Parody is the sincerest form of flattery
Typing in the name of any popular song on YouTube will lead to a slew of parody videos – most of which were made in people’s basements. There’s also a number of professional parodies — most of you have probably seen Alanis Morrissette’s version of “My Humps” or any number of Weird Al videos.
However, some artists have referenced other bands in the videos for their own original songs. These videos, though often amusing, are many times done more as homage than parody — here’s a couple from the past few years that you might have missed…
Video: Dresden Dolls – “Shores of California”
References: David Lee Roth – “California Girls”
I remember Roth’s video receiving a lot of criticism for being sexist when it was first released in 1985. Looking back now, it seems pretty tame. The Dresden Dolls clearly saw the humor, creating a clever spoof for “Shores of California.” I have to say, I’d much rather have Amanda Palmer for my tour guide.
Video: Chromeo – “Bonafied Lovin”
References: Dire Straits – “Money for Nothin”
It’s amazing to look back at the Dire Straits video and remember how it was the height of high tech imagery when it came out in the early ‘80s. Chromeo, who clearly have a fair bit of affection for ‘80s music anyway, create a nice retro tribute in this clip.
Video: Fall Out Boy – “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s an Arms Race”
References: Avenged Sevenfold – “Seize the Day”/ Fall Out Boy’s internet scandal
Look, I’m certainly not the world’s biggest fan of Fall Out Boy, but I have to give credit where credit’s due — this is a well done satire and shows a charming willingness to self parody. There are two clear spoofs here: one being the incident in which FOB bassist Pete Wentz had naked photos of himself all over the internet, and the other Avenged Sevenfold’s ridiculous coffin guitar solo scene.
Video: The Matches – “Salty Eyes”
References: Bob Dylan – “Subterranean Homesick Blues”
Bob Dylan’s famous clip where he flips sheets of paper with his song’s lyrics on them is one of the most instantly recognizable in video history. In their video for “Salty Eyes,” The Matches update this concept using old televisions to “flip” the lyrics to their song. A great homage and an intriguing video all on its own.
Video: Lil Mama – “Shawty Get Loose”
References: Michael/Janet Jackson – “Scream”
The most interesting thing about this video is that, despite it being an homage to Michael and Janet’s “Scream” clip, it really doesn’t look so very different from a lot of other futuristic hip hop videos out there now. In fact, if it wasn’t for the anime screen shots in the background, I’m not entirely sure I would’ve picked up on what this was referencing. Interesting, since at the time “Scream” was made, it really was a one of a kind video.
What are some of your favorite parody videos? Leave a comment and let us know!
Tags: chromeo, dresden dolls, fall out boy, lil mama, the matches
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