Category Archives: Music

Music Video of the Day: Dirty Laundry by Lisa Marie Presley (2005, dir by Patrick Hoelk)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

RIP, Lisa Marie Presley.  The daughter Elvis and the mother of Riley Keough passed away yesterday at the age of 54.

In this video, she sings about the vultures in the tabloid press that she had to deal with for most of her life.  Dirty Laundry was originally written by Don Henley.  Lisa Marie covered it on her album, Now What?

Lyrics:

I make my living off the Evening News
Just give me somethin’, somethin’ I can use
People love it when you lose, they love dirty laundry

Well, I could’ve been an actor but I wound up here
I just have to look good, I don’t have to be clear
Come and whisper in my ear, give us dirty laundry

Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down
Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down
Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down
Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em all around

We got the bubble headed bleach blonde who comes on at five
She can tell you ’bout the plane crash with a gleam in her eye
It’s interesting when people die, give us dirty laundry

Can we film the operation? Is the head dead yet?
You know the boys in the newsroom got a running bet
Get the widow on the set! We need dirty laundry

You don’t really need to find out what’s goin’ on
You don’t really want to know just how far it’s gone
Just leave well enough alone, eat your dirty laundry

Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down
Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down
Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down
Kick ’em when they’re stiff, kick ’em all around

Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down
Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down
Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down
Kick ’em when they’re stiff, kick ’em all around

Dirty little secrets, dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers in everybody’s pie
We love to cut you down to size, we love dirty laundry

We can do “The Innuendo,” we can dance and sing
When it’s said and done we haven’t told you a thing
We all know that crap is king, give us dirty laundry

Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down
Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down
Kick ’em when they’re up, kick ’em when they’re down

Music Video of the Day: Is There Someone Else? by The Weeknd (2023, dir by Cliqua)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Since today’s music video of the day is the latest video from The Weeknd, I guess now would be an appropriate time for me to make a confession.

For years, I misspelled The Weeknd’s name.  I spelled his name with three e’s instead of two.  I think I even did it on this site a few times.  No one ever called me out for it, which seems like a good thing as long as you don’t give it too much thought.  But seriously, one reason why I haven’t shared any other videos from The Weeknd is because I’ve always been kind of embarrassed by the fact that it took me so long to realize that there were only two e’s in his stage name.

Anyway, that’s my confession and I feel better now!  As for the video …. eh.  It’s kind of creepy.  Watching it, I found myself thinking about 80s De Palma.  I also found myself thinking about Daniel Craig saying, “It’s the Weeknd,” on Saturday Night Live.  Did Craig know that his introduction would become a meme?  And, even more importantly, did he know how to spell the Weeknd’s name?

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: I’m Afraid of Americans by David Bowie (1997, dir by Dom & Nic)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today would have been David Bowie’s 76th birthday so it only feels appropriate that our music video of the day should come from him.  In I’m Afraid of Americans, Bowie is pursued through New York City by Trent Reznor.

This is a song that has been interpreted and re-interpreted several times through the years.  Bowie himself indicated that the song wasn’t anti-American as much as it was about America’s cultural and commercial dominance over much of the world.  Of course, more recently, other critics have insisted in finding a message about the current state of American politics in the song’s lyrics, despite the fact that Bowie died before the start of our current political era.  Myself, when I watched the video, I immediately thought of the paranoia that many felt and some still feel about COVID, with Bowie representing the wealthy city dweller who finds himself fleeing from anyone who he fears might be unvaccinated or infected.  Like all great songs and videos, I’m Afraid of Americans can mean a host of different things depending on when you watch or listen to it.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: The Damned by The Plasmatics (1982, dir by Ron Swenson)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

On Friday night, some friends and I were watching an old New Year’s special from 1983.  In between a few stand-up comedians and an interview with an oddly coherent Ozzy Osbourne, this video was broadcast.

Taking a school bus to the desert, singing on top of it, and then blowing it up?  Hell yeah!  All hail the revolution!  It’s interesting to think that, just a few years ago, everyone wanted to be rebellious.  As of late, I kind of feel like society has started to lose its rebellious spirit.  People now seem to prefer complacency and conformity.  That’s a shame but I think that revolutionary spirit is still out there.  It’s just the same people have forgotten how to embrace it.  It’ll return, though.  Like a school bus blowing up in the desert, the temptation of free thought cannot be ignore for too long.

Lead singer Wendy O. Williams did all of her own stunts in the video, including climbing on top of the bus and jumping off right before it exploded.  On top of the danger involved in driving a bus full of explosives, Wendy also did it all with a sprained ankle.  MTV was apparently so worried that the video would inspire other people to try the same thing that they insisted a warning be added to the start of the video.

(My personal opinion on warnings is that they’re counter-productive.  In fact, there’s something really hypocritical about warnings like the ones that MTV used to include before their shows.  If you’re that concerned that a video or television show is going to lead to people doing something stupid and destructive and potentially life-threatening, then don’t broadcast it.  The minute that you decide to air something, you’ve kind of lost the right to say, “Please watch this but don’t try to duplicate it.”  To be honest, whenever I see a warning telling me not to do something, it just makes me want to do it more.  That said, I don’t think I would be able to find the courage necessary to fool around with explosives.  Or, for that matter, drive a school bus.  I’m sure the bus is probably covered with germs and wads of chewing gum.  Bleh!)

This video was directed, over the course of one day, by Ron Swenson.  Of course, since the bus was due to explode during filming, almost every shot had to be completed in just one take.

Enjoy!

Lyrics:

Black visions from the satellite sky
Deaf ears hear not their cries
Fat jackals howl at the moon
Flies buzzing, playing death’s tune

Night ends but the sun it don’t rise
Tombs open and the dead they will rise
Black market buys your soul real cheap
No escaping, what you sow, you will reap

Prisoners of the damned
Find another land
Planet of the lost
Land of fire and frost

Prisoners of the dead
Fear the unknown dread
Tidal waves at sea
Set the serpents free

Coup d’etat on a global scale
Opposition, locked up in jail
Domination, the goons are the boss
Human race nailed to a cross

Prisoners of the damned
Find another land
Planet of the lost
Land of fire and frost

Prisoners of the dead
Fear the unknown dread
Tidal waves at sea
Set the serpents free

Prisoners of the damned
Find another land
Planet of the lost
Land of fire and frost

Music Video of the Day: Thinking About You by Calvin Harris and featuring Ayah Marar (2013, dir by ????)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Who are you thinking about?

By the way, I recently heard that some people can’t stand it when people in relationships refer to each other as “babe.”  Personally, I think it’s cute.  It’s also a good way to remind someone that they are loved despite the fact that you might be asking them to take down their favorite work of art until after your aunt visits.  “Take that down,” sounds mean but “Hey, babe, how about we take this down for a few hours?” sounds sweet and fun!  Not only are you using a term of affection but you’re also assuring them that it will only be for a few hours and hey, maybe you’ll do something special to celebrate its return to the wall, right?

Anyway, I like this video.  It’s very celebratory.  It captures the feeling of being young, having too many resources, and just letting the day take to wherever it’s going to lead.  It’s all about freedom and enjoying the life that you have while you have it.  In today’s world, so many people seem to feel that they have an obligation to be miserable all the time.  Seriously, though, you’ve got your entire life to be miserable.  Today, just enjoy yourself.  The world won’t end.

Enjoy!

Lyrics:

If I told you, that this couldn’t get better baby
And your heartbeat, it lets me know you feel the same.
I can hold you, keep you safe until you fall asleep.
Never worried, cause I can give you what you need.

Now everything I do, is all for loving you.
Its not something that we’re used to.
No other way to say, I need you every day.
And now I’m gonna change my ways.
And it’s a part of you, I never wanna lose.
I’ll do anything you want me to.
Like any other day, I know I’ll find a way-aa-aay.
And if ever I’m alone you’ll say.

I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.

In a moment, I know that everything could change.
And I know that, my life would never be the same.
You’re the only one that’s making sense to me.
When I close my eyes, you’re the one, I see.
There’s no other way I could ever be … Without you babe.

Now everything I do, is all for loving you.
Its not something that we’re used to.
No other way to say, I need you everyday.
And now I’m gonna change my ways.
And it’s a part of you, I never wanna lose.
I’ll do anything you want me to.
Like any other day, I know I’ll find a way-aa-aay.
And if ever I’m alone you’ll say.

I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be thinking about you.