Today’s music video of the day is the latest from Jennifer Lopez. Supposedly, this video was inspired by her wedding to Ben Affleck and her previous marriages. I like the idea of getting married in the rain. Rain makes everything better. Also, even if a bouquet is cursed, you should make every effort to catch it. Curses are temporary but celebrity bouquets are forever.
The divorce better get a music video of its own.
Enjoy!
Today, the Shattered Lens wish a very happy birthday to American filmmaker David Lynch! Today’s music video of the day was directed by David Lynch and originally released on the 75th birthday of singer Donovan.
Lynch and Donovan are both practitioners of transcendental meditation and, along with celebrating Donovan’s birthday, this video does end with an appeal for donations. Personally, I’m not really into meditation. I find my peace through making to do lists and then striking through each item listed throughout the day. My combination of attention deficit and hyperactivity pretty much makes it impossible for me to clear my mind. (That’s also why I can’t be hypnotized.) But to each their own, I suppose. David Lynch is certainly a strong advocate for TM.
Enjoy!
Today would have been Mac Miller’s 32nd birthday so today’s music video of the day is the final one that he released in his lifetime.
Enjoy!
This song is a favorite of mine and I’m a little bit surprised that it’s music video hasn’t already been featured on the Shattered Lens.
This video received a lot of acclaim when it was first released because of the way it incorporated scenes of dialogue with the music and the way it built a compelling story about a woman and her abusive lover around the song. It’s not just an promo video for a song. It’s also a story about a toxic relationship and finding the strength to stand up for yourself.
The abusive boyfriend was played by an actor named Cully Holland, who died 6 years after this video was released. Though the video tells a classic New York story, it was actually filmed at at Dorchester’s Strand Theater, Davio’s Restaurant, and W. Brookline St in Boston. (Thank you, Wikipedia!)
Enjoy!
Happy birthday to the master of American horror, John Carpenter!
Enjoy!
It’s Marjoe Gortner’s birthday!
Marjoe is a former child evangelist who, in 1972, appeared in the candid documentary, Marjoe. The Oscar-winning film featured a look behind the scenes of the religious revival industry, with Marjoe as an amoral tour guide who discussed how he didn’t believe what he was preaching and who had basically been forced into the business by his parents. Marjoe described how every word he preached was calculated to inspire people to donate more money to his ministry. Marjoe described himself as being “bad but not evil.”
Marjoe Gortner would go on to have a long career as an actor in films, usually playing sinister characters. His most-seen film was probably Earthquake. My favorite Marjoe film is Starcrash.
In 1972, Marjoe recorded an album called, after his famous documentary quote, Bad But Not Evil. Today’s song of the day is Marjoe Gortner covering Bob Dylan’s Lo and Behold on that album.
Happy birthday, Marjoe Gortner!
Happy birthday to the one and only Sporty Spice, Melanie C!
Enjoy!
This is the type of energy that I want to see from everyone in 2024!
Enjoy!
I just recently discovered this video, despite the fact that it’s been around for a while. I like the song, I like the music, and I love the fact that watching the video reminds me of my favorite (and sadly, now closed) restaurant/bar in Denton. Sweetwater had a wonderful outdoor patio, where my friends and I would spend many a night having the most wonderful conversations ever.
This place also reminds me of a few of the clubs in Deep Ellum where I would attempt to flirt my way past the doorman go whenever I snuck out of my house I happened to be in the neighborhood.
Enjoy!
Since today is Grace Slick’s 85th birthday, today’s song of the day features her (and, to be fair, the rest of Jefferson Airplane) performing White Rabbit at the first Woodstock.
Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane not only performed at Woodstock but they were also among the bands who attempted to perform at the Altamont Free Concert a few months later. Needless to say, the vibe at Altamont — which featured the Rolling Stones as headliners and the Hell’s Angels providing security — was far more aggressive and hostile than the vibe at Woodstock. While the Stones were performing, a member of the audience got into a fight with the Hell’s Angels, raised a gun, and was stabbed to death.
As seen in the documentary Gimme Shelter, even before the murder that ended the 60s, the Angels were aggressive, even knocking out Jefferson Airplane’s other singer, Marty Balin, in the middle of the band’s performance. Also seen in that documentary is Grace Slick doing her best to calm the crowd and, along with Paul Kanter, rather fearlessly talking back to a drunk Hell’s Angel who tried to take over the stage.
(It should be noted that Grace did all of that even though she had forgotten to put in her contact lenses that day. Me, I can’t even walk from one end of a room to another if I forget to put in my contacts.)
White Rabbit
(Lyrics by Grace Slick)
Through the Shattered Lens