Like Rockin' The Surburbs, Ben Fold's character is a bit of a loser. Here's he's playing someone who starts the song just finishing high school and thinking about his future. In the video he is leaning over a piano wearing an orange suit. He begins singing about how he at first considered enlisting, but his normally unreliable father told him that it was crazy. That's all Ben needed to hear, and he was off to college. The stage that the piano is on is lit and then surrounded by people getting into their desks and a chalkboard rolled in.
Ben tells us that he lasted three wasted semesters. Well, it didn't help that you were playing piano the entire time. Look at how annoyed your overly polite classmates are. 15 grand in the hole, Ben thinks the army is looking like a great out right now. Instead, he quit school and joined a band. Which is what he should have done in the first place, but noooooooo.
The song transitions by removing the students and school walls. The stage now look like a generic basement. Ben grows a mullet and a mustache (just apply for welfare now) and gets a job at a fast food restaurant. Ah, Chick-Fil-A. Endorsed by Tork's Blog. Despite having something to do with his life for once, Ben quickly finds himself without a band that breaks up and rejoins without him. A heartbroken Ben somehow overcooks an apple pie despite the fact that they don't have them where he works. That's how incompetent he is.
At a bad point in his life, Ben's character just sadly contemplates things. Awww. Suddenly things turn around and he's writing a screenplay. He's in a fake car driving to LA with the Hollywood mountain behind him. He even has sunglasses and a director's scarf. Yep, Hollywood is run by the lazy and unmotivated, as it's output shows again and again. Things are looking up as he starts to attend important parties. Suddenly he's getting gold and platinum records and a major recording deal. Wait, wasn't he writing a script? Eh, I guess it's all the same up there. As long as you know the right people that's enough.
Now there are red, white, and blue balloons falling while a crowd cheers the band on. We learn that he's now being elected. Of course. Celebrities now have the inside track on getting into political power. This isn't exactly what you'd expect after hearing about him burning pre-made apple pies. He's come along way. He's now praying that he'll be a popular politician after a less than perfect life and several ex-wifes that he'd like to forget about. He's really worried that his opponents will learn about his past and use it against him.
Video ends with the lights going out and Ben telling us that he was thinking about that time he considered joining the army.
This is a song about a guy finding success even if the odds were against him. It's a good video and Ben Fold is 2 for 2 so far in songs. I prefer the other song for the record.
The awesome part of the video is the picture that is put up when he's celebrating his election.
3 comments:
There are three members of Bens Folds Five.
I JUST BLEW YOUR MIND!!!!!
The awesome thing about this video is that Ben's rockin' 90's grunge band mostly plays brass. And although they broke up, it was nice of them to come back and play at his election.
The other awesome thing about this video is the way the set pieces are brought on and taken off. It's a cool effect.
The awesome thing about Ben Folds is that his songs range from funny to sad and while he can make me laugh, his songs are also sometimes very thoughtful and deeply touching. I like an artist with range.
Awwwww, shit!
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