Favorite Music Videos

[Out of the Blue]

I think that the overall state of music videos has been very bad since MTV moved away from them.  Now it seems like most bands or singers don't even make videos anymore.

[Woops]

Music videos peaked in the mid 1990's and aren't talked much about or taken as an artform

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Great White "Stick It"... for some reason reminds me of ZZ Top's "Gimme All Your Lovin" with the guy fantasizing about attractive women while he's working.

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a-ha "The Sun Always Shine On TV"

Though not as great like "Take On Me"...

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"Harlem Shuffle" Rolling Stones

Directed by Ralph Bakshi and also animated by John Kricfalusi

One of the best animated music videos and also underrated since it's not often talked about.

[Woops]

(source: Google)

Personal Top 8 (can't think of a Top 10... I liked some  songs, but only a few had memorable music videos, IMHO)

8. Bowling For Soup "1985"... a cheesy song with a campy video that spoofs various '80's artists/videos from Robert Palmer's "Addicted To Love", Whitesnake "Here I Go Again", George Michael "Faith", etc. Yeah, I know most weren't from that particular year...

  

7. Vanessa Carlton "A Thousand Miles"... features the singer riding her piano around variou places

6. Natasha Bedingfield "Pocketful Of Sunshine"... a 'feel good video' that starts off with Natasha having a hard day at an office (where she supposedly works in the video) and takes a parachute to the top of a building with other people using the pop song for escapism from some graffiti artists  to a disadvantaged  young kid.


5. Alien Ant Farm "Movies"... video of their lesser known hit (more known for cover of "Smooth Criminal") that features parodies of various movies from "Ghostbusters", "Edward Sisscorhands", and "Karate Kid" (yes, there's a cameo from the late Pat Morita).


4. Ting Tings "Shut Up & Let Me Go"... great zooming effects (similar to White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army") and martial art moves between the members.

3. Natasha Bedingfield "These Words"... featuring Natasha walking around with dancing boom boxes. A fresh video and different from most pop videps that usually take place in a club.



2. Fountains of Wayne "Stacy's Mom" ... homage to the pool scene of "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" featuring former model Rachel Hunter, whicha  new generation, including myself, actually developed a crush on her.



1. The White Stripes "Fell In Love With A Girl"... animated video clip directed by Michel Gondry that's made from Lego blocks.

[Woops]

"On Our Own" Bobby Brown


Reminds me of the openings of "Saturday Night Live" with images on billboards & buildings. Ironically, Bill Murray & Dan Ackroyd from the "Ghostbusters" films were part of the original  "SNL" cast.



Reelz Network "Movies & Music", which the music video is currently on the site (though also on YouTube)

Movies & Music  

It’s a show unlike any other on television. Who doesn’t love a good movie soundtrack? Every episode features a different theme where we show you music videos from movies connected to that theme. Like a good chick flick? James Bond more your style? How about Adam Sandler movies? We’ll show you music videos from all of those and more. Think TRL with music videos from movies — and that’s Movies & Music.

I think VH1 had a show or  a special devoted to songs from film soundtracks in the 1990's.

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Ratt "Dance", saw it on VH1 Classic while flipping channels and don't think they've played it before (well since I've watched it a year ago)

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Not exactly a music video or concert film, but recently found a video tape of  "Graffiti Rock", which is a  tv pilot of a hip hop based series (done similar to "American Bandstand" & "Soul Train") that featured Treacherous Three featuring Kool Moe Dee, Run DMC (performing "Sucker MC's"), and R&B singer Shannon ("Give Me Tonight") in the only episode that aired in June 29, 1984.

Basically a slice of the hip hop culture of the mid 1980's with the fashion, break dancing, and music. According to Wiki, actress Debi Mazar and actor/director Vincent Gallo  ("Prince Vince") were dancers on the show.

Guessing it only lasted an episode since rap  was still mostly underground despite of the breakdancing craze and Run DMC entering the mainstream around that time.

Also cheesy in terms of the electronic voice-over used in the introduction, slang terms appearing on the screen similar to the '60's "Batman" show, and several of the fashion that was in style at the time (well, it was the '80's).

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An energetic performance clip taken from a "Command Performance" for the troops in WWII:

Betty Hutton "Murder, He Says"



While not much into swing, I enjoy several of Betty Hutton's songs like "Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief", "Blow A Fuse" (aka "It's Oh So Quiet"), "It Had To Be You", and "Plain Jane Doe".

She's probably best known for the film "Annie Get Your Gun" and she passed several years ago.

[Woops]

Ph D "Little Susie's On The Up"

One of the first videos to air on MTV, strangely appealing. Though wasn't a hit in the US.

list of the first videos to air on MTV

The First 10
1. Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles
2. You Better Run - Pat Benatar
3. She Won't Dance With Me - Rod Stewart
4. You Better You Bet - The Who
5. Little Suzie's On The Up - PhD
6. We Don't Talk Anymore - Cliff Richard
7. Brass In Pocket - Pretenders
8. Time Heals - Todd Rundgren
9. Take It On The Run - REO Speedwagon
10. Rockin' The Paradise - Styx

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Sparks and Jane Wiedlin (of The Go-Go's) "Cool Places" 

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"Rainbow In The Dark" is a campy video and one of  my favorite songs.

Condolences to his family, friends, and fans of his music 

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In the early 1980s not everyone had cable TV. In Los Angeles a sort of new wave American Bandstand was the alternative to cable's MTV. It was called MV3.

This syndicated music video show featured (1) the latest music videos as a backdrop to (2) local dancers and (3) lip synched performances by artists such as X, The Plimsouls, Lords Of The New Church, Oingo Boingo, Berlin, The Bangles, Missing Persons, English Beat, Thomas Dolby, Psychedelic Furs, Adam Ant etc.; artists that were currently being played on KROQ (Los Angeles).

Three hosts included then KROQ DJ, Richard Blade, "comedian?" David Maples, and "actress?" Karen Scott.

Trivia: Blade and some of the regular dancers also appeared in an episode of "Square Pegs". Bret Easton Ellis mentions MV3 in his book "Less Than Zero".

"MV3" intro

Honestly, the use of Elvis Presley's music as the theme is very out of place for a show that's mostly focused on new wave.

Some more clips from the show:
"Pass The Dutchie" (Musical Youth), with MV3 dancers
Berlin "The Metro"
Berlin "Sex (I'm A...)
Bangles "I'm In Line"
Bangles interview
Top 10 albums with Richard Blade


Plus,  "Graffiti Rock":
"Graffiti Rock" intro
New York City Breakers
dancers, "What People Do For Money" (Divine Sounds)
Run DMC "Sucker MCs"...plus a staged "battle" with Kool Moe Dee & Special K (2/3 of the Treacherous Three)
Interview from show producer/host Michael Holman

[Woops]

Y&T "Summertime Girls" 


Underrated gem