PJ Harvey "Down By the Water" dir. Maria Mochnacz (1995)
Red dress, water, and a modern day Ode to Billie Joe.
One of my favorite videos ever, really. I think I may be too biased to call it one of the 100 best music videos ever made, but it has all the traditional hallmarks of one. Yes? No?
I get a:
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dek: See here if possible. Or, it'll be up here for a limited time. (Please d/l once and save, if you wanna rewatch)
Please d/l once and save, if you wanna rewatch
Heh, I always download. Even from YouNoob. Tnx for the extra link.
Or try WMV. I find that PJ Harvey's videos tend to be disappointing unless they're very pared down. She's utterly magnetic with the bare essentials, i.e. just her or her+guitar - anything beyond a single concept with her performing the song at the middle of it feels cluttered. This Is Love, dir. Sophie Muller (WMV) is the perfect example.
I enjoyed this fairly simple video, not least the billowing scrim in the second part - an old stage trick for depicting waves. It still seems as though it's a bit overwrought though, for the reasons I've given. But then, she's the ultimate live artist.
True, she's incredible live. I've seen her twice, once for To Bring You My Love, and she's phenomenal. I figure people would either love this or "50Ft. Queenie". For me, it's this, though that one is quite remarkable as well.
... by the way, I just want to register my admiration for Maria Mochnacz, despite what I've just posted. The video for What The Fuck? (WMV) makes great use of (apparently) opportunistic footage. Equally the Uh Huh Her tour DVD 'Please Leave Quietly' is an excellent document of the songs which happens to include backstage footage. It could so easily be the other way around.
And finally - my favourite's a YouTubed TV relay of Rid of Me on some Australian stage. It's like being mesmerised by a guitar-toting cobra.
I see where you're coming from with This is Love. I like it too, for sure, but I get a bigger thrill when shit gets a bit mythic - I like Water (the song) better, too.
Double-love for Maria Mochnacz. Her work for PJ has been incredible. I love artistic synergy (Depeche Mode/Anton Corbijn, The Cure/Tim Pope, Weird Al/Weird Al).
In 'September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill' (!), there's a truly beautiful bit of PJ Harvey performing "Ballad Of The Soldier's Wife". I'm pretty sure I've seen that specific bit floating around online (along with the Nick Cave "Mack The Knife"), but I can't seem to find it now. The whole movie is teriffic, actually, if you manage to get ahold of it.
Always loved this video.
One of the most important videos of all time
ATTN: Rock Hall
