On That Note: I Want(ed) My MTV

[ImJustKCClone]

My favorite music video probably won't show up on anyone else's list. It's not his best song, nor is the video anything special. But this video takes me back to my childhood like nothing else can. My grandparents' ranch (where my father grew up and where I spent a large portion of my childhood summers) is a little over an hour from there. The walls made of chunks of sandstone & limestone, the live oaks and black walnuts...it's home.

 

[MeanDean]

Next, we enter the Historic Context portion of our program — aka, “When is 500 gonna shut up?!"

Although these examples aren’t the sole contributors to MTV’s evolution, they provide a chunk of the big picture.

In 1977, Mike Nesmith (formerly of The Monkees) produced a video for his song “Rio” (no, not THAT Rio!) … The video (and song itself) isn't all that notable, but it inspired is idea for a music television network — Nesmith envisioned it something like “a radio station for videos.” That eventually spawned Nickelodeon's “PopClips,” considered to be a direct predecessor to MTV.




It’s little surprise Nesmith would sow seeds of the concept … seems like a natural extension of what was done a decade earlier with The Monkees. But first: the “Pre-Fab Four” and the TV show idea was built on the spirit of “A Hard Day’s Night.” Notable clip from the movie (colorized version)




Then came "The Monkees," which took AHDN from big screen to small screen. Half-hour sketch comedy that was popular enough to win an Emmy in its first season — but mainly it was a vehicle to showcase the group’s music and sell records. (Sounds a lot like … MTV!)




In '68, after the TV show fizzled, The Monkees headed back to the movies with “Head.” The film flopped (but became a cult classic). Most enduring part is the music-video segments. I’ve used “Porpoise Song” for other OTN themes, so I’ll choose “Circle Sky.” It contains the "fan hysteria" of A Hard Day's Night, but with some unsettling elements interwoven.

The Beatles Hard Day's Night clip or trailer or whatever it is - is in color. But the movie is in Black and White. I wonder if this was colorized for showing on MTV/VH1. Definitely me going, "Huh??!!??"

 

[cyclones500]

The Beatles Hard Day's Night clip or trailer or whatever it is - is in color. But the movie is in Black and White. I wonder if this was colorized for showing on MTV/VH1. Definitely me going, "Huh??!!??"

That's a good hunch that it was colorized for a video network -- I didn't know a color version existed until today. I was trying to find original single-song B&W clips from the movie, found a YouTube post that had all the music clips from the movie, I preferred using only one song ... I couldn't seem to find a B&W of Can't Buy Me Love (I didn't search extensively...)

 

[cyclones500]

i was going to start going down the path of 120 Minutes videos, but haven't

I haven't gone down the 120M rabbit hole yet, either ... but it's tempting.

 

[cyclones500]

I could throw a dart to choose a definitive MTV-era metal video. This is my “distillation” selection — seems to incorporate the best aspects of the genre, along with just enough over-the-topness.

 

[cyclones500]

“Sabotage” was taken (as I expected). I’ll go here next for B-Boys.

 

[Cydar]

When Duds n Suds opened in West Ames I went there to get a free laundry basket and do some laundry, This video was on their television.

 

[cyclones500]

Please excuse my thread-saturation … one more for now, then I’ll step aside. (For a bit. )

 

[Cynonymous]

Another time capsule music video. What makes this nostalgic is the location. Filmed at the World Trade Center north tower.

I saw a Michel Gondry directed video listed earlier, so I'll add one more. Each of his videos are unique and could all fit here. This is also another New York act and both videos demonstrate that sound in the late 90's.

 

[HawaiiClone]

This video was very memorable. I specifically always remember the "See ya" at the end

One of my favorites! It's funny, I remember the gesture John makes at the end, but I somehow didn't remember the written, "See Ya!" Thanks for pointing that out!

 

[coolerifyoudid]

I was never a big U2 fan growing up, but I always thought this was a cool video.

 

[IsUaClone2]

I was working a mindless summer job; hot, sweaty, alone, bored, and listening to a portable radio when the idea occurred to me: Why don't they make little films of songs that they could show on TV? That happened about two years before this song but this is the concept I had:



Besides the fact that I didn't have the resources nor ambition to pursue the idea, my versions would have been exceptionally rudimentary.

I think that was the same summer I thought of a food court; different types of restaurants at the same location. I didn't think of it as a way to bring together different fast food companies with a common seating area but as a way to repurpose abandoned buildings. The seating areas would all have been open to the center. The concept was to have different restaurants on different levels with walking paths containing occasional food carts, benches, and bits of greenery connecting the levels to provide a range of food options in a climate controlled environment. My idea wasn't practical but a pretty thought to pass time.

 

[cyclones500]

I was working a mindless summer job; hot, sweaty, alone, bored, and listening to a portable radio when the idea occurred to me: Why don't they make little films of songs that they could show on TV? That happened about two years before this song but this is the concept I had:



Besides the fact that I didn't have the resources nor ambition to pursue the idea, my versions would have been exceptionally rudimentary.

I think that was the same summer I thought of a food court; different types of restaurants at the same location. I didn't think of it as a way to bring together different fast food companies with a common seating area but as a way to repurpose abandoned buildings. The seating areas would all have been open to the center. The concept was to have different restaurants on different levels with walking paths containing occasional food carts, benches, and bits of greenery connecting the levels to provide a range of food options in a climate controlled environment. My idea wasn't practical but a pretty thought to pass time.

“I didn't have the resources nor ambition to pursue the idea” -- if I had a dollar for every time I've said that!

Like countless people, I've had ideas for stuff that someone eventually make a reality -- other than the ambition/drive aspect, my other self-limiters were (1) Eh, nobody would ever use/buy that (2) Somebody probably thought of it already and is working on it Right Now.

 

[Cynonymous]

This song was an earworm of mine for over 30 years but I only recently was able rediscover it and regain some partial sanity. This song was yet another brilliant cover by Manfred Mann and came out just prior to 1984 Olympics. It was a perfect fit in the early days of MTV and is timely today in the midst of the current Olympics.

 

[cyclones500]

For some reason, I love videos that feature random and average-looking people dancing ...

Makes me think of ...

 

[cyguy9320]

Makes me think of ...

Another Fatboy Slim classic

 

[cyclones500]

I think a Robert Palmer video was posted earlier in the thread, now I can’t find it for some reason. I think was a different song. If not, this is a partial repeat.

These two, released about 3 years apart, are intertwined, for me. For one, in their respective periods, each was shown All The Time. (I like “Simply Irresistible” better as a song — video is largely the same concept).




Along came Tone Loc, who tweaked the blueprint.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

For some reason, I love videos that feature random and average-looking people dancing.

This had some random people exercising.

 

[cyclones500]

R.E.M. - “Imitation of Life”

Noteworthy, intriguing. (Song itself is so-so, "R.E.M. Good-Enough")

Below the clip is summary of how it was created, if you want to know a little more.

Note: I have no idea what kind of dance Stipe is attempting to accomplish. I'd name it "Awkward on Purpose."



The basic sequence is about 20 seconds, is looped forward & backward in 20-second segments, then “pan and scan” was used for the zooming.

 

[drlove]