Weekly Geeks 5: Alternative Forms of Story-telling

This week’s Weekly Geeks theme prompts Geeks to think about alternative forms of story-telling.

I began by choosing music videos, which can be so powerful when done well (even though they rarely are). After searching both youtube and my own music library, I decided to include other songs that tell a great story without necessarily having a kickass video.

Thus, I give you the melange of awesomeness that follows. Some songs come with a great video, and others just tell a great story on their own.

Enjoy.


TORI AMOS: SPARK

This video gives me chills when I see it and I still watch it periodically, just because. It dominates over the other videos with its superior song, story, and video. Ooh, AND it's symbolic. Perfection.





METALLICA: ONE

True, the story for this video was inspired by a novel, so obviously the video will tell a good story. Nevertheless, the song kicks major ass. Turn it up, dude! (Anyone catch that reference? Anyone?)





RAMMSTEIN: KLAVIER

This song, like most offerings from Rammstein, is both awesome and sick in the head, which is why I love them so. This isn't the official video that follows (I don't believe there is one, but it's the only one that would embed. You can go here to watch a live performance of this song, complete with English subtitles, but I'm just warning that Till's impressive torso might be a bit distracting. Till, anytime you want to just stop on over here and drag me off, cave-man like, by my hair, I won't stop you, you fabulous hunk of manmeat.)





SOUNDGARDEN: BLACK HOLE SUN

Here's an example of a song that blah-ed me until I saw the video, which endlessly entranced me. Because of the video, I came to love the song. But the real question is, why don't you come, black hole sun? Seriously. I think it'd be a cool way to go.





DEPECHE MODE: NEVER LET ME DOWN

To be fair, this video could be a bit better, but I'm still constantly amazed by the revelation that this song is about drugs. A musician on drugs? Who wrote a song about it? Shocker! (I was a rather naive youth, so sue me.)





PLACEBO: PURE MORNING

Back in the day, I so loved ol what's-his-face in this video -- SO HOT -- and then I made the mistake of seeing Placebo live, and ol what's-his-face acted like a royal prick. And NOT a very good-looking one at that. DISAPPOINTMENT. (And, yes, I know ol what's his face's name, but I much prefer to call him ol what's-his-face. So there.)





RADIOHEAD: THERE, THERE

As with most of Radiohead's songs, I don't know what the hell is going -- but I do know it looks and sounds good, so interpret away. And remember: Just cause you feel it, doesn't mean it's there.





TOOL: PRISON SEX

You know I had to include Tool in here. This one gets my vote for compelling story-telling in both song and video. Enough said.





TYPE O NEGATIVE: SEPTEMBER SUN

Cheer up, Pete! You are hot and Jenn McKeown loves you with the heat of a million suns! What else do you need out of life? And just think: anytime you need to escape Brooklyn, just take a quick jaunt down 95 and we'll hang. I'll even give you one of my coveted Heineken Premium Lights -- but only one.

THE CURE: PLAINSONG

Plainsong is cool because it tells a story in practically zero words -- the music really does the work here. There is something achingly beautiful about Plainsong, even if most of the story-telling occurs in the listener's mind.





PORTISHEAD: THE RIP

Portishead's latest album didn't get the best reviews, but those people are fools. I'm not quite sure what this video's all about, but the song is still boss. Did I just say boss? I need another Heineken. Only 99 calories a bottle, yo!





BJORK: HUMAN BEHAVIOR

This is a great song about the impossibility of understanding humans, so it's fitting that the video is equally inscrutable. It's lots of fun regardless.





So this concludes my musical story-telling post. I'm sure I've forgotten something - so if I do I might just have to pull a Sneaky Edit and act as though I remembered them all the first time. And by all means: please comment with your favorite videos, cause I can always use some recommendations.