I took a lot of flak for earlier including Straight Up in the Ultimate Playlist instead of Cold Hearted.
The criticism was warranted–but Cold Hearted is perfectly suited for video week, as it shows off Paul Abdul’s dancing, which is even more impressive than her singing.
Katy Perry’s epic homage to the 1980s ugly duckling films is the party that’s so cool even Kenny G shows up.
Welcome to Video Week! For the next seven days, the ultimate playlist will feature songs I love that have exceptional music videos.
What makes an exceptional music video? In my mind, it’s a video that enhances the song. When you think of the song, you think of the video. In general, I dislike videos that are mere live performances of the song. And I detest videos that add a storyline that blatantly contradicts the song’s lyrics.
What do I love in a music video? For the next seven days, you’ll find out.
To kick if off, we start with Taylor Swift’s Blank Space. This is a song only Taylor could write, and a video only superfans can love. Taylor has been accused of faking (or at least exaggerating) her real life romances and breakups for song fodder. In Blank Space, she leans into the idea that she goes through men one after another, having a brief honeymoon period before she ruins the whole thing by…well, going psycho.
No one has ever poked fun at themselves with quite as much success as Queen Taylor.
It also doesn’t hurt that this thing is produced like a feature film. (And features her cat!)
A powerful ballad by one of the greats.
Marc Cohn’s Walking In Memphis really needs no introduction, right?
So the other day I was rewatching my favorite episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You may disagree, but I’ve always had great fondness for The Prom episode, near the end of season 3.
Buffy has always felt alienated from the Sunnyvale High Student Body, seeing that slaying vampires doesn’t leave a lot of time leftover for extracurricular activities or even class. She thinks no one outside the Scooby Gang will even remember her.
But the students surprise her with the award of Class Protector, and when Angel shows up in his tux for one final dance, Buffy finally has her one perfect high school moment.
While she’s dancing with Angel, this version of Wild Horses by the Sundays plays, and it’s perfect. Even though their is a certain irony to the line “wild horses couldn’t drag me away” when Angel is in fact, leaving her. But “the only reason I am leaving is because our love turns me into an immortal, sadistic, homicidal animal who will kill you and everyone you love” just doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.
Remember this little 90’s gem by Meredith Brooks?
I promised that I wouldn’t have any more songs from musicals, but I think this tune by Sara Bareilles doesn’t really count, as I’ve never seen Waitress, and I still love this song.
It’s a sweet mediation on losing yourself.
Let’s do Trisha songs back to back, shall we?
This is a great song with a great message.
This Trisha Yearwood tune perfectly symbolizes what this Ultimate Playlist is all about…the way a song can take you right back to a time or a place you didn’t even know you could remember so vividly.
