Volkswagen Salutes A-ha’s Famous “Take on Me” Video

aha

If you were around in 1985, you could not miss the Norwegian band A-ha and their video for “Take on Me.” The cutting edge animation by Michael Patterson and Candace Reckinge in the video directed by Steve Barron is still amazing even after decades of technological advances. The video won six MTV Awards.

More recently, Volkswagen incorporated the song and the animation style in a new commercial “Feeling Carefree.” The animated story features a Volkswagen Passat winning a race and then it goes into its own twist ending of sorts. David Shane directed the new ad. Check it out.



What is your favorite animated ad? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    “Jungleland” Makes Louis C.K. Sad

    On Conan, comedian Louis C.K. talked about the importance of being alone. He explained how the constant presence of cell phones removes us from the existential feeling of sadness, an experience he wants his daughters to understand.

    Previously, we discussed how Bruce Springsteen similarly wanted his children to understand a certain sadness in life as revealed in his song “Racing in the Street.” Louis C.K., however, used another Springsteen example for his existential crisis, “Jungleland,” even singing a few bars.

    So if you are the mood for that kind of sadness, put away your cell phone and sit back and listen to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band live.

    What is your favorite song that makes you feel alone? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Is Chipotle’s “The Scarecrow” Pure Imagination?

    chipotle animated commercial

    Like its earlier animated ad featuring Willie Nelson singing a Coldplay song, the restaurant chain Chipotle‘s new ad uses animation and music to attack the evils of factory farming. Of course, they do so in the context of highlighting their own commitment to fresh food.

    The new ad, “The Scarecrow,” features a factory-employed scarecrow discovering a new way of living, set to Fiona Apple singing “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971). The short film was co-directed by Brandon Oldenburg and Limbert Fabian and created by Moonbot Studios. Check it out.

    The ad, which also has a tie-in phone app game, is getting a lot of attention. Salon argues that the ad featuring the vegan Fiona Apple is not just anti-farming but anti-meat. Others like AdWeek are praising the Chipotle ad, saying it is “magic.”

    Funny or Die takes another approach with its parody of “The Scarecrow.” The new words to the song argue that the original ad is not pure imagination but “pure manipulation.”


    What do you think of “The Scarecrow” and the parody? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    The Head and The Heart’s Josiah Johnson in a Parking Garage

    Josiah Johnson Parking Garage
    Anyone who has had to split up with friends to search for a car in a parking garage and then had to call out knows what great acoustics those places have. Apparently, so does Josiah Johnson of The Head and The Heart. In this video he sings a new song in a parking garage. Nice.

    The song is untitled on YouTube, but it is possible the song might appear on the band’s upcoming album, Let’s Be Still, which will be released on October 15 as the follow-up to their self-titled debut album released in 2009. The previous album featured the beautiful “Sounds Like Hallelujah,” so we are looking forward to the new CD. The Head and The Heart formed in Seattle, where the new album was recorded, and features songwriters Johnson and Jonathan Russell as well as drummer Tyler Williams, keyboard player Kenny Hensley, vocalist/violinist Charity Rose Thielen, and bassist Chris Zasche.

    What is your favorite song by The Head and the Heart? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    “Frasier” Debuts in 1993

    Frasier First Episode On September 16 in 1993, the Cheers spin-off Frasier made its debut on NBC. The show starred Kelsey Grammer relocating his Cheers character Dr. Frasier Crane from Boston to Seattle.  One of the reason for the relocation was because the creators wanted to distance the show from Cheers in more than one way.  Had it been set in Boston, fans would have expected continuing cameos from Cheers characters.

    Other characters included Frasier’s father Martin (John Mahoney), Frasier’s brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), housekeeper-therapist Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves), and Frasier’s radio show producer Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin). And, of course, there also was the dog Eddie (played by Moose and then his son Enzo after season 7), who received more fan mail than anyone else in the cast.

    Frasier stayed on the air for eleven seasons until May 2004 (matching the eleven seasons of Cheers) and won a number of Emmys. The success is not bad for a character who was supposed to only appear in a few episodes of Cheers before becoming a regular character there.

    Few TV shows can make me laugh out loud, and Frasier was one of those shows. I miss it, although it is great that one can still catch reruns in syndication or streaming.

    Below, travel back to 1993 with some highlights from the first season of Frasier.

    Goodnight Seattle!

    What is your favorite episode of Frasier? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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