Music Video #44 (Day 14 of 2008)

You're looking at Tork's Blog, where your favorite music video goes to die. Today's ruined memory is Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve. It's five minutes you'll miss.


That guy is ruder than me. I've never walked down the street like a hockey player.

Our video is of a guy who walks down the street towards the camera. He passes several people, not too successfully. The video leaves out some colors so it has a blue look. There's a violin that plays throughout the song because the music video has symphony in the title.

Our singer stands in front of a street and waits a half minute before crossing. He nearly gets hit by a car but that probably wasn't intentional. He starts singing about how life is a bitter sweet symphony because it's tough making ends meet. He says that life is about slavery to money and then you die. If we went back to a barter system, would that help? What, I'm just asking. He bumps into a couple women by going in between them. He barely reacts and continues his song while they give him dirty looks. This is followed by him knocking over a woman who isn't paying attention. And yet he still doesn't react. This doesn't make him likable.

He promises to take the viewer down the only road he knows. It's a road that meets all the other roads. The refrain begins and he goes on about not changing but that's who he is, baby! Only not so peppy. He next claims that he's a million different people from one day to next, so I guess he represents a large city of people just going around doing their business. He knocks into 3 other people, bringing the bump count up to 5. If you ever do change, learn how to walk properly.

During the second verse he jumps on a car in a alley and pisses off the driver. She gets out just to scream at him for a bit before realizing he doesn't see her. He sings about not being a praying person but tonight he's trying because of the pain he feels. The praying makes him feel a little better but he doesn't think anything is listening to him. He somehow manages not to hit anybody during the refrain.

But during the third verse he knocks into two guys. The black guy is muscular and I was waiting for him to tear off our skinny singer's head when I first saw this video. Even he realizes that you can't get the attention of this guy and gives up. Also, the third verse is just repeating everything else in the song, so we're wrapping things up at this poin. Four guys eventually join our singer, so they're probably the rest of The Verve. They all walk off into the overcast.

This song is about... well you can tell it has a bit to do with depression giving the defeatist lyrics that begin the song. Also, he feels that he can't change his life which is how depression controls a person. Even when turning to God he finds no comfort. In the music video he's almost completely oblivious to anything and never changes his path. Very gloomy stuff.

I wonder what a Eeyore music video would be like.


The song is ok. The violin is a nice touch and is important to the idea that life is a bitter sweet symphony. The music video is the second (I believe) video this month that goes for a blue, washed out colors look. I can at least see what they were going for here.

The awesome thing is when he passes the Golden Fried Chicken Restaurant. Sound delicious!