Mad Men Theme Song ... With a Twist
October 14, 2010 9:11 PM Subscribe
Needs more nothing. This is awesome.
posted by barnacles at 9:17 PM on October 14, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by barnacles at 9:17 PM on October 14, 2010 [3 favorites]
Needs more Aceyalone.
Eh? "We loved the song "A Beautiful Mine" by RJD2..." Oh! Aceyalone and RJD2! Right. Awesome. (As is this cover with different lyrics.)
posted by filthy light thief at 9:23 PM on October 14, 2010
Eh? "We loved the song "A Beautiful Mine" by RJD2..." Oh! Aceyalone and RJD2! Right. Awesome. (As is this cover with different lyrics.)
posted by filthy light thief at 9:23 PM on October 14, 2010
Nice, but goodness, who has the money to fund this sort of thing? Ten-or-so musicians, a studio, a steadicam operator....is this intended as a showcase for the singer? It's just really strange to me.
posted by HeroZero at 9:26 PM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by HeroZero at 9:26 PM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
This made me remember how much I love Nature Boy.
While I really love the Mad Men intro, there's a point in the "A Beautiful Mine" sample where the beat sounds...off to me (at about 0:18 here), and my limited background in music theory isn't helping me figure out whether this is a feature or a bug. If it's a feature, does it have a name?
posted by emilyd22222 at 9:29 PM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
While I really love the Mad Men intro, there's a point in the "A Beautiful Mine" sample where the beat sounds...off to me (at about 0:18 here), and my limited background in music theory isn't helping me figure out whether this is a feature or a bug. If it's a feature, does it have a name?
posted by emilyd22222 at 9:29 PM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Yeah, the 1 of the breakbeat doesn't quite hit on the 1 of the strings there, don't know if it was intentional or not.
posted by empath at 9:41 PM on October 14, 2010
posted by empath at 9:41 PM on October 14, 2010
Wonderfully paired songs!
posted by hermitosis at 9:48 PM on October 14, 2010
posted by hermitosis at 9:48 PM on October 14, 2010
Awesome.
A single-take live video like that can be so compelling. I could watch stuff like that all day.
posted by i_have_a_computer at 10:04 PM on October 14, 2010
A single-take live video like that can be so compelling. I could watch stuff like that all day.
posted by i_have_a_computer at 10:04 PM on October 14, 2010
I'm not a great fan of the whining dwindling quality of the Mad Men theme. It doens't fit well with Nature Boy for me. But it does attract the viral edge (witness this post) and makes this kind of music seem sexy instead of stuffy.
She has a very nicely resonant voice. I'm sure she trained. Personally I get the impression that she values that resonance over a modulation that fits the text. For me that makes the song lacking in emotion and a bit stultified. But maybe it's because I'm accustomed to Nat King Coles version too much. For me her rendition lacks the melancholy quality that Coles version has.
Ah well, she's young. Practising and finding out about these kind of things is what has kept me have fun in singing over the years. I wonder what her take on this song will be in, say, ten years.
posted by joost de vries at 10:21 PM on October 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
She has a very nicely resonant voice. I'm sure she trained. Personally I get the impression that she values that resonance over a modulation that fits the text. For me that makes the song lacking in emotion and a bit stultified. But maybe it's because I'm accustomed to Nat King Coles version too much. For me her rendition lacks the melancholy quality that Coles version has.
Ah well, she's young. Practising and finding out about these kind of things is what has kept me have fun in singing over the years. I wonder what her take on this song will be in, say, ten years.
posted by joost de vries at 10:21 PM on October 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
who has the money to fund this sort of thing?
in a word: dad
"his annual salary was reported to be $8 million and by October 2006, it had reportedly increased to $10 million."
posted by victors at 10:21 PM on October 14, 2010
in a word: dad
"his annual salary was reported to be $8 million and by October 2006, it had reportedly increased to $10 million."
posted by victors at 10:21 PM on October 14, 2010
HeroZero: who has the money to fund this sort of thing?
From the uploader's YT profile: No dubbing...no autotune...just pure vocals with live music and one, continuous camera shot - no cutting. Just a bunch of film/music nerds getting together to do something ambitious.
Think skate kids with cameras, but instead of being skate kids, they're grown-up music and film lovers and creators.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:27 PM on October 14, 2010
From the uploader's YT profile: No dubbing...no autotune...just pure vocals with live music and one, continuous camera shot - no cutting. Just a bunch of film/music nerds getting together to do something ambitious.
Think skate kids with cameras, but instead of being skate kids, they're grown-up music and film lovers and creators.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:27 PM on October 14, 2010
On second hand: my comment sounds a bit jaundiced.
I think it's cool they made this.
posted by joost de vries at 10:33 PM on October 14, 2010
I think it's cool they made this.
posted by joost de vries at 10:33 PM on October 14, 2010
who has the money to fund this sort of thing?
in a word: dad
Oh, please. Back when I was that age, this is the kind of thing we'd do on our off hours when we had access to equipment and studio time because we fetched coffee there or assisted the owners or answered phones or whatever. That's just about the only perk when you work shit wages at shit jobs. I'd be shocked if anyone paid a dime to do any of this -- I'll bet it's all just young kids trying to make a name for themselves, and good for them.
Haters gonna hate, I s'pose.
posted by incessant at 10:37 PM on October 14, 2010
in a word: dad
Oh, please. Back when I was that age, this is the kind of thing we'd do on our off hours when we had access to equipment and studio time because we fetched coffee there or assisted the owners or answered phones or whatever. That's just about the only perk when you work shit wages at shit jobs. I'd be shocked if anyone paid a dime to do any of this -- I'll bet it's all just young kids trying to make a name for themselves, and good for them.
Haters gonna hate, I s'pose.
posted by incessant at 10:37 PM on October 14, 2010
It was one long steadicam shot, but they didn't nail it on the first take, did they?
posted by emelenjr at 11:45 PM on October 14, 2010
posted by emelenjr at 11:45 PM on October 14, 2010
Haters gonna hate, I s'pose
first, you have no idea how I feel about this project subjectively. Someone asked a question, I don't think it's a huge stretch to think the woman's father salary somehow played a role, whether said with hate or love.
second, the director is represented by the Paradigm Talent Agency with offices in NY, LA, Beverly Hills, Nashville and Monterey. Assuming it's possible your fantasy version of how this was put together is accurate, it is again, not a huge stretch to imagine he was at least partially influenced to do the project because, you know, the singer's dad makes $10M/year. I know it would influence me.
third: you made all that shit up.
I hope she, and everybody she comes in contact with, leverages her luck to be born to a dad that makes $10M/year. She would be foolish not to. If she does, good for her!
one of us is hatin, that's fo sho'
posted by victors at 11:47 PM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
first, you have no idea how I feel about this project subjectively. Someone asked a question, I don't think it's a huge stretch to think the woman's father salary somehow played a role, whether said with hate or love.
second, the director is represented by the Paradigm Talent Agency with offices in NY, LA, Beverly Hills, Nashville and Monterey. Assuming it's possible your fantasy version of how this was put together is accurate, it is again, not a huge stretch to imagine he was at least partially influenced to do the project because, you know, the singer's dad makes $10M/year. I know it would influence me.
third: you made all that shit up.
I hope she, and everybody she comes in contact with, leverages her luck to be born to a dad that makes $10M/year. She would be foolish not to. If she does, good for her!
one of us is hatin, that's fo sho'
posted by victors at 11:47 PM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Think skate kids with cameras, but instead of being skate kids, they're grown-up music and film lovers and creators.Plus, really, really rich.
No doubt this sort of thing could have been done by volunteers, assuming they were all really good at what they did.
posted by delmoi at 11:50 PM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Fun! I like it a lot. But in its exuberance, it's sloppy. And that's a bad fit with the Mad Men theme, which is all about understated precision and the unhappy performance of restraint.
posted by bicyclefish at 11:54 PM on October 14, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by bicyclefish at 11:54 PM on October 14, 2010 [3 favorites]
Well, and expanding on that: these people are probably professionals at what they do. This may have been done for fun or as a showcase of their talents. One of the cool things about the internet is people doing things they are talented at for free - for fun and possibly as a showcase.
One example is Lisa Nova, a fairly famous (for youtube) comedian who started doing sketch comedy because her and her brothers were doing production work, and they wanted to show off their skills. Nothing wrong with that, and she's produced a ton of funny videos.
But the idea that these are poor starving artists is just a fantasy. In her case, I mean, we already know she's a millionaire. If her friends really were poor starving artists it would have been rude not to pay them.
posted by delmoi at 11:56 PM on October 14, 2010
One example is Lisa Nova, a fairly famous (for youtube) comedian who started doing sketch comedy because her and her brothers were doing production work, and they wanted to show off their skills. Nothing wrong with that, and she's produced a ton of funny videos.
But the idea that these are poor starving artists is just a fantasy. In her case, I mean, we already know she's a millionaire. If her friends really were poor starving artists it would have been rude not to pay them.
posted by delmoi at 11:56 PM on October 14, 2010
Good sweet merciful lord that was a pretty girl.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 12:00 AM on October 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Baby_Balrog at 12:00 AM on October 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
honestly, the drums are just way way off, and it's a disappointment because they are the focus of the title sequence. the accents and fills are really oddly placed in the title sequence, and that's what makes the song great (aside from the super-dupe compression on the drum track, but that can't really be mimicked well live). i wasn't expecting the drummer to nail it, because those weird accents were obtained, i presume, by cutting and pasting fills out of time and that makes it really challenging to play live --- but i thought he would at least try. i mean, the intro fill at the very least, and that little skip as soon as it switches to hi hat.
posted by molecicco at 12:11 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by molecicco at 12:11 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
I strongly prefer the David Bowie version on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack.
posted by dgaicun at 12:19 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by dgaicun at 12:19 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
I equally strongly prefer the David Bowie/Massive Attack version on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. Perhaps even more equally strongly prefer.
posted by dgaicun at 12:22 AM on October 15, 2010
posted by dgaicun at 12:22 AM on October 15, 2010
The singer was good (and yes very pretty) and I thought it was a darn good cover/mashup/whatever of the Mad Men them.
But it so exuded "Pink Martini", right down to the tone of the vocalist, I had to go look it up to make sure it wasn't "Pink Martini", in whole or part. Which is meant as a compliment, I suppose.
posted by hincandenza at 12:25 AM on October 15, 2010
But it so exuded "Pink Martini", right down to the tone of the vocalist, I had to go look it up to make sure it wasn't "Pink Martini", in whole or part. Which is meant as a compliment, I suppose.
posted by hincandenza at 12:25 AM on October 15, 2010
Well, yeah, that's because David Bowies are all equal, but some David Bowies are more equal than others. Wait.
posted by BrotherCaine at 2:02 AM on October 15, 2010
posted by BrotherCaine at 2:02 AM on October 15, 2010
Woah, everyone should put on the Pomplamoose playlist on RIGHT NOW, because it is awesome.
posted by Aizkolari at 2:55 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Aizkolari at 2:55 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
Or you could have the Mad Men theme without all that drummy nonsense altogether.
posted by Grangousier at 3:13 AM on October 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Grangousier at 3:13 AM on October 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
Please. Everyone knows the lyrics to the Mad Men theme are "Draper, Draper, falling, falling. Draper, Draper, falling, falling doooowwwwwn."
posted by moviehawk at 3:15 AM on October 15, 2010 [35 favorites]
posted by moviehawk at 3:15 AM on October 15, 2010 [35 favorites]
So is the "twist" that the singer is really a dude?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 4:29 AM on October 15, 2010
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 4:29 AM on October 15, 2010
delmoi: "There's also a Pomplamoose version"
This pleases me.
posted by boo_radley at 6:18 AM on October 15, 2010
This pleases me.
posted by boo_radley at 6:18 AM on October 15, 2010
According to the Huffington Post Allison Williams "gained a national spotlight for her appearance in the viral "That's Why I Chose Yale" video."
"This was filmed in one take (this one, specifically, happened to be take 29 of the day)."
posted by kirkaracha at 6:47 AM on October 15, 2010
It was one long steadicam shot, but they didn't nail it on the first take, did they?
"This was filmed in one take (this one, specifically, happened to be take 29 of the day)."
posted by kirkaracha at 6:47 AM on October 15, 2010
But it so exuded "Pink Martini"
Ditto. Certainly made me want to hear more of Allison Williams. Maybe Jon Stewart will have her on the show.
posted by billcicletta at 6:49 AM on October 15, 2010
Ditto. Certainly made me want to hear more of Allison Williams. Maybe Jon Stewart will have her on the show.
posted by billcicletta at 6:49 AM on October 15, 2010
According to the Huffington Post Allison Williams "gained a national spotlight for her appearance in the viral "That's Why I Chose Yale" video."
Hm! so perhaps Williams is Yale's version of Harvard's Thomas Lauderdale/China Forbes
posted by billcicletta at 6:53 AM on October 15, 2010
Hm! so perhaps Williams is Yale's version of Harvard's Thomas Lauderdale/China Forbes
posted by billcicletta at 6:53 AM on October 15, 2010
I thought it was great, including the drummer. It gives the lyrics a bitter edge to them, if you imagine that the singer is one of the women who fall for Draper and end up disillusioned.
posted by umbú at 8:06 AM on October 15, 2010
posted by umbú at 8:06 AM on October 15, 2010
Also, it's so great to see a video that isn't lip-synced and instrument-faked.
posted by umbú at 8:09 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by umbú at 8:09 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
Like y'all have never heard of Nat King Cole?
posted by raysmj at 9:31 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by raysmj at 9:31 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
METAFILTER: the unhappy performance of restraint
posted by everichon at 9:42 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by everichon at 9:42 AM on October 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well, *I* for one am glad someone *finally* pointed out the attractiveness of the female singer, because otherwise this wouldn't have been worth posting about!
posted by mudpuppie at 10:16 AM on October 15, 2010
posted by mudpuppie at 10:16 AM on October 15, 2010
I thought the mashup worked brilliantly - both the music and the lyrics. I also enjoyed the lighting and camera work (plus bonus points for the conga player being the conducter!). The only thing I didn't like was the vocalist - who seemed a bit smarmy and too cocky for someone possessing such a modest talent. After discovering her identity from previous comments, I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...
posted by ericbop at 10:19 AM on October 15, 2010
posted by ericbop at 10:19 AM on October 15, 2010
While I really love the Mad Men intro, there's a point in the "A Beautiful Mine" sample where the beat sounds...off to me
Don't listen to this.
posted by EmGeeJay at 11:26 AM on October 15, 2010
omfg zerowensboring, WTF, LOL ... that's ... omg ... just the cover has me in stitches
posted by liza at 7:45 PM on October 15, 2010
posted by liza at 7:45 PM on October 15, 2010
Ahbez delivered the song to Cole via the singer's manager. It's a standard now, but all covers are in some sense an homage to the original recording--especially true when you consider how seasoned Bowie was at the time he recorded it, and the nearly obvious pre-1965-or-so American influences on his music.
posted by raysmj at 10:10 PM on October 15, 2010
posted by raysmj at 10:10 PM on October 15, 2010
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posted by felix betachat at 9:14 PM on October 14, 2010