We Love VH1: The Funniest Music Videos Ever 5.14.07
Over the years, the medium of music videos has provided numerous entertaining examples of comedy – both intentional and unintentional. Those of us in the Department of Historical Perspective at TheAdamWhite.com compiled a list of the most hilarious examples of that fact, along with links to each selection. Enjoy.
--Mark Sweeney
Director of Historical Perspective
TheAdamWhite.com
T12. Fatboy Slim--Praise You
Fatboy Slim--Weapon of Choice
Both of these selections are outstanding, and it’s tough to rank one above the other, so I broke my rule of not repeating an artist on the countdown in this one case. Whether your preference is b-boy moves or classically-trained dancing, Fatboy – with an assist from Spike Jonze – has got you covered.
11. Carl Lewis--Break It Up
Those of us at TheAdamWhite.com are fans of both sports, music and unintentional comedy. This is a positively remarkable intersection of those three arenas courtesy of the nine-time gold medalist. You can't ask for much more. Or, perhaps, much less.
10. Oh Sherrie--Steve Perry
If the Department of Historical Perspective had a mascot, it would pretty much assuredly be Steve Perry, former lead singer for Journey. Steve and his mullet also did some damage outside of Journey, though, most notably with his solo hit “Oh Sherrie.” Not only does Steve get to show off his pipes, but he also gives us a glimpse at his Oscar-worthy acting chops.
9. David Brent--If You Don't Know Me By Now
Adam has touted his love for the U.S. version of “The Office,” and I have no complaints with that stance – it’s the best show on TV right now (outside of anything being broadcast on either VH1 Classic or ESPN Classic, of course). But the Department of Historical Perspective lives by one tried-and-true motto: “If it’s older, it’s probably better.” So the BBC version of “The Office” gets the nod in our book. Those of you who have seen the BBC version know that David Brent – the boss of the office – always pined to be a rock star. He finally got a chance to fulfill those dreams at the end of the series when he covered “If You Don't Know Me By Now” and made the accompanying video for the song. The video manages to expertly skewer about 28 different love song video clichés while bringing back fond memories of Foregone Conclusion’s classic sound.
8. Hall and Oates--Adult Education
In the collective mind of the Department of Historical Perspective, the kings of unintentional comedy in the last half-century of pop music are the inimitable Hall & Oates. Here they are at their peak – completely ludicrous, but also somehow totally serious. As usual, the star is John Oates (and his moustache), who goes straight for the female fan base with the blazer-and-no-shirt look while manically swinging the sawed-off end of a guitar. The video's climax comes when H&O try to break out some dance moves towards the end of the song. Shield your eyes.
7. Foo Fighters--Learn to Fly
The Foo Fighters here put together a legitimately comedic video (edging out their Mentos commercial parody in "Big Me" for their spot on the list). And that's all I have to say about that. Travel Tip: Don't drink the airplane coffee. Or get the fish for dinner.
6. Billy Squier--Rock Me Tonite
In the early 1980's, Billy Squier was a reasonably successful rocker with a string of moderate hits under his belt. Then in 1984, he released the following video for his song "Rock Me Tonite." His career was never the same.
The stats:
Top 50 hits pre-video: 5
Top 20 albums pre-video: 3
Top 50 hits post-video: 0
Top 20 albums post-video: 0
I don't think you'll need any further explanation after viewing the clip.
5. Armi & Danny--I Wanna Love You Tender
This one was brought to the attention of the Department of Historical Perspective after we saw it touted as the "worst music video ever." If by "worst music video ever" they meant "a gold mine of unintentional comedy," then they were right on target. The stars of this European gem clearly aren't the artists, but rather the ubiquitous horde of dancers. And their sweaters.
4. David Hasselhoff--Hooked On A Feeling
What can be said about David Hasselhoff that hasn't been said already? It's well-known that Mr. Knight Rider is inexplicably beloved for his musical work in places like Germany and Austria, despite releasing songs and music videos such as this one. And he can't even use the well-worn "It was the 70s/80s" excuse that would apply to most of the songs on this countdown, as this song came out in 1999.
3. Village People--Sex Over the Phone
If you thought the Village People reached their zenith of campiness and unintentional humor in the 70's, you must have not yet seen this gem from the 80's. Clad in new modifications on their original costumes (I guess a misguided attempt to class up their image?) the People demonstrate how a phone can be a helpful dancing prop.
2. Tommy Seebach Band--Apache
This disco track from the Danish legend defies explanation. I took a few Native American Studies classes in college, and oddly enough I don’t recall any documentation of scenarios like this occurring on the lands of the Apache.
1. Journey--Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
Here it is, the apex of unintentional comedy in music video. Not at all coincidentally, it is the second appearance of Steve Perry on the countdown. The choice – “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” by Journey – may not be the goofiest or most shabbily made video on this countdown, but in some ways that's what makes it the #1 choice. It's not like Journey was clowning around here; it's overwhelmingly clear how serious and committed to the video the guys are. The video was popular in early MTV, and no one can quite figure out why. This video pretty much epitomizes the mid-80's music scene; the fact that this band could be considered "cool" because/in spite of videos like this one is pretty telling of the era.
This video has so many memorable spots. Keep an eye out for these:
-air instruments (i.e. not just air guitar, but air bass, air drums, and especially air keyboards)
-Steve Perry over-acting (and his mullet, and his quasi-seductive glances at the camera, and his sleeveless shirt)
-the prevalence of jean jackets, cheesy moustaches, and retro shades
-the liberal use of slow motion
-one inexplicable super-close-up shot of Perry's mouth
-the keyboard mounted on the wall
Best scene? I might have to go with a tie between the bassist and keyboardist yelling in the face of the girl before Perry hops in the shot (2:32) and the backing vocals lineup complete with an in-sync turn to face the camera (2:46).
