FEATURE:
Wouldn’t It Be Nice…
IN THIS PHOTO: The Beach Boys in an outtake for the Pet Sounds shoot at San Diego Zoo in February 1966/PHOTO CREDIT: George Jerman
Innovative and Fascinating New Music Videos for Classic Songs
__________
MAYBE it is not a new phenomenon…
IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1966/PHOTO CREDIT: Robert Whitaker
but I have been stunned recently but music videos scoring classic songs. I think there is still a generational divide where certain people are not aware of songs from the 1960s and 1970s that the likes of me and my parents are fully conscious of. Radio does play these songs but, as stations have demographics and they may not feature these songs, I do wonder what the best way is to bring these masterpieces to the younger listeners. For me, music videos have been a great and effective way of making songs stick. Original videos for classic songs might be a bit poor in terms of the picture quality, or the concept might be basic. I think this is especially true of songs from the 1960s. Of course, it is costly creating new videos for songs that are not going to make money or have any modern design and desire! There is a particular reason I bring this up. Two bands have been back in my mind for different reasons. In fact, these bands competed with each other in the 1960s and created some of the finest music ever released. The Beatles recently saw their 1966 album, Revolver, given the deluxe treatment. Reissued and added with extras, there were new promotional videos for some of the songs – including songs that were not originally released as singles. One especially effective and stunning video was for I’m Only Sleeping. A song led by John Lennon, I don’t think there would have been the same animation technology in the 1960s to equal what has come out in 2022!
An animation video that is trippy and is almost like a painting melting, Em Cooper directs this wonderfully realised vision of the song. To me, it is what The Beatles would have been thinking if they were to release a video in 1966. Not only have I got a renewed interest in I’m Only Sleeping, but I would love to see each song on the album given a new video. That would be costly but, considering Here, There and Everywhere and Taxman also have videos, it is not such a stretch. There is no danger of legendary and iconic bands ands artists fading from view or being overlooked by young generations. I do feel the way music is passed down between parent and child is different and maybe less frequent than it was decades back. There are so many wonderful songs from the 1960s and 1970s (and before and after obviously) that are ubiquitous or at least very well-known by a certain generation, but they may be fresh or undiscovered by others. Are they going to stumble upon them by themselves? As I mentioned, there are cost and logistical issues with dipping into the decades and randomly making videos for classic songs. The Beatles’ Revolver has a special edition released, so there was call for promotion and these amazing videos. Looking at comments online and on YouTube, many have stumbled upon songs like I’m Only Sleeping and Taxman because of these new videos.
The power of the visuals against the timeless song is a potent and intoxicating combination. If not a sure-fire way to recruit new minds to these older songs, the videos for The Beatles’ gems are a great way of visualising them in a new way. The Beatles’ videos of the mid-‘60s were actually quite advanced and filmic. Given the relative technological limitations of the time, their videos are as impressive and forward-thinking as their music. As Magical Mystery Tour has not been reissued, I am not sure whether we will get videos for I Am the Walrus, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields Forever or The Fool on the Hill. Whether you mark the U.S. or U.K. double E.P., it is fifty-five. It is a good time to celebrate this work! In terms of the videos for The Beatles’ reissues, they have been largely animated if memory serves. With only two surviving band member left (Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr), you’d have to find other actors anyway to ‘represent’ the band. I think the animation styles and choices made to represent these songs has been spot on. It has given us the chance to see the great work of talented directors and see these songs in a very different way. I was so blown away by I’m Only Sleeping’s new video, that it made me think about how it has brought hidden layers and visions from the original! By seeing the video, I am sure that many – who were not aware of the song – would have looked for Revolver and discovered that.
Another band that have released a series of videos for some of their best-known songs are The Beach Boys. I will embed a couple here. The first three in a four-video mini-series. Unlike The Beatles’ animated approach, The Beach Boys’ Barbara Ann, Don’t Worry Baby, Wouldn’t It Be Nice and God Only Knows are used to soundtrack this story arc of two young sweethearts. I first saw the new video for Don’t Worry Baby, and I was not sure what it was being used for. Again, I was blown away by the direction and new interpretation. Here are some more details about the exciting project:
“Four classic Beach Boys songs are the soundtrack of a new, unprecedented four-part video series that builds into one long dramatic narrative. Each film can also be enjoyed individually. The series begins today with a new video for “Barbara Ann,” available to view on the Beach Boys official YouTube channel.
The cinematic story is directed by Andrew Litten, whose credits include Anderson .Paak, Pusha T, and Earth, Wind & Fire, and was filmed in South Africa with a local cast of actors. In the spirit of the timeless songs they illustrate, the narrative of the films captures young love, tracing a high school romance between the surfing-obsessed Helena (played by Zoe Manoek) and aspiring photographer and new kid in town Lucas (Toby De Goede). It addresses the difficult decisions each must make as graduation day approaches and their futures beckon.
“Barbara Ann” introduces Helena, a young teen who spends her days daydreaming about surfing and escaping from her small town. The story of Lucas, who moves to town with his father, will be told in the next video, “Don’t Worry Baby,” which follows tomorrow (10) at 9am PT.
The following videos in the series are “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” (premiering next Friday, September 16 at 9am PT), which portrays the relationship between Helena and Lucas; and “God Only Knows” (September 17 at 9am PT), in which their young love reaches a crossroads as the end of high school comes near.
Each of the episodes focuses on an element of the escapism sought by the protagonists as they stand at the intersection of innocence and adulthood. They mirror the sentiments of indelible songs written when the Beach Boys were teenagers and young adults themselves.
Says Listen: “A recurring theme throughout the Beach Boys’ music is the feeling of being young and in love. Their most iconic songs were written when they were between the ages of 15 to 21, so there’s this exciting view on life that’s immortalized in their lyrics. I wanted to do the same with the music videos by capturing the spontaneity and playfulness of being a teenager, fantasizing about the future, pursuing new passions, and falling in love.
“I wanted to capture the feeling after your first kiss or how it felt leaving home for college,” the director continues.”Each video builds on itself to become one long narrative but it was also very important that each video could stand on its own. If you’re watching chronologically, you become more invested in the characters.” The videos also contain several hidden “Easter eggs” that further salute the legacy of the Beach Boys”.
Normally, the way one might see classic tracks visualised for the screen is through film and T.V. This is an invaluable way to showcase these songs to a new audience. I am interested in the four songs that were chosen for this Beach Boys project. They flow together nicely, and each of the videos push the story forward. Two groups that share similarities have seen their work given a new spin in very different ways. It is not only music of the ‘60s that could be included in any future plans. I just like the way songs I am very familiar with have dug deep and surprised me because of the videos. I am sure there are people who have never heard the songs that are discovering them now. I do wonder if you have a different relationship with the track depending on whether you hear it on the radio or see the video. We could all rattle off these beautiful older songs that would benefit from new videos. Bands or artists who could have their own four-song cycle/project. Maybe you’d have to wait for an album reissue or an anniversary, but a new spin and lick of paint can do wonders for tracks some take for granted and think they know everything about – and some people do not even know about them to begin with! The Beatles and The Beach Boys’ videos are astonishing, so I am fascinated to see whether anything similar happens in 2023 for another act. By the end of the Beach Boys’ video series, I was transfixed! Check out the video for God Only Knows too, as it is a wonderful tribute to…
THIS genius track.