring the Blue Angels, is the most popular. The other two versions were filmed in 1993 and consist of concert footage, fans, and commentary.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

U2 - I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight

U2 - "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight"
From No Line on the Horizon (2009)

"There are two music videos for U2's "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight." This animated version was the first to be released; the second was from a live performance.

Set in the city, this video shows several people who are having a bad night for one reason or another. It was entered in the 2009 Ottawa International Animation Festival.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science

Thomas Dolby - "She Blinded Me With Science"
From The Golden Age of Wireless (1982)

Thomas Dolby directed and starred in his video for "She Blinded Me With Science," in which he goes to the Home for Deranged Scientists to have himself committed. While there, he has a therapy session with the head of the institution, portrayed by British scientist and TV personality Magnus Pyke.

In a 2011 interview with Dan MacIntosh of Songfacts, Dolby explained how the video came about. He was a big fan of silent movies, and he actually thought of music videos as silent movies with soundtracks. He came up with the concept for the video, wrote the script, and then wrote a song to go with it. The result was the unforgettable "She Blinded Me With Science."

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Stone Temple Pilots - Sour Girl

Stone Temple Pilots - "Sour Girl"
From No. 4 (2000)

The video for "Sour Girl" features Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and rabbit costumes eerily reminiscent of the Teletubbies.

An episode of MTV's Making the Video featured "Sour Girl." The video was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography, as well as a Billboard Music Video Award for Best Modern Rock Track. Unfortunately, it did not win either award.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Radiohead - There There

Radiohead - "There There"
From Hail to the Thief(2003)

The video for Radiohead's "There There" was inspired by Bagpuss, a British TV show for children. It features frontman Thom Yorke in a forest, where he is stunned to encounter woodland creatures engaged in activities he never expected to see in species other than human beings.

In 2003, "There There" won Best Art Direction in a Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Queens of the Stone Age - No One Knows

Queens of the Stone Age - "No One Knows"
From Songs for the Deaf (2002)

Queens of the Stone Age have a hilarious music video for their hit song "No One Knows."

Although the video starts out with the band members hitting a deer while driving at night, there's no need to worry--at least not about the deer, which attacks them and then proceeds to wreak havoc on their lives. The scenes with the deer alternate with scenes of the band performing against a black background.

"No One Knows" was nominated for the MTV2 Award at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Peter Gabriel - Big Time

Peter Gabriel - "Big Time"
From So (1987)

Peter Gabriel stars in the video for his hit song "Big Time," about a guy who's on his way to making it big. This highly entertaining piece uses both stop-motion and strata-cut animation, and the result is a stunning work of art.

The video for "Big Time" is similar to Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" video, with which more people are probably familiar.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

OK Go - White Knuckles

OK Go - "White Knuckles"
From Of the Blue Colour of the Sky (2010)

The video for OK Go's "White Knuckles" is a huge hit with dog lovers. It features the band members, a few props, a dozen shelter dogs, and a goat.

The video was completed after a grand total of 124 takes. Why so many? The band wanted the final product to be filmed in one shot, with no editing.



See why the trainers called "White Knuckles" the "greatest music video ever." That's not all, though. They also have a page that introduces these talented animals; it's well worth reading. To complete the experience, check out this outtake video.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Neon Trees - Everybody Talks

Neon Trees - "Everybody Talks"
From Picture Show (2011)

There are two videos for "Everybody Talks," by Neon Trees. Each video tells a different story, although both feature the band and a girl with heart-shaped sunglasses. Both are included in this post.

The first one is an animated video that was released in January 2012. It's both a ghost story and a love story.



The second video for "Everybody Talks" takes place at a drive-in theater showing Zombie Bikers From Hell. The girl with the heart-shaped sunglasses has a very different role in this video, which was released approximately three months later than the animated version.



I like both videos, but the animated one is my favorite. Which one do you prefer?

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Matchbox Twenty - Unwell

Matchbox Twenty - "Unwell"
From More Than You Think You Are (2003)

This super-fun video for Matchbox Twenty's "Unwell" features frontman Rob Thomas having a very strange day in which he sees and experiences things that just can't be real. He's "not crazy," though; he's "just a little unwell." His faithful dog keeps him company throughout the weirdness.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Lenny Kravitz - Stand

Lenny Kravitz - "Stand"
From Black and White America (2011)

The video for "Stand" is a takeoff on the old game show Let's Make a Deal. In the video, Lenny Kravitz portrays three different characters on a game show called Run For Your Money; he plays the crooked host as well as both the singer and the drummer of the house band.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Korn - Evolution

Korn - "Evolution"
From their untitled album (2007)

Korn's "Evolution" video is an amusing production that pokes fun at the idea that humans are evolving and proposes that the opposite is more likely. The spoof website Devolution: Nature's U-Turn was set up to promote the video.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Journey - Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

Journey - "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)"
From Frontiers (1983)

This video has a bit of a stigma attached to it, but that's what makes it so entertaining.

"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" was Journey's first choreographed video; until then, the band's videos were essentially performances and concert footage. Frontman Steve Perry was against doing a choreographed video, but he lost the argument.

So, what's so bad about this particular video? Instead of playing their own musical instruments in front of the camera, they played invisible ones. That's right; they played air guitar, air keyboards, etc. Sure, a lot of people do that, but they generally do it in the privacy of their own homes. It looked so silly in a professional music video that it keeps showing up on lists of the all-time worst videos.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

INXS - Never Tear Us Apart

INXS - "Never Tear Us Apart"
From Kick (1988)

Fans of INXS can't imagine the band's beautiful ballad, "Never Tear Us Apart," in any other style, but it was originally written as a blues song. The video was filmed at different locations in Prague, as were the videos for "Guns in the Sky" and "New Sensation."

INXS's masterpiece played in the background of frontman Michael Hutchence's funeral in 1997, while band members and Hutchence's brother carried his coffin out of the church.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Herbie Hancock - Rockit

Herbie Hancock - "Rockit"
From Future Shock (1983)

Herbie Hancock's "Rockit" video features animatronic figures dancing to the instrumental music. Hancock himself is in the video, but only on the TV screen. In 1984, "Rockit" won five MTV Video Music Awards.

The song has been included in several films, television shows, and video games.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Grouplove - Tongue Tied

Grouplove - "Tongue Tied"
From Never Trust a Happy Song (2011)

Apple used Grouplove's "Tongue Tied" in its commercial for the iPod Touch. The video is interesting, amusing, and slightly creepy. Within the first few seconds, the action switches to reverse; this shows the events that led up to the opening scene.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Foo Fighters - My Hero

Foo Fighters - "My Hero"
From The Colour and the Shape (1998)

Frontman Dave Grohl directed this video, which shows an anonymous hero rushing into a burning building three times. The most entertaining part of the video involves the rescuees. Specifically, it's about their identities and the need to protect their anonymity.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Echo & The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon

Echo & The Bunnymen - "The Killing Moon"
From Ocean Rain (1984)

Widely considered to be Echo & The Bunnymen's best song, "The Killing Moon" has been included in movies, television shows, and commercials. The band also recorded the All Night Version, which is considerably longer than the original.

The eerie video, made for the original version of "The Killing Moon," is set on a ghost ship.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Daniel Powter - Bad Day

Daniel Powter - "Bad Day"
From Daniel Powter (2005)
Starring Jason Adelman and Samaire Armstrong

Daniel Powter became a One-Hit Wonder with this song, which was also his first single. The video takes place over the course of three days as two people make a connection while going about their lives.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Chad VanGaalen - Peace on the Rise

Chad VanGaalen - "Peace on the Rise"
From Diaper Island (2011)

Chad VanGaalen is a brilliant musician, animator, and illustrator. He animated the video below as well as many others, including songs by other recording artists.

Watch "Peace on the Rise" carefully; there's a question at the end. Feel free to leave your answer in the comments if you want.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Blind Melon - No Rain

Blind Melon - "No Rain"
From Blind Melon (1992)
Starring Heather DeLoach as the "Bee Girl"

Band members:

Shannon Hoon – vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
Rogers Stevens – lead guitar, piano/keyboards
Christopher Thorn – rhythm guitar, steel guitar, mandolin, harmonica
Brad Smith – bass, flute, backing vocals
Glen Graham – drums, percussion

Follow the story of the "Bee Girl," a young tap dancer who just wants to find her place in the world and be accepted for who she is. She even inspired Pearl Jam's "Bee Girl." "No Rain" is included on VH1's list of the 100 greatest videos of all time.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

AWOLNATION - Not Your Fault

AWOLNATION - "Not Your Fault"
From Megalithic Symphony (2011)

Band members:
Aaron Bruno - vocals
Christopher Thorn - lead guitar
Kenny Carkeet - rhythm guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals
David Amezcua - bass guitar and backing vocals
Hayden Scott - drums

In this entertaining video, the singer is having a dream in which he has to keep rescuing the same damsel in distress from one bad situation after another. His band buddies are always there to back him up, no matter how scary the situation is. Everyone in the dream is depicted as a Claymation-type figure.



There's even a game based on the video; play Megalithic Mayhem online or download the App.