The 7 Best Literal Music Videos Of All Time

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First Posted: 08- 3-09 12:15 PM   |   Updated: 08- 3-09 04:39 PM

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Literal Videos


If you've ever watched a music video and wondered what the hell it had to do with the song, this post is for you. It holds the best literal versions of music videos the Web has to offer. We would've included all the ones Aerosmith did in which Alicia Silverstone acted out every lyric of the song, but those were meant in earnest and were therefore disqualified.

1) "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" by Bonnie Tyler. "Here's where I pretend to be Eva Peron...Look at me I'm lifting my arms/ There's nothing else to shoot...so zoom camera under this arch." Amazing.


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2) "Separate Ways" by Journey. Journey is deeply under-appreciated in this society, but not in the world of literal videos. Their visual interpretation for "Separate Ways" perfectly lends itself to literal treatment as everything the band is awesomely ridiculous.


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3) "Under The Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers. DustoMcNeato (aka Dustin McLean) is credited as the founding father of this genre, and this is Dusto at his best: Completely inane.


WATCH:


4) "Take On Me" by Aha. This video was a huge hit on the Internets, introducing many people to a world in which lyrics and images were one and the same. Considering it's a drawing inside a video inside the 80s, everything lines up perfectly.


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5) "Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears. "I'm acting really bashful while I'm singing to you/ Oh, I won't go away, no I just won't go away." Any video with a monkey in a library needs to be mocked.


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6) "Just A Friend" by Biz Markie. Our friend SeanieMic's fabulous take on Biz Markie's one and only hit.


WATCH:


7) "With Arms Wide Open" by Creed. This one seems too easy in that Creed's music videos are often literal interpretations the first time around. Still, they are completely silly and the "Lion King" approach is an interesting twist.


WATCH:


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If you've ever watched a music video and wondered what the hell it had to do with the song, this post is for you. It holds the best literal versions of music videos the Web has to offer. We would've...
If you've ever watched a music video and wondered what the hell it had to do with the song, this post is for you. It holds the best literal versions of music videos the Web has to offer. We would've...
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Page: 1 2 Next › Last » (2 pages total)
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I can't believe you didn't include White Wedding!! "Some of my friends are goth...som­e of my friends are new wave...som­e of my friends are straight edge....it­'s a nice touch for a goth wedding...­gonna cut you with the wedding ring!!"

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:27 AM on 08/25/2009
- baxtron I'm a Fan of baxtron 7 fans permalink

STANDIN' BY CANDLES!!!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:32 PM on 08/27/2009
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Is it just me, or is "Take on Me" the best music video of all time?

...but what in he// is going on in the "Total Eclipse of the Heart" vid? I've never gotten it. Is she supposed to be a teacher who has an obsession with her students that manifests itself through an erotic nightmare sequence symbolizing the simultaneous allure and danger of forbidden love with young male students? Until I hear a better one, that's my interpretation.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:02 PM on 08/19/2009
- EvaM I'm a Fan of EvaM 3 fans permalink
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I think they forgot Men at Work's Land Down Under video..
Fantastically literal!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:14 PM on 08/18/2009
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that was fun.. thanks huff i really enjoyed that..hehe

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:03 PM on 08/06/2009
- shel3364 I'm a Fan of shel3364 32 fans permalink

I went to YouTube last night and watched a few others... I really liked Daydream Believer..­.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:38 PM on 08/05/2009
- Pablo76 I'm a Fan of Pablo76 2 fans permalink
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Too funny... It's like Mystery Science Theatre for music videos.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:49 PM on 08/05/2009
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Too funny--Biz was the only exception. What a fine use of technology. There's got to be at least three REM vids from the 80s out there that need parodying by master McNeato. Bound to be a U2 one or two too worthy of such manipulation as well. If I wasn't a technotard, I'd do them meself.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:49 PM on 08/04/2009
- limber I'm a Fan of limber 35 fans permalink
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You need to give DustoMcNeato way more credit than that one sentence -- he's most of your list, and he's all the actually entertaining ones.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:38 PM on 08/04/2009

I watched on on Youtube that was a literal video of 'You're Beautiful' by James Blunt. Priceless.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:20 PM on 08/04/2009

So far I've only had a chance to watch the first one, and my cubicle neighbors heard me laughing too loud -- definitely bookmarked for lunchtime! funny.very

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:14 AM on 08/04/2009
- countfloyd I'm a Fan of countfloyd 14 fans permalink

Biz Markie is just a goofball as indicated by the video. It shouldn't have made the list.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:45 AM on 08/04/2009
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Cracked me up.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:11 PM on 08/03/2009
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I did not know Jerry Seinfeld was in Tears for Fears!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:30 PM on 08/03/2009
- Bloggerrogr I'm a Fan of Bloggerrogr 143 fans permalink
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Howcum no Celine Dion "It's All Coming Back To Me Now"? That one screams for the literal treatment!!!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:00 PM on 08/03/2009
- Bloggerrogr I'm a Fan of Bloggerrogr 143 fans permalink
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...and, @ 4:13 “…the gayest man on earth would call this over the top…” too funny. I think there are two written by Jim Steinman in this group. Gotta love it!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:20 PM on 08/19/2009
- MikaS I'm a Fan of MikaS 329 fans permalink
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Uber funny!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:02 PM on 08/03/2009

I like the This Mortal Coil avatar.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:31 AM on 08/04/2009
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