Comments on: "Clever" music videos?

Question: "Clever" music videos?

Mwongozi — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 15:48:21 -0800

"Clever" music videos?

Two of my favourite music videos are Star Guitar (because of the music/visual synchronicity) and Smack My Bitch Up (NSFW - because of the twist at the end).

What else would I like?

By: lunchbox

lunchbox — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:00:45 -0800

Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy"

By: cgc373

cgc373 — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:04:52 -0800

You might like "Rock DJ" by Robbie Williams, which is also probably NSFW. And Feist's "1-2-3-4".

By: flod

flod — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:05:21 -0800

Check out the videos of Michael Gondry and Spike Jonze--their work exemplifies what you're looking for. The Director's Label Series Boxed Set is a fabulous collection for fans of the artform, but you could also just look up the videos individually on YouTube.

By: flod

flod — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:06:22 -0800

Michel Gondry. Dammit.

By: cgc373

cgc373 — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:09:11 -0800

Maybe David Fincher's video for George Michael's "Freedom '90", with the supermodels lip-synching, and Mr. Michael in absentia?

By: rossination

rossination — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:10:41 -0800

The music video for Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek" is ...different -- it's sort of a love or hate kind of thing.

By: sweetlyvicious

sweetlyvicious — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:22:05 -0800

Why not take a look at Stylus Magazine's Top 100 Music Videos? You might find some you might like there.
My own favourite is 'Just' by Radiohead. To this day, I get a mental itch just trying to figure out what that bloke on the floor said when the subtitles abruptly stopped.

By: Jaltcoh

Jaltcoh — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:24:45 -0800

Take on Me

By: armoured-ant

armoured-ant — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:31:40 -0800

To this day, I get a mental itch just trying to figure out what that bloke on the floor said when the subtitles abruptly stopped.

He says "Last one on the floor's a rotten egg."

No, really. Watch his lips.

By: alona

alona — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:43:43 -0800

Float On - Modest Mouse

By: Asparagirl

Asparagirl — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:44:47 -0800

*Definitely* seconding the works of Michel Gondry and Spike Jonze. They made, respectively, this unfuckingbelievable video of Kylie Minogue's "Come Into My World" and Christopher Walken's iconic tap dancing in Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice", among others.

By: treepour

treepour — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:45:31 -0800

Also from Michel Gondry + Chemical Brothers: Let Forever Be.

By: zephyr_words

zephyr_words — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:48:00 -0800

Can't Stop by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. <--Pops in new window

By: Asparagirl

Asparagirl — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:50:10 -0800

(Unfortunately, that Kylie video link isn't very good quality -- and the video's genius depends on your being clearly able to see all the small background touches that keep repeating, multiplying, and playing off each other as she circles round the camera multiple times. But if you can find a sharper, less compressed version, preferably on the already-mentioned Michel Gondry DVD collection, it's highly recommended.)

By: meowzilla

meowzilla — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:50:28 -0800

UNKLE - Rabbit in your Headlights
Radiohead - Karma Police
Kenna - Hell Bent

By: zephyr_words

zephyr_words — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:52:05 -0800

Hmm, I lied it didn't pop. My fav scenes are the lamps and the packing peanuts.

By: bitdamaged

bitdamaged — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:00:36 -0800

Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai

By: nixxon

nixxon — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:14:17 -0800

Lou Reed's No Money Down is a classic. I'd been looking for a copy for years until YouTube came along.

By: Addlepated

Addlepated — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:26:26 -0800

This isn't exactly a music video - I guess it's more of an art piece - but it's visually striking. Pink by Charlie White. And seconds on Crazy and Jamiroquai,

By: joannemerriam

joannemerriam — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:29:18 -0800

Wicked and Weird by Buck 65. Puppetry and crime!

(I feel obligated to mention that I actually know this guy, who worked at the campus radio station in Halifax at the same time as me, under the dj name Jesus Murphy.)

By: bondcliff

bondcliff — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:48:18 -0800

Money for Nothing, by Dire Straits.

But you have to put your mind back to the 80s when it was State of the Art.

By: nitsuj

nitsuj — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:55:08 -0800

Mute Math - Typical was filmed backwards.

Rubber Johnny by Chris Cunningham (with music from Aphex Twin) is completely insane and awesome.

By: nitsuj

nitsuj — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:57:13 -0800

(there may be some NSFW imagery in Rubber Johnny.)

By: samstarling

samstarling — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:01:20 -0800

Another vote for Michel Gondry. Daft Punk - 'Around The World', Kylie Minogue - 'Come Into My World' and Cibo Matto - 'Sugar Water' being just a few.

By: caddis

caddis — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:14:04 -0800

OK GO

This video revitalized their dying career. I hear that the founders of YouTube actually asked them to make a video for the site. They did and it has received millions of views.

By: sellout

sellout — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:24:08 -0800

3 Feet Deep by DJ Format, featuring MC's Abdominal and D-Sisive.

By: nursegracer

nursegracer — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:55:36 -0800

Seconding Kenna, recommending Freetime as well as Hell Bent.

By: ejoey

ejoey — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:56:43 -0800

New Japanese one...

Ryukyudisko

By: samsara

samsara — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:39:46 -0800

A followup to sellout's suggesting 3 Feet Deep, anything produced by Keith Schofield.

(Pi has been a personal fav for some time)

By: SansPoint

SansPoint — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:42:55 -0800

Anything by Devo.

By: samsara

samsara — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:44:42 -0800

(Oh also...Loud and Clear)

By: schyler523

schyler523 — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:45:05 -0800

Devo - Beautiful World

By: genghis

genghis — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:56:54 -0800

The real Gondry/Chemicals winner: Star Guitar.

Also Mint Royale's Singin' in the Rain (the full version, without Gene Kelly).

By: krautland

krautland — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:22:30 -0800

you might want to look into the directors labels dvd's ... lots of the stuff mentioned on here is on those. my favorites are the michel gondry and spike jonze one. amazon has both.

By: modernnomad

modernnomad — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:28:57 -0800

Radiohead -- Just

By: Rock Steady

Rock Steady — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:46:27 -0800

.yalpdloC yb tsitneicS ehT denoitnem sah eno on eveileb t'nac I

By: Rock Steady

Rock Steady — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:52:05 -0800

Gnarls Barkley's version of Gone Daddy Gone is pretty high-concept, too.

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:03:45 -0800

"Do It With Madonna" (Androids) (funny), "Human" (Car Park North) (really rather good), "Gray Video" (Danger Mouse — Beatles and Jay-Z); "Wishful Thinking" (Ditty Bops); "Mosh" (Eminem) (no, seriously!), "We Will Rock You" (Evian); "Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground)" (Grandaddy); "Lotion" (Greenskeepers) (Silence of the Lambs homage); "Move Your Feet" (Junior Senior); "Nice Weather for Ducks" (Lemon Jelly); "Canon Rock" (Jeong-Hyun Lim); "World on Fire" (Sarah McLachlan); "Scent of a Robot" (Pete Miser); "Do They Know It's Halloween?" (North American Halloween Prevention Initiative); "Loud and Clear" (One Block Radius); "I Don't Feel Like Dancing" (Scissor Sisters); "Fidelity" (Regina Spektor); "Buddy Holly" (Weezer); "Superman" (Chris Appelhans); "Fix You" (Young@Heart) (Coldplay cover).

By: louche mustachio

louche mustachio — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:35:55 -0800

Herbie Hancock - Rockit

Goldfrapp - Strict Machine and Number One

Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out

And, as far as clever, conceptual videos go I can't believe nobody's mentioned this one yet.

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:45:10 -0800

Take on Me

And, of course, The Sun Always Shines on T.V., which picks up the story where Take on Me leaves off.

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:47:06 -0800

Also, a friend of mine had a record release for which he did some really rather cool-concept music videos: "Mighty Little Man" (and alternate video), "What I Do on Saturday", and "Dead."

By: Rock Steady

Rock Steady — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 22:31:12 -0800

A friend of yours? As in "Steve is a friend to children all over the world"? Or as in you really know him? Man, I hate to get starstruck, but we are huge fans of Steve's work here (TV and music). "Mighty Little Man" and "A Reason" are two of my all-time faves. Give him my best, and tell him his fans are eagerly anticipating the new album!

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 22:36:31 -0800

Yup, I knew him for a few years, during the period of time in which we were both enrolled in Allentown College's theater program. I'm afraid we lost contact a long time ago, though, so I'm afraid I can't pass along your message. When he tours, though, usually we catch up a little when he hits Chicago.

By: The Deej

The Deej — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 22:37:28 -0800

"The Scientist" by Coldplay

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 22:42:05 -0800

Also ... F-Y-I.

By: dhartung

dhartung — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 23:02:56 -0800

This video revitalized their dying career.

That's a weird way to describe their first smash success. It's not like they were the Rolling Stones or anything. They had a great production deal for the second album and were probably going to do at least as well anyway.

I hear that the founders of YouTube actually asked them to make a video for the site.

The first one, "A Million Ways", was done behind the backs of their label. The second one, "Here it Goes Again" (eponysterical?), was borne from the success of the first, because the label eventually backed the "Million" video with an astroturfing campaign. It wasn't posted only on YouTube, anyway.

Ah, the question. Lots of good ones above. My favorite recent "clever" video has to be Jarvis Cocker's "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time".

A few others not mentioned before:
* An Honest Mistake by the Bravery
* Breaking the Habit by Linkin Park (yes, but it's clever (and so help me I like this song))
* Sober by Tool

Of course, everyone's definition of clever varies. YMMV &c.

By: Mikey-San

Mikey-San — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 23:21:00 -0800

Not extremely "clever", but really neat:

http://videos.thelonelyisland.com/tli/nobodymove.mp4

We Are Scientists - "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt"

By: muteh

muteh — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 01:02:50 -0800

Blur - Coffee & TV and the already recommended Let Forever Be.

By: jne1813

jne1813 — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 01:26:36 -0800

Hot Chip - Over and Over

By: djstig

djstig — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 02:53:41 -0800

Drop - The Pharcyde Much better than the Coldplay rip off version of sdrawkcab soediv.

By: goshling

goshling — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 03:06:01 -0800

I find TISM's videos are always entertaining, from the visually catchiness of Thunderbirds Are Coming Out (the irony at the end always kills me) to the politically incorrect hilarity of What Are Ya? to teenage philosophy Greg, The Stop Sign!(lots of Australian popculture references).

I'd never heard of this one before, but from 1.30 in, it features a voiceover in which two members of the band discuss the sorry state of music videos over footage of kids auditioning for their next video.

By: goshling

goshling — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 03:12:58 -0800

Oh, and AFAIK, all the bands in the Thunderbirds clip were real bands.

By: goshling

goshling — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 03:50:13 -0800

I am also kind of fond of Eskimo Joe
New York - more backwardsy stuff
Wake Up - wtf? lol
Black Fingernails, Red Wine -much more interesting & disturbing than the version in the toilet

I think From The Sea & Smoke (and also some song about a Liar)are great clips too, but can't find links to them.

By: sciatica

sciatica — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 07:17:18 -0800

Remind Me by Royksopp.

Animated using infographics and, yes, the song was used in a GEICO commercial.

By: samsara

samsara — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 09:00:54 -0800

Quite a few from Royksopp...neat!

By: rhapsodie

rhapsodie — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 11:30:28 -0800

Knights of Cydonia by Muse.

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 14:42:32 -0800

Anything with Abdominal & DJ Format.
We Know Something You Don't Know
Vicious Battle Raps
The Hit Song
3 Feet Deep
Separated at Birth

By: tomble

tomble — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 17:42:12 -0800

To this day, I get a mental itch just trying to figure out what that bloke on the floor said when the subtitles abruptly stopped.

He says `Hey, if you lay down in the street you can see Radiohead playing in that apartment up there'.

By: gnomeloaf

gnomeloaf — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 18:12:51 -0800

The Avalanches, of course!

Frontier Psychiatrist fits your criteria more closely, but I'm very fond of Since I Left You.

By: The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew

The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 02:21:56 -0800

As someone mentioned The Scientist,

Jack Johnson's video "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing" is also shot backwards

By: kjs4

kjs4 — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 07:31:45 -0800

OK Go - Here It Goes Again

treadmill choreography!

By: vronsky

vronsky — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 17:47:28 -0800

Night Flight RockIt

By: Sasquatch

Sasquatch — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 04:10:29 -0800

Maybe not your definition of clever, but here's a couple more videos I really enjoy from the artform perspective:

Motor - Black Powder

Nine Inch Nails - March of the Pigs (I love how minimal the video is with live performance music, not the studio version)

I'll second the Goldfrapp videos, too...