Ah, sorrow my old friend, taste my fist! Pop! Bam! Pow! And so on, and that's me beating up depression. But despite how thoroughly I might beat down the sadness, it's a part of our life, heck if it wasn't there would be something very wrong with us. Sadness is often an extension of love, but we must not let us swallow us, because digestive juices are bad for the skin.
But the music! Ah the music! That's the thing, with which I'll capture the conscience of the king! Or maybe it's just something to remind us that although we might feel profound sorrow welling up inside of us, it in itself is evidence of how beautiful life really is.
1.
Glycerine by Bush - From the album Sixteen Stone - After doing a song exposition for
Here is Gone, I considered doing a song exposition for every song that had a strong emotional context for me, but that would be overly-melodramatic and lame. Not that I didn't like my song exposition, but for every song that meant a lot to me... Well, I do plan to perhaps do song expositions for some songs that mean a lot to me, and maybe this is one I'd like to use. Because this song reaches into me and it touches a lot of emotions, it brings up a lot of painful memories, and it is just plain beautiful.
LyricsBush's video - I can't say I really like this video. Not to be insulting or gay, but Gavin Rossdale is just too pretty to convey property the gravity and sorrow of the song. Again, not to be insulting or gay, but I think that was one of the factors that always kept Bush from being taken as seriously as it deserved.
Glycerine AMV - anime - Fruit's Basket - I have to say when I heard about the idea of a lip-syncing an AMV to the song seemed a bit gimmicking, but it was surprisingly effective. I admit the product isn't perfect, at times the images run up against the mood of the song too much, but the lip-syncing has a strong effect. It draws you into the video and draws the video into the song, exactly what an AMV (anime music video) is supposed to do.
2.
I Miss You by Blink 182 - From the album Blink-182 (or their untitled album, other known as when Blink-182 went emo) - When romance goes sour, and then when you feel you can't go on, but you can never have her in your arms, and then... Nice little story there. Sad though. Shows Blink 182 does have some seriousness chops.
LyricsBlink 182's video - an alright video. It's got a sense of a story, but it doesn't really make me care about it. It's got some interesting visuals, but I'm not sure of their point. I dunno, maybe it's just less special in light of the explosion of emo videos.
I Miss You AMV - anime - Kodocha (Child's Toy) - Now a Kodocha AMV on the fact that it's a Kodocha AMV alone would probably get my approval, but this is actually very well done with some interesting effects and a keen sense of mood.
3.
Zombie by The Cranberries - From the album No Need to Argue - The line between sorrow and insanity is often alarmingly thin. So thin that many throw away sadness all together. This song captures both madness and sorrow, but it also contains the love that drove such agony. Least I think so. Nobody knows for sure, except the Cranberries, and the Turks.
LyricsThe Cranberries' Video - For those who don't know (which included me until fairly recently, although I had suspected it) this video, and the song itself is about
The Troubles in Ireland. For those who don't know about that, this was the round of inter-communal fighting between Protestants and Catholics (to define the conflict religiously, you could also define it as Ulster Scots vs. Irish or British vs. Irish, it's a complex conflict) in Northern Ireland that lasted from the 1960's to the
Belfast Agreement in 1998. To those who are more recently born they might not remember that Northern Ireland was once dubbed one of the three irresolvable conflicts in the world (the other two being the Kashmir conflict and the Israel-Palestine conflict). The fact that two of the most extreme parties in the conflict recently joined in
a power-sharing agreement gives me hope for all political conflicts, even those that seem irresolvable.
Zombie AMV - anime - Digimon - Digimon in my mind doesn't get enough props, especially the first seasons, which feature TK (although the 3rd season is my personal favorite), the star of the AMV. But what really struck me is how this video managed to bring out all the sadness from the song using Digimon, a show that's not particularly dark (except for the 3rd season, which however is not featured here). It takes TK's story, which on the surface is a nice little tale about a kid finding a magical world, into something with an air of tragedy. It made me think a little about all those animes with little kids who join in massive conflicts, what are the psychological effects to those kids? Ah, perhaps I will be the one to explore that someday in my own tv show, or perhaps it will be you (pointing to someone across the room from me and not towards the readers).
4.
How to Save a Life by The Fray - From the album How to Save a Life - As a man who has dealt with suicidal impulses, I find some good accuracy to this song. Accuracy's always important, especially in darts.
LyricsThe Fray's Original music video - I personally liked this video better. But I know not what the Fray was thinking, on the other hand the other video is cool, so I'm glad they were thinking different than I.
The Fray's Second music video - I remember one of the VJ's said that the new video was because the old one was too dark, but the stark whiteness of this video actually makes it seem thematically darker. While I like the other one better, this video is also awesome.
How to Save a Life AMV - anime - Eureka Seven - I really didn't want to like this video, the intro was way too long, and Eureka Seven was an anime that I have conflicted feelings on. But it drew me. It's most prominent plus sides was excellent use of continued scenes and repetition. Even if you have no idea what's going on with the story, which you probably wouldn't (and even I having watched the show don't really know what was going on in that show), you get a sense of the story, and more importantly immense sense of emotions which envelope you. And that's quality there.
5.
Float On by Modest Mouse - From the album Good News for People who Love Bad News (long name, but I've seen longer) - When I first heard this song, I thought it largely happy, but over time, and especially after seeing it with the AMV, I realized the sense of resignation to it. Ultimately, it accepts its situation and looks at it with defiant optimism but there is no escaping it. And what is the situation. Maybe it's just the troubles of life, but it occurs to me, that it's probably that one thing we all have to face sooner or later, that it's probably death. And we all float on. ALL RIGHT!
LyricsModest Mouse's video - This is one of those video's that stretches the imagination, and breaks it, only to come back with hilarious awesomeness that does not dilute the song itself but rather enhances it.
Float On AMV - anime - Fullmetal Alchemist - I'm trying not to use too many FMA AMVs (abbreviations rock!) because there are just so many of them, and the nature of the show, which had a sometimes uneasy mix of cuteness and ambition, often fits badly with most songs. Yet what struck me with this video was how delicately it was all put together. The images were allowed to sink in and draw significance from the song and then to draw the viewer in. All and all, well done AMV creator.
So to reiterate the song-list was:
1.Glycerine
2.I Miss You
3.Zombie
4.How to Save a Life
5.Float On
Now think about my commentary and what I said each song represents or in some cases what each song obviously represents. You get it?
If you don't, you're a bum, but one of the more common variety because I don't think I spelled it out very clearly, and I don't intend to. After all, even if you don't get it, you still float on. Because we all float on, all right.
So take it to your head, take it to your heart, and remember Rand rocks. Goodnight Folks!
