Ten Music Videos Better Than The Songs

Music videos are a great way to get a song noticed. Especially when the video is more than just the artist standing there singing. Over the years we’ve seen some amazingly inventive music videos, they make the song more memorable with cool visuals and sometimes even tell a story all on their own! And some times the video is so amazing and so well done..that it kind of eclipse’s the song. You hear the song and you kinda think “Yeah that’s nice, but man that was a cool video!”.

Here are five examples of what I mean, and please remember I am not saying any of these songs are bad. Far from it! I am just saying the video makes them a little better, or to use another word-memorable.



Say Say Say
I talked about this way way back when I discussed my favorite music videos. But it inspired this idea, so here we are. The song, by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson, is OK but the video make so much more. The song actually becomes the backdrop for this story of two con artists scamming their way through a couple towns. I don’t think the two are even connected, but man is the video a lot of fun.

Take on Me
The style of this video is almost iconic, I’d wager many recognize the images of the video without even knowing what the song is who it was singing it (a-ha). Taking the same idea as the last video, here we get a story within the video which probably has nothing to do it the actual song. The story is of a woman joining a man in a comic universe and has all kinda of cool pencil sketch animation. It’s much cool then I am making it sound, check it out!

You Might Think
OK ok, if you do remember that other list (and a round of applause if you do) then you know this song was on it also. Also on another list I did, I need to see more videos! I promise this is the last repeat. But let’s be honest, this song would be nowhere without the cool early CGI visuals in the video. That’s what people remember when they hear the song. The song is kinda, creepy. I always wanted to do an article on stalker songs which this definitely is!

Amish Paradise
You could argue that all of Weird Al’s music work better as videos than just the plain songs. But I think that is really true in this case. Much like how a lot of comics today are “written for the trade”, I think some artists write their songs to the visuals of the video. The song works fine but it really needs the scenes to add to it. This parody of “Gangsta’s Paradise” is awesome.

I Will Always Love You
You don’t always need a new breakthrough concept for a memorable video. When I hear this song I can’t help but remember that image of Whitney sitting in the chair (as my girlfriend pointed out when I would comment, she was doing so because she was pregnant at the time). The song is fantastic but somehow the simple and beautiful visuals and scenes from the movie “Bodyguard” elevate the song into something, well, unforgettable.

What do you mean, they used this in “Far From Home”?





When Doves Cry
Not gonna lie, I was never a Prince fan. Nothing wrong with him, just not a fave. I hear this song on the radio though, and I think of the video. The song is fine but I think it works better with the video. Could be why MTV played it all the damn time!

Bad Romance
Yeah this isn’t really a surprise. Lady Gaga is a true performer and while her songs are great, they are always better with the actual performance. This is a prime example of what I mean.

Like a Prayer
Pepsi had to learn the hard way to check the video out before you sign a commercial deal to use a new a song in your ads. If they had, they mav have realized what Madonna was singing about. FYI their ad aired once and never again. The song is, well..just watch.

Walk Away
I fell in love with this video, and I have no idea why. I like the song alone just fine but there’s just something about the video I can’t get enough of.

Finally, a video I wanted to talk about for awhile but never found the right opportunity.
We Are The World
When you hear this song on the radio it’s fine, but it really means more when you can see for yourself all the celebrities in it. “We are the World” was one of, I think, the first time’s artists came together for a cause. Of course that cause was USA for Africa. Weird how you never hear about that anymore. There were others like this, including Band-Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas” which technically came first, but this is the one that really worked. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones. With those credentials you know you have something! With sales in excess of 20 million copies, it is one of fewer than 30 retail singles to have sold at least 10 million copies worldwide. And if you are a well known artist in 1985, you were in this video. This is one of those moments that defined the 80’s. And yes it was re-done in 2010 after the earthquake in Haiti. Folks I could go one but instead you can check out more info if you want, and enjoy!

So comment on any videos you think eclipse the song they were made for. Speaking of that, I considered “Total Eclipse of the Heart” but I loved that song before I’d ever seen the admittedly weird and memorable music video. Buuttt…..ok here it is and man is it trippy!!!