Category Archives: Music

Music Video of the Day: Hell In A Bucket by Grateful Dead (1987, directed by Len Dell’Amico)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

I may be going to Hell in a bucket but at least I’m enjoying the ride

The members of the Grateful Dead didn’t do many music videos.  I think Hell In A Bucket was their second video, following the surprise hit that they had with A Touch of Grey.  From what I’ve read, it was the band’s record label that insisted that the band make some videos to help promote their 12th studio album, In the Dark.  Some members of the band were concerned that agreeing to do music videos would mean that they were “selling out.”

The video for Hell In A Bucket feels like it could be a parody of the type of videos that were popular on MTV.  With his Miami Vice-Style outfit and the way he mugs for the camera, Bob Weir almost seems like he could be Huey Lewis’s coked-out older brother.  The video opens in a biker bar, populated with the type of rough characters who most bands would never dream of featuring in a video.  While Jerry Garcia keeps his distance, Bob Weir sings a song of rock and roll decadence that seems to be saying, “This is what it’s all really about.”

No, I don’t know why there’s a duck at the bar.  It’s just there.  Jerry daughter’s Trixie is also in the video.  She plays one of the dancing devils.

Enjoy!

 

Music Video of the Day: Devil’s Haircut by Beck (1996, directed by Mark Romanek)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

For this music video, director Mark Romanek was inspired by both Midnight Cowboy and The 400 Blows.  Beck, wandering through New York City with his cowboy hat and his radio, was meant to be a modern-day Joe Buck while the freeze frames were inspired by the end of Truffaut’s portrait of alienated youth.

Two of the videos most memorable moments were accidental.  When the car nearly runs over Beck, it is meant to recall the “I’m walking here!” scene from Midnight Cowboy but the car’s driver didn’t hit the brakes soon enough and Beck was actually hit by the car and injured his leg as a result.  The other unplanned scene was when the pigeons took flight just as Beck approached them.

The video for Devil’s Haircut would go on to win two MTV Music Video Awards, one for Best Editing and one for Best Male Video.

Enjoy!

Song of the Day: If I Can’t Have You by Yvonne Elliman

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s song of the day is my favorite song of all time, performed by the wonderful Yvonne Elliman.  I can actually sing this song!

I don’t know why I’m surviving every lonely day
When there’s got to be no chance for me
My life would end, and it doesn’t matter how I cry
My tears of love are a waste of time

If I turn away, am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do

If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah

Can’t let go, and it doesn’t matter how I try
I gave it all so easily to you, my love
To dreams that never will come true
Am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do

If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh

If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah (I’m in love with nobody)

If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, oh
If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody, baby
If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah, no

(Lyrics by Maurice Ernest Gibb / Robin Hugh Gibb / Barry Alan Gibb)

Song of the Day: Do It To Me (Once More) by Riz Ortolani

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The House on the Edge of the Park (1980, dir by Ruggero Deodato)

Today’s song of the day is a deathless little disco song that comes from the soundtrack of Ruggero Deodato‘s legendarily tacky film, The House On The Edge Of The Park.  This was one of many songs composed by Riz Ortolani, the John Williams of Italian exploitation cinema.

(This is also the song that Giovanni Lombardo Radice was dancing to in today’s scene that I love.)

Music Video of the Day: Broken Wings by Mr. Mister (1985, directed by Oley Sassone)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

A man drives through the desert in a Thunderbird.  A hawk perches in a church.  An unknown couple dance the tango.  The beach awaits.  Yes, this is the video for Mr. Mister’s Broken Wings.

The video was directed by Oley Sassone, who later directed episodes of Hercules and Xena..  According to Sassone, “The subtext of the story and what I wanted the audience to feel was our hero’s own backstory in his mind. The tango dancers, juxtaposed with the images of him getting lost while driving, tossing a map and instead following the hawk overhead was, symbolically, his own soul, his own voice deep inside telling him to carry on – to lead him to a new path, a new beginning.”  Personally, I have always thought this song was about someone struggling to recover from a bad breakup.

Broken Wings is a song that epitomizes the mid-1980s so it’s not surprising that it’s also included on the Vice City: Grand Theft Auto soundtrack.  Getting chased the a police helicopter while listening to Mr. Mister is a surreal experience.