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Monday, August 06, 2007

And now for the video

The video for my song of the summer, Debbie Harry's "Two Times Blue" has finally seen the light of day after nearly a month of teasing on her official web site. And it's beautiful.

Debbie Harry - Two Times Blue

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Watching this instantly transported me back in time to when videos REALLY MATTERED for songs - when the concept was important and the execution even moreso. This video, IMHO, is better than all the Confessions on a Dance Floor videos put together. In fact, we haven't seen Madonna do this with video since, well, probably "The Power of Goodbye" (although feel free to correct me if there's something I've forgotten.)

And I've also heard one of the remixes for "Two Times Blue" - the Nickel and Dime remix and after hearing it, I'm torn between it and the original. The production on the remix is just a titch better than the original, but still, I've listened to the original 50 times (thanks to iTunes playcounts for that info) so I do have a soft spot for the original. Actually, I was relieved that the remix was not some 9 minute monstrosity that used only 30 seconds of Deb's vocals.

Okay, I know you're all sick of me blogging about "Two Times Blue" - but well, I adore it. I just wish it had a chance in hell of being a pop hit, but when you combine the ageism of the industry with the state of radio in America today, that seems pretty unlikely.

(thanks to Matthew Rettenmund for the heads up)

7 comments:

genkiboy said...

yeah, you could blame "ageism" and "the state of radio in America today" for DH not getting any airplay...or you could consider the possibility that your tastes aren't particularly commercial...it's somewhat reminiscent of belinda carlisle's "mad about you" -- from what, 1986? :)

Dan said...

The problem is that, my tastes aside, ageism is a well documented issue in the industry. I don't see much difference between this song and "Believe" which was a VERY unlikely hit in the US, only the market is very different now.

I don't believe for one second that "Believe" would be a hit today in the current radio climate for no other reason than it would be sung by a woman in her 60s. The same for "Two Times Blue"

xolondon said...

It's a good video. Nnot something kids would relate to most likely, but the industry is deciding what goes out to whom. It's trying to mold the tastes for whatever reason and the audience feeds off it. The placement of a video on TRL is about $ and nothing else.

Deb really had only a few years where she was mass consumed. She's far too subversive (as a person) and off-the-mainstream to really be a huge seller. Just look at this week's top ten - it's not about quality. So then you have to say, "What matters?" That she is able to get her work heard and that she has the budget to do something decent. She has earned the respect in that sense.

Of course, I was guilty of ageism for saying she has old lady hair right now, so what do I know?!

Dan said...

But she DID have old lady hair at True Colors. Remember, she was Anne Murray gone hard?

xolondon said...

Oh yes! That was one of the quotes of the year in my book.

Dan said...

That's Heidi for you. Always coming up with them.

Yuяi said...

Okay..I finally sat down and watched the video last night. Unfortch, the new job blocks youtube and myspace (curses!).

I am not sure what to think of it. Debbie looked good and the video had substance. Kinda creepy how the millipedes or whatever they were kept growing and stuff. It reminded me of a discovery channel documentary somehow. Like an underwater camera set to capture the bacteria and animal plankton of the area. Weird, I know!

I love the song, and prob more so, the remix. I hope this does very well for her. To be 60+ and still rockin', I give DH all the cred!

Rock on, Blondie!