i can only speak of the videos i've seen so far. here are my observations:
JT: Streets/ISHFWILF/WOWY all three seem very apropriate:
energy of Streets transformed well in the live performance,
ISHFWILF sees the band in Vegas (it is Vegas, right?) as a symbol of looking for happiness in the wrong places.
WOWY features a woman, appropriate for the love song it describes.
cover: very nicely fits the idea of yearning/searching inside/filling up a large space with music.
AB: EBTTRT: flashy, cool video. fits the speedy sound of the songs too.
MW being a tribute to women and their mysteriousness (my opinion only), it features a belly dancer.
One: perhaps the one U2 video that most emphasizes the idea of the song. a rock star sitting alone in a bar, and yet he is cheered by crowds on concerts. a man searching for forgiveness, and yet is not clear whether he will get it. (leaving the bar with a bottle)
The fly: again, a flashy video. like EBTTRT, it ironically features the "power" of TV. Watch more TV-but it will make you numb when you see something serious on it.
cover: change, change, change. lots of pictures, all kinds of places. probably U2's best cover.
Zooropa: Lemon: black and white, various images of the band are shown in a fast pace.
Stay: probably related to the movie, it features the band as "angels" helping out people. one of U2's most beautiful videos. very aesthetic.
Numb: featuring Edge, an interesting change.
cover: probably influenced by Zoo tv, it features mixed up images.
Pop: Discotheque: fitting to the song. speedy, lots-of-colors inside.
SATS: very nice effects of the sun and light in this one.
Please: black and white. featuring Bono only and beggars on the street. quite moving.
Last night on Earth: ?!? the only U2 video i don't care about. weird story.
cover: images from various studios, the colors on it are very bright.
ATYCLB:
Beautiful day: like Streets, a performance/airport video. very energetic.
Stuck: Bono, stuck in a moment, beautiful light effects. one of U2's most beautiful videos.
Elevation: action video to go along with the movie. great effects.
cover: black and white, following the simplicity of the album, it features band members on the airport.
so...do you think a video can help a song to get more airplay on the radio?
for example-would BD be such a hit without that video?
or, on MTV, is it more important that the video is good or must the song be good to get the video played? for example-would Elevation be played so much with a different video?
does a video have to follow the "story of the song" (Sweetest thing, WOWY, One) or not? can it be something different, not related to the "story"?
and album covers: do you think that, say, AB wouldn't be the same without that cover? how important is the album cover to you when you buy a U2 album? do you look at the cover first or do you listen to the music first? or do you look at the cover while you listen to the music? artistically, as a whole, how important are covers compared to the "idea" of the album? do they have to support it or are they independent and don't necessarily have anything to do with it?
personally, i look at the cover while i listen to the music. i like the ATYCLB cover very much, but i don't think a different album cover would distract me from enjoying the music. it is not necessary for me to like a cover and not liking the song (example: Zooropa-like some songs, but the cover doesn't do anything for me).
ps: i almost forgot:
The sweetest thing. the apology video. very cute-the elephant and the plane bringing "i'm sorry" message.
i wonder though what the meaning of that meal that the chef shows to Bono right at the end is? perhaps a dinner he forgot about on Ali's birthday?
pps: also, what about the titles of albums? i mean, you can expect certain things from a title like Unforgettable fire (passion in the music) or Joshua tree (the "spacy" feel of the music), or War (the theme of the album), or ATYCLB (importance of songwriting).
but what do you do with AB/Zooropa/Pop? are those titles a diversion from the seriousness of the lyrics?
------------------
"the beat of every U2 song is the pulse of every human heart"
- Carson Daly, introducing U2
the goal is soul
"be uncool, yes be awkward"
[This message has been edited by U2girl (edited 09-19-2001).]
JT: Streets/ISHFWILF/WOWY all three seem very apropriate:
energy of Streets transformed well in the live performance,
ISHFWILF sees the band in Vegas (it is Vegas, right?) as a symbol of looking for happiness in the wrong places.
WOWY features a woman, appropriate for the love song it describes.
cover: very nicely fits the idea of yearning/searching inside/filling up a large space with music.
AB: EBTTRT: flashy, cool video. fits the speedy sound of the songs too.
MW being a tribute to women and their mysteriousness (my opinion only), it features a belly dancer.
One: perhaps the one U2 video that most emphasizes the idea of the song. a rock star sitting alone in a bar, and yet he is cheered by crowds on concerts. a man searching for forgiveness, and yet is not clear whether he will get it. (leaving the bar with a bottle)
The fly: again, a flashy video. like EBTTRT, it ironically features the "power" of TV. Watch more TV-but it will make you numb when you see something serious on it.
cover: change, change, change. lots of pictures, all kinds of places. probably U2's best cover.
Zooropa: Lemon: black and white, various images of the band are shown in a fast pace.
Stay: probably related to the movie, it features the band as "angels" helping out people. one of U2's most beautiful videos. very aesthetic.
Numb: featuring Edge, an interesting change.
cover: probably influenced by Zoo tv, it features mixed up images.
Pop: Discotheque: fitting to the song. speedy, lots-of-colors inside.
SATS: very nice effects of the sun and light in this one.
Please: black and white. featuring Bono only and beggars on the street. quite moving.
Last night on Earth: ?!? the only U2 video i don't care about. weird story.
cover: images from various studios, the colors on it are very bright.
ATYCLB:
Beautiful day: like Streets, a performance/airport video. very energetic.
Stuck: Bono, stuck in a moment, beautiful light effects. one of U2's most beautiful videos.
Elevation: action video to go along with the movie. great effects.
cover: black and white, following the simplicity of the album, it features band members on the airport.
so...do you think a video can help a song to get more airplay on the radio?
for example-would BD be such a hit without that video?
or, on MTV, is it more important that the video is good or must the song be good to get the video played? for example-would Elevation be played so much with a different video?
does a video have to follow the "story of the song" (Sweetest thing, WOWY, One) or not? can it be something different, not related to the "story"?
and album covers: do you think that, say, AB wouldn't be the same without that cover? how important is the album cover to you when you buy a U2 album? do you look at the cover first or do you listen to the music first? or do you look at the cover while you listen to the music? artistically, as a whole, how important are covers compared to the "idea" of the album? do they have to support it or are they independent and don't necessarily have anything to do with it?
personally, i look at the cover while i listen to the music. i like the ATYCLB cover very much, but i don't think a different album cover would distract me from enjoying the music. it is not necessary for me to like a cover and not liking the song (example: Zooropa-like some songs, but the cover doesn't do anything for me).
ps: i almost forgot:
The sweetest thing. the apology video. very cute-the elephant and the plane bringing "i'm sorry" message.
i wonder though what the meaning of that meal that the chef shows to Bono right at the end is? perhaps a dinner he forgot about on Ali's birthday?
pps: also, what about the titles of albums? i mean, you can expect certain things from a title like Unforgettable fire (passion in the music) or Joshua tree (the "spacy" feel of the music), or War (the theme of the album), or ATYCLB (importance of songwriting).
but what do you do with AB/Zooropa/Pop? are those titles a diversion from the seriousness of the lyrics?
------------------
"the beat of every U2 song is the pulse of every human heart"
- Carson Daly, introducing U2
the goal is soul
"be uncool, yes be awkward"
[This message has been edited by U2girl (edited 09-19-2001).]
