# What is the best music video you've ever seen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 8, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544 "2016-04-08T14:55:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/41 "2016-04-09T00:42:00Z")
Donald Fagen: [New Frontier](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBruAooXPNU) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/42 "2016-04-09T00:43:57Z")
Talking Heads’ “Once In A Lifetime” was my favorite video when MTV debuted. Nobody’s been able to top it. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/98AJUj-qxHI/maxresdefault.jpg "BLOCKED YET AGAIN BY THE SCUMBAGS KNOWN AS "WMG" (WARNER MUSIC GROUP)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98AJUj-qxHI) Honorable mentions: “Big Me”, Foo Fighters "Take The Skinheads Bowling", Camper Van Beethoven "I Can't Stop Smiling", Velocity Girl "Makes No Sense At All/Love Is All Around", Husker Du And the best video that never lasts very long on You Tube: the censored version of "Pop Song 89" by R.E.M. :cool: ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/43 "2016-04-09T00:50:22Z")
If you live in an area that carries Classic Arts Showcase, you may have seen this gem from 1930. It’s the original German-language version of “Happy Days Are Here Again”. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/v_oBX-Cz2fg/hqdefault.jpg "Comedian Harmonists - Wochenend und Sonnenschein - Happy Days are Here Again") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_oBX-Cz2fg) ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/44 "2016-04-09T01:03:46Z")
The one with Michael Jackson dancing on the illuminated squares was excellent, better than ‘Thriller’, Sledgehammer has to be up there in the top 5, but _Take On Me_ hit me more than another other; I had a physical and emotional reaction when I first saw it, like a light was lit for the first time. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/45 "2016-04-09T02:30:37Z")
> [@JustinC](#): > > The one with Michael Jackson dancing on the illuminated squares was excellent, That’s the Steve Barron-directed “Billie Jean” I mentioned. Barron did miniature movies with stories. I loved that. Most directors couldn’t do it and to be honest didn’t want to. The genre went elsewhere and, IMO, lost any chance to become art. I forget to mention that the “Avalon” video was directed by Ridley Scott, the only music video he ever did. Music videos are the most single-creator artform in the modern age. Their directors really should get the credit for the good ones. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/46 "2016-04-09T02:34:48Z")
“Losing My Religion” is great, but I love all REM’s videos. I never get tired of “Stand.” Talking Heads were also very creative, my favorite being “And She Was.” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YgSVTdAtNYE/hqdefault.jpg "Talking Heads - And She Was") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgSVTdAtNYE) All time greatest video ever, though, is The Replacements’ “Bastards of Young.” Like a Michael Snow movie! [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fl9KQ1Mub6Q/hqdefault.jpg "The Replacements - Bastards Of Young (Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl9KQ1Mub6Q) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/47 "2016-04-09T02:41:10Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > If you live in an area that carries Classic Arts Showcase, you may have seen this gem from 1930. It’s the original German-language version of “Happy Days Are Here Again”. Oh yeah. The Comedian Harmonists’ll snap your stix, every time. Great performers! If we can do oldies…I adore this 1960 Czech version of “Mack the Knife,” with the troupe of masked blondes doing jazz ballet. And I MUST HAVE the singer’s suit. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-s9gU4qs_Fw/hqdefault.jpg "1960 Miloš Kopecký - Mackie Messer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s9gU4qs_Fw) ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/48 "2016-04-09T02:54:30Z")
The White Stripes, Fell In Love With A Girl. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@Troy\_McClure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/49 "2016-04-09T02:58:27Z")
I’m going to go with Genesis’ “Land of Confusion”. [https://youtu.be/QHmH1xQ2Pf4](https://youtu.be/QHmH1xQ2Pf4) ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/50 "2016-04-09T03:09:12Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Close second, [LMFAO - Sexy and I Know It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyx6JDQCslE) ,so many famous people with a good sense of humor. Ron Jeremy is in the video too for bonus points. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/51 "2016-04-09T03:20:58Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > The White Stripes, Fell In Love With A Girl. I’d go with most anything by Michel Gondry: Lucas “Lucas With The Lid Off,” Daft Punk “Around the World,” and Kylie Minogue “Come Into My World” immediately come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/52 "2016-04-09T03:32:33Z")
Pulp [Bad Cover Version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xR5xGHPUEew). Says it all really. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/53 "2016-04-09T03:35:39Z")
Got it bad, got it bad… [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6M4_Ommfvv0/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBsB_P0sF_DdTK5KgW1xVh0_OuRSA "Van Halen - Hot For Teacher (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M4_Ommfvv0) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/54 "2016-04-09T04:01:14Z")
Well, well, well, well…(said like a newly-minted Constable Dim from Clockwork Orange) Perhaps a little more upbeat than my el crapola video thread. Awesome - a lotta great new shit I haven’t seen, and these two were especially absolute stand-outs: > [@Hampshire](#): > > The Chemical Brothers [Let Forever Be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5FyfQDO5g0&nohtml5=False) catchy as stink, the continuity is great, ultra-re-watchable. > [@awldune](#): > > Cibo Matto “Sugar Water” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN9auBn6Jys](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN9auBn6Jys) damn - that was fucking amazing heh heh but this one: (not 100% sure if this would be considered NSFW - maybe best err on the side of caution?) and for the “You-Must-Be-Lacking-a-Pulse-If-You-Don’t-Dig” Prize: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1dNIQVYGXbM/maxresdefault.jpg "Rick James - Give It To Me Baby") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dNIQVYGXbM) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/55 "2016-04-09T04:17:54Z")
Perhaps the most subtle video ever made: [no, not really](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO89_H7GqaQ&nohtml5). ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/56 "2016-04-09T04:28:13Z")
Another great one: Robert Plant’s “In The Mood”. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CT9sf6GIFc) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/57 "2016-04-09T04:36:08Z")
“Ana Ng”, They Might Be Giants [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MEjutUbgpH8/hqdefault.jpg "They Might Be Giants-Ana Ng") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEjutUbgpH8) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/58 "2016-04-09T04:57:03Z")
I’m a fan of the **Tool** videos. Also **Death in Vegas**. ---
**Author:** ![DrForrester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DrForrester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrForrester)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/59 "2016-04-09T11:36:17Z")
Pink Floyd - [High Hopes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMlFXouPk8&nohtml5=False) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/60 "2016-04-09T11:48:21Z")
I loved the otherworldly, utterly original atmospheres and landscapes evoked by such early MTV denizens as The Tubes in [I Don’t Want to Wait Anyomore](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=90PI_8NyMoQ), Gary Wright’s [Really Wanna Know You](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ghEA62Wx71Y), and of course David Bowies’s Ashes to Ashes, which I won’t bother linking to because we’ve all revisited it in recent months. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544.md?page=4)