Music Videos
Hi, apologies if this has been discussed before.
I’ve recently watched the Fleetwood Mac episode of Sky Arts’ ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ again for the nth time. It occurred to me that for such a big, significant band Fleetwood Mac actually have relatively few notable music videos. Indeed, a large number of those videos that were featured in the programme aren’t even proper purpose-made videos but use concert footage. It let me to reflect reflect on what I think of as the best ‘proper’ videos;
10) In the Back of My Mind: It was between this or Save Me. In the end I just found the Save Me video to be a bit random. Whoever thought the CGI flying guitar here would be a good idea? At least this video is kind of interesting and they get some marks for effort. It looks very kitsch but I quite like it.
9) Seven Wonders: I’m still not sure what to make of this video. I can’t help but feel it looks a bit cheap (even though I’m sure it probably wasn’t). I love Lindsey’s facial expressions and Christine in particular looks great. All in all I kind of like it but it’s not the most creative or imaginative thing they could have done for such a title. I can’t see the Colossus of Rhodes anywhere.
8) Everywhere: Great story telling- real shame the band play only a fleeting appearance in this video. Even then it’s only a few of them. Had Lindsey left by this stage? Was Stevie otherwise engaged? You’d have thought Mick would have been only too happy to have taken a proper starring role. This video always felt like a bit of an ‘off the shelf video’. You could have made the video and set it as the backdrop to any song and cut in clips from any band.
7) Love Shines: I really love the warm feel to this video. It’s a shame this single didn’t do better- it should have been a huge hit. For some reason this video reminds me of the Happy Mondays’ ‘Step On’ (which was uber-cool at around that time).
6) Tell Me Lies: A simple video that has become pretty iconic over the years. Perfect fit for the song
5) As Long as You Follow: This video just warms my heart. If this song and Love Shines had found themselves on the Behind the Mask album the history of the band could have been so different. This video shows a really happy band. Rick and Billy’s finest moment? Shame there wasn’t more of this to follow.
4) Tusk: Great stuff. Their first ‘real’ video?
3) Big Love: I changed the order of the top three so many times. Big Love could have quite easily come top. Technically brilliant, this video still looks amazing. I think I remember reading somewhere it was the most expensive video ever made at the time.
2) Hold Me: Very artistic. Stevie looks gorgeous in this video.
1) Gypsy: A mini-movie. It’s difficult not to love all aspects of this. It’s hard to fathom why such a great song with such a great video didn’t perform better in the charts. I don’t quite know why but every time I see the children dancing around Stevie I think of the dwarves dancing around Stonehenge in Spinal Tap. I have no idea why, they aren’t even that similar.
Just my opinions- would love to hear what others think.
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