Comments on: You do it to yourself, you do

You do it to yourself, you do

jonson — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:01:00 -0800

Excellent music video for an interesting cover version of Radiohead's Just (originally off of The Bends) by British musician Mark Ronson. Song is done in a more 1960's Stax-Volt Records style, using gratuitous horn samples; video is shot on the streets of an English city (I believe London, but am not sure) and features animated graffiti coming to life & dancing to the song, as well as a cameo by the tiled creations of Invader. First link goes to a page about the song, with video download links in wmv & qt at the bottom. Still no answer as to what that guy was saying in the original version of the video, sadly.

By: numberstation

numberstation — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:17:55 -0800

Nice link. Just so you know, in regards to 'what that guy was saying' in the original video - the answer is nothing. I remember reading an interview with Thom and he said that there was never any idea underlying what he was saying.

By: sourwookie

sourwookie — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:25:41 -0800

Great cover, thanks for sharing. However I don't really get a "Stax-Volt" Vibe from this--there just isn't much Memphis happening here. I'd be more likely to liken the horns, as far as voicing goes, to Maceo Parker's arranging style, and the groove is like an amped-up Meters.

By: apeiam

apeiam — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:28:39 -0800

Thanks for this. I was turned on to the cover a few weeks ago, but was aware of an accompanying video.

By: jonson

jonson — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:37:08 -0800

sourwookie - you're right, upon re-listen it IS more The Meters. The guitar riff in the middle reminded me of Steve Cropper, but the overall horns are too punchy (sort of "herky-jerky" for lack of a better word) for Memphis. And numberstation, thanks, but I refuse to believe that. Just because Thom Yorke doesn't know what was said, I won't rest until the actor who was lying on the ground comes out and confesses the incantation!

By: sourwookie

sourwookie — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:41:25 -0800

Yeah, the horns are staccato, and the voicing is top-heavy (emphasis on alto and trumpet). I hear the Steve Cropper riff, though. I don't think Brit-Funk artists are "purists" by any stretch. I make compilation CD's for my local dive, and am currently doing one of covers. This is going to sound great right after the Eddie Hazel version of "California Dreaming."

By: TechnoLustLuddite

TechnoLustLuddite — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:48:57 -0800

as well as a cameo by the tiled creations of Invader. heh, there are a lot of other graff cameos in there too. neat.

By: Mikey-San

Mikey-San — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:54:21 -0800

Does anyone happen to have a link to the original "Just" video? I've never been able to find a good copy and I'd love to see it again.

By: TheWash

TheWash — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:58:54 -0800

FYI, Ronson is from New York, and he's a DJ -- see also this.

By: Hanover Phist

Hanover Phist — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:02:03 -0800

I wish the graffiti crime in my neighbourhood was as beautiful as that. It's amazing how different the song feels with the horns and dancing drawings, as opposed to Thom Yorke flailing about and, yeah, the sidewalk guy. During an interview on MuchMusic (Canada's music video station) Thom was asked what the guy said. Of course he refused. But then the VJ asked the audience, if anyone knew, or could read his lips. Two teenage girls said they knew! They said they (or someone they knew) could read his lips and figured out what was said. At that moment you could hear Thom pleading with them, off camera, to not reveal it. It turned out unnecessary, as the girls had no intention of telling anyone. But the whole thing, especially Thom sounding a bit panicked, made me think it was more than just gibberish or nothing at all.

By: sizemore

sizemore — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:05:41 -0800

That's London alright. Battersea Powerstation pops up from time to time.

By: jrengreen

jrengreen — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:14:09 -0800

Come on Americans! You all know about London's big red buses, right?

By: dobie

dobie — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:35:49 -0800

That was great, thanks!

By: freudianslipper

freudianslipper — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 09:30:43 -0800

yes, super find. thanks :)

By: I Foody

I Foody — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 10:20:14 -0800

That one with the girl with the balloons at maybe 1:20 and 2:58 is off Isreal's security wall right?

By: dbiedny

dbiedny — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 10:28:59 -0800

Love it, love it, love it. Thnx!

By: Dr. Twist

Dr. Twist — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 10:41:22 -0800

I believe that the little girl with the balloons was done by a London graffiti artist called Banksy

By: kenlayne

kenlayne — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 10:43:06 -0800

Mikey-San: Netflix has the Radiohead "Seven Television Commercials" dvd, which has that video in all its paranoid glory.

By: gompa

gompa — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 10:52:33 -0800

I won't rest until the actor who was lying on the ground comes out and confesses the incantation! I like the ambiguity, myself. Like the contents of the briefcase in Pulp Fiction and the box in Barton Fink, it's powerful because it remains a mystery. What could someone say that'd make a street full of people abandon business as usual and lie down prone like that? It's, you know, cosmic. Very funky video, by the way - thanks, jonson.

By: ktoad

ktoad — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 11:10:21 -0800

Buffering... Buffering... Buffering...

By: wsg

wsg — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 11:13:47 -0800

The horns are neither gratuitous nor samples. They are integral to the track and they're real horns played by real horn players. Good tune and video.

By: fungible

fungible — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 11:18:20 -0800

sweet

By: junesix

junesix — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 11:44:29 -0800

Great video though I have yet to see something that tops Monkeehub's animated music video for the acoustic version of Radiohead's Creep. (There's also a fun Flash-interface styled Brick game while you wait for it to load.)

By: jonson

jonson — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 11:47:10 -0800

ktoad, just right click on the links and save them. Fuck that streaming shit. Also, gompa, the box in Barton Fink had Judy Davis's head in it. That's where they got the idea for the final deadly sin @ the end of Se7en. And the suitcase has Marcellus Wallace's soul in Pulp Fiction. See, all mysteries have answers.

By: cell divide

cell divide — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 11:53:41 -0800

Ronson is American, but his Dad is Mick Ronson, who I think is British... he was a famed guitar hero.

By: influx

influx — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 15:12:50 -0800

I believe that the little girl with the balloons was done by a London graffiti artist called Banksy It is. There were a few other bits of Banksy in there too. I'm pretty sure that was all genuine graffiti from London - I recognised most of it, at least.

By: rekka

rekka — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 15:26:34 -0800

This is excellent! I recognise much of the artwork from different artists as well. Some Banksy in there of course. Funky as well.

By: Lynsey

Lynsey — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 15:44:24 -0800

That was cool! /beavis Thx, jonson!

By: Decani

Decani — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 17:02:10 -0800

Cool video; shame about the smug, soft-jazz-with bad-vocals cover of one of Radiohead's greatest songs.

By: Decani

Decani — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 17:02:44 -0800

Wait - THAT WAS MICK RONSON'S KID? He must be spinning in his grave.

By: ciderwoman

ciderwoman — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 02:10:43 -0800

Loved some of the video, but oh dear, an animated radiohead? Oh, it's a figure with a radio for a head, a radiohead, that's genius...

By: LondonYank

LondonYank — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 06:56:22 -0800

As an ex-resident of the street art hub of London, Shoreditch, I had a right old chuckle at the various London graffiti artists being represented here. Sure, Banksy's an easy call, but they had the Toasters! I heard this cover on XFM the other day BTW, and they were calling themselves Exit Music. I need not explain the reference for the Radiohead folks out there.

By: marlowe

marlowe — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 11:04:17 -0800

I believe this is one of the tracks from the upcoming cover compilation Exit Music - Songs for Radio Heads (avail. next month)