I've been thinking 'bout... shaking my tailfeather

July 16, 2010 11:39 AM

Hanson's (catchy, if you ask me) video "Thinking 'Bout Something" is an homage to Ray Charles's great performance of "Shake a Tailfeather" in The Blues Brothers. As an added bonus, look closely at the tambourine player; it's our favorite, Weird Al.

The brothers from Tulsa have showed musical staying power since their video debut in 1997's "MMMBop." (Warning: Video contains '90s hair, rollerblades and an earworm you won't be able to shake all day.)

In trying to think of other videos that parody or evoke famous movies, sadly the only one I could come up with was Paula Abdul's "Rush, Rush," in which Keanu Reeves revisits James Dean's iconic performance in Rebel Without A Cause and Paula takes on Natalie Wood's role. Thankfully, Gigwise has compiled another 19 for us.

posted by Sweetie Darling (34 comments total)

I think this is a double.

Also, that video is awesome. Not something i'd ever thought i'd say about a Hanson video.
posted by chunking express at 11:44 AM on July 16, 2010

One of the more surreal moments of my life was being inside the "heart" for a U2 show in 2001 and all of a sudden realizing that all the Hanson brothers were next to me enjoying the show like I was. The concert itself was unbelievably awesome, but seeing Hanson bop their heads 5 feet away elevated the whole thing to a level of I don't even know what.
posted by kmz at 11:48 AM on July 16, 2010 [2 favorites]

There is no way in hell I am going to click "next" 19 times.
posted by rhizome at 11:54 AM on July 16, 2010 [3 favorites]

seeing Hanson bop their heads 5 feet away elevated the whole thing to a level of I don't even know what.

It's kind of like when I was drinking on a couch next to half the Gossip Girl cast: a strange blend of feeling superior and ironic but cravenly lusting for their attention. Haw haw--that's Chuck Bass. OMG Chuck Bass!
posted by Beardman at 11:55 AM on July 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Those boys are pretty talented, you know. And this convinces me that they've got pretty good taste in movies too.

And were those outdoor dancing scenes filmed on Greenwood in Tulsa? 'Cause it sure looks like it to me.
posted by Shohn at 11:59 AM on July 16, 2010

Well, I did my own research, and according to this it looks like the video was filmed in Tulsa. REPRESENT!
posted by Shohn at 12:01 PM on July 16, 2010

As an added bonus, look closely at the tambourine player; it's our favorite, Weird Al.

If they wanted to be really meta, he could have been accompanied by Donny Osmond.
posted by crunchland at 12:05 PM on July 16, 2010

What happened to that cute girl that used to be in the band? I think her name was Taylor?
posted by reklus at 12:07 PM on July 16, 2010

That song is irritatingly catchy, I'm going to go listen to distorted feedback for an hour or so to cleanse my aural palate.
posted by Panjandrum at 12:13 PM on July 16, 2010

Hanson interview on The Sound of Young America.
posted by domnit at 12:24 PM on July 16, 2010

I unironically love this video and this song. Thanks for posting!

I wish the Hairspray remake should have been more like this...
posted by Tesseractive at 12:36 PM on July 16, 2010

I've liked a few Hanson songs. But in this video I can't even tell which one is Taylor because I don't know what he looks like now that he's not so pretty anymore. Is it the one in the leather jacket? The one at the keyboard?
posted by Danila at 12:54 PM on July 16, 2010

Danila, Taylor is the one at the keyboard. Zac is on drums and Isaac is on guitar.

I'm glad my years of being an obsessive Hanson fan have finally been put to use.
posted by rachaelfaith at 12:57 PM on July 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

I like how they seem like they're interested in being musicians and not a brand. Refreshing. And I like decent pop music, which this is.
posted by dammitjim at 1:00 PM on July 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

The Strokes also did a "Tron" themed video for their song 12:51.
posted by bullitt 5 at 1:00 PM on July 16, 2010

I can't believe I not only voluntarily watched a Hanson music video but kind of liked it too. Not loved, but liked. The refrain seemed a bit weak to my ears. Definitely an improvement over their teeny-bop stuff. The lead singer on that one sounded a little like Kenny Loggins.

That gigwise link sucks. It misses the BEST movie tribute music video Audioslave - Show Me How To Live . Not to mention 20 next links. UGH. It makes me glad to use AdBlock just out of spite.
posted by inthe80s at 1:11 PM on July 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

And were those outdoor dancing scenes filmed on Greenwood in Tulsa?

Yup.
posted by dw at 1:32 PM on July 16, 2010

Having just watched the Blues Brothers again last night, I was blown away by the attention to detail in this. The signage in the store, the character costumes, even some of the outdoor shots were almost exactly the same. The song is catchy if a bit "meh", but the video production is fucking stellar.
posted by cosmicbandito at 1:36 PM on July 16, 2010

YAY I love Hanson (twitter) posts on the blue!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 1:45 PM on July 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Also, here's the director of the video giving some nice details on how it was done.
posted by cosmicbandito at 1:46 PM on July 16, 2010

Re music videos that evoke/parody movies:
Madonna's Express Yourself=Fritz Lang's Metropolis
Red Hot Chilli Peppers "Otherside" =The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Queen's Radio Gaga places them all in the Metropolis setting.
Beastie Boys video for "Sabotage" (which is still awesome imho) is a parody of 70's style cop shows/movies
I'm sure there are other examples!
posted by catgirl at 2:02 PM on July 16, 2010

I saw The Blues Brothers about a month or so ago. I love it when something I remember from my childhood is just as great as I remember. Better even!

I liked this song - catchy, fun. I need to get my 7-year-old daughter listening to this sort of thing so we can have a break from Big Time Rush.

Oh, who am I kidding - I like Big Time Rush. I used to be cool. WTF happened?
posted by jeoc at 2:21 PM on July 16, 2010

Now THAT just made my day!

Great, catchy song and the video was nothing short of genius. The attention to detail was jaw-dropping and this is now my new favorite video. Nice to see Weird Al, too. I'll bet that somewhere Ray Charles and John Belushi are smiling!
posted by Quasimike at 2:37 PM on July 16, 2010

Nothing quite like a well-played organ.
posted by davejay at 4:34 PM on July 16, 2010

I'll bet that somewhere Ray Charles and John Belushi are smiling!

Dan Aykroyd, however, has a big frown as he sits at his desk drinking his crystal skull vodka and waiting for the UFOs to take him away.
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:37 PM on July 16, 2010 [3 favorites]

Never thought I'd end up liking something by Hanson. That was a blast!
posted by mgrichmond at 5:10 PM on July 16, 2010

Queen's Radio Gaga places them all in the Metropolis setting.

catgirl, since they performed the soundtrack for the 90's release of Metropolis, that doesn't really count.

It's a movie video.
posted by IAmBroom at 8:11 PM on July 16, 2010

The top comment to the video was funny in a 'you clearly meant the opposite of what you just said' kinda way:

how is it possible that kids like justin bieber (who sings like a 13 year old girl, does NOT write his own songs and when he does it repeats the word baby over and over) have more talent than hanson, a band who has written their own songs since they were 11/ in their pre teens. AND actually play instruments..and somehow justin bieber has more publicity! I love Hanson. Always have and alaways will. they're incredible

posted by Kattullus at 8:27 PM on July 16, 2010

Queen wasn't on the soundtrack for Moroder's Metropolis—just Freddie Mercury. Good excuse to mention Martini Ranch's video for "How Can The Labouring Man Find Time For Self-Culture?" though.
posted by Lazlo at 12:43 AM on July 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

New Hansen sounds like Mika. Also, Weird Al looks like an Option 30-era Trent Reznor.
posted by Evilspork at 6:07 AM on July 17, 2010

Ooh, thanks for the clarification, Lazlo!

Checking the Google, both the Queen hit Radio Ga-Ga and the Metropolis release with Freddie's score were in 1984. I'm guessing that the video was still intended as a piece of (mutual( advertising, given the timing.
posted by IAmBroom at 6:46 AM on July 17, 2010

2nd "(" = ")".
posted by IAmBroom at 6:46 AM on July 17, 2010

Lazlo: I really like the Martini Ranch song/video - very 80's!
posted by catgirl at 7:39 AM on July 17, 2010

Because of Metafilter, I just bought a song by Hanson. I may never be able to come back.
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:05 PM on July 18, 2010 [3 favorites]