Loved it. I'll be thinking of the basic mechanics of this one for a while.

Gonna go with this one just because it's always been a favorite of mine. Just plain fun and makes me smile. I love the goofy intro on the stairs, the way they all walk out of the barber shop, the silly dancing, and the sax solo.



Pick 1: Smashing Pumpkins 1979
Pick 2: Madness One Step Beyond

Xander pm sent

Oh forgot I have to pick 2... in a work meeting so will catch up later. Xander can pick.

xander biscuits - Pick 3 - Aphex Twin - Windowlicker


So there's a longer 10 minute version of this one, but it's just an extra scene before the music starts so I've spared you it.

Nothing too explicit with this one, but I'd only watch it in work if no one is around. - NSFW WARNING

What I think of the video: It's very reminiscent of Tangerine (2015) and there's 10% of Freaks (1932) thrown in for good measure. It could be described as nightmare fuel, but that's only if you haven't seen anything by [REDACTED] especially [REDACTED] or [REDACTED].

This is another case of the video being better than the song, but if you watch it a few times then you get into the music too. It's a gateway video to the drug that is Aphex Twin.

Here's a little about the making of it if you're at all interested:

Round 3

Singin' in the Rain - Gene Kelly



Before MTV, before actual TV the only way to see a music video (or performance) was on the stage or in the movies. There have been many spectacular visually appealing musical numbers in movies that pre-cursed the present day music video.

For my money the best of them all is Mr. Kelly's Singin' in the Rain! The context is that he got the big job and he got the girl and he is happy. Very happy! He dgaf that it is raining out. He's gonna sing and he's gonna dance and he's gonna do it as good or better than anybody has before or since. This song (and dance) clearly demonstrate pure joy. No musical performance I can think exudes the pure joy of this one. You can't watch this and be pissed off

so far:
Paperback Writer - The Beatles
The Making of Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys
Singin' in the Rain - Gene Kelly

This will probably be my last pick pre-mid-90s, but this one is responsible for my most pre-access-to-porn busted nuts. Most of my friends at the time were partial to Bobbi Brown in Warrant's Cherry Pie, but she didn't do nearly as much for me as this woman did. Don't know her name, don't care. The song is stupid, but it didn't matter.

So I guess you guys are just going to ignore the no movies rule, huh? Love Singin' In The Rain. But it ain't a music video.

No movies or no movie promos? I'm confused.

I didn't think I had to list everything NOT allowed. Movies, or clips from movies, are not music videos. I said "music videos."

But hell, this is going so slowly, select anything you want.

OK. I get it. Go ahead of me after John picks. I'll pick a real MTVer when I get home later tonight.

Of course Especially when the rule isn't listed. Also it is much easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. Besides since a movie scene had already been submitted with no blowback I figured it was okay.

Hmm just posted a reply and it disappeared. Anyway, take 2:

I had to include a Bruce Springsteen video, because he is my absolute favourite all-time musician, by a wide margin. Even though he was never known for the most spectacular or cutting-edge videos. I chose Dancing in the Dark, because why not? It's a great song, and it is the video that launched Bruce to superstardom. Buff 80's Bruce! Courtney Cox! Clarence! What's not to like?



Picks 1-3:
1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
One Step Beyond - Madness
Dancing in the Dark - Bruce Springsteen

I'm going to follow up one B&W video with another. And, Dom, I'm sticking to music videos. I was able to spend a few days in New Orleans in December, and the opening shots of the video remind of the look of the city near Christmas. (Maybe the city looks like this all the time.) I'm also a huge fan of Willy DeVille. And I know a little something about being lonely through part of my life.



Round 1: Friends
Round 2: Linger
Round 3: I Call Your Name

Phat Mack said to skip him.

So my Round 3 pick is:



George Michael - Freedom '90

I think this video is the demarcation point when the new art form became truly modern. Director George Michael made the controversial decision not to appear in his own video - but rounded up some of the world's most expensive and famous super models to lip sync the song, so he was guaranteed to get it seen.

The song is also a response to what the public and his record company expected from him after his minster success with the song "Faith." And he literally blows up the props from that earlier video - the jacket, the guitar, and the jukebox.

Beautifully shot, gorgeous models, and a catchy song. Hard to go wrong.

**********

My Picks:

Johnny Cash - Hurt
NIN - Closer
George Michael - Freedom '90

xander, I like the Aphex Twin video, but I think they had more interesting ones to choose from...

Oceanspray on the clock!

herbdizzle and schlitzzz mmm have been removed from the draft - there is no need to wait for them or PM them.

It still saddens me to think about Dolores O'Riordan being gone and having died so young.

Me too.

It's odd, because celebrities and other famous people die all of the time, and it sucks, but life goes on, you know? But every so often, one dies and the overwhelming sense of loss accompanies it surprises the hell out of me.

I mean, I expect to feel loss when people I love and admire die - David Bowie, Tom Petty, etc. But I was surprised to feel that same loss when O'Riordan died, as she hadn't been really relevant for about 15 years.

But BAM, it hit me. And it still saddens me. Her voice was somehow important to the world.

I got Gin & Juice, but my wifi is f'd write up to follow.

I gotta pick two? Next one is Sober by Tool. Write up to follow.

I was going to pick Sober!!

Round 4 Pick:



Crazy in Love - Beyonce & Jay-Z

Time for what music videos do best - burn down the mother-fu**ing house and make you wanna dance! This one's got everything: rapping, hot back-up dancers, exploding cars, gushing fire hydrants, quick- cutting, colorful shots, and a young, lucious Beyonce Knowls shakin' that booty to no end.



***********

My Picks:

Johnny Cash - Hurt
NIN - Closer
George Michael - Freedom '90
Beyonce with Jay-Z - Crazy In Love

Phat Mack is skipped until he comes back - John Cole on the clock!

And guys - update the spreadsheet!

Okay, I hate to do this, not because I have any special fondness for the song or the video, but only because of my fondness for my friend Nancy, a talented filmmaker and artist, whom I introduced to Willy DeVille's music. Nancy confessed to me, and you need to understand this is a faculty member confessing to her dean, that she went to the local casino by herself a couple years ago to see a band she always wanted to see. So I'm posting this one for Nancy who is retiring soon. I think we are the only two people in the school who have also seen or even heard of Bill Morrison's film Decasia. Nancy sent me the link to this video a couple years ago, hoping that I wouldn't find her slightly ridiculous for her attachment to this sort of thing. I didn't.

Now when Renée, another faculty member, somehow revealed to me that she has seen Barry Manilow at least a dozen times, I told her it wouldn't count against her evaluation.



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Gin and Juice (Snoop Dogg)



After releasing The Chronic and Doggystyle in the early 90's, Dr. Dre and Snoop made a string of smash hit music videos that were on constant rotation on MTV and VH1 for years. These music videos introduced the West coast "gangsta" sound to a whole generation of suburban kids and altered the course of the entire genre. I think Gin & Juice is my favorite of the bunch. It's party anthem you can bump at any get together.

Sober (Tool)



Tool's music isn't exactly radio or video friendly, so when they came out with Sober it was their big chance to have a hit music video and get a little mainstream exposure. The video is one of those music videos where visuals compliment the music superbly, portraying a freaky claymation nightmare.

Best part of this was after the song was over and the VJ had to segue into some pop single. I remember one them pausing for a beat and going "Welp, that was pretty messed up..."