How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Arctic Monkeys, Modest Mouse, Green Day, The White Stripes, Duran Duran, The Darkness, The Rasmus, Tenacious D, Rammstein, Enya, Pet Shop Boys, System Of A Down
They are the performers of twelve vintage amusing, puzzling and sometimes shocking videos of songs that were ranked in the UK charts, this week (47/52) BUT… in the Noughties 2000s.
1. Which unusual location exclusively stocked the vinyl for Arctic Monkeys’ “Cornerstone”?
- A HMV stores
- B Oxfam shops
- C Museum gift shops
2. What animal is featured in the music video for Modest Mouse’s “Ocean Breathes Salty”?
- A A fox
- B A bird
- C A cat
3. Green Day’s “Jesus of Suburbia” is known for what notable trait?
- A Its five-act structure
- B Its lack of lyrics
- C Its collaboration with a rap artist
4. What quirky cameo does the music video for the White Stripes’ track feature?
- A Johnny Depp
- B Beck
- C Quentin Tarantino
5. Who co-wrote and solely produced Duran Duran’s “Falling Down”?
- A Mark Ronson
- B Justin Timberlake
- C Nile Rodgers
6. What noticeable sound effect starts The Darkness’ “One Way Ticket”?
- A A cash register
- B A crash cymbal
- C A sniff representing cocaine
7. What symbolic imagery appears in the music video for The Rasmus’ “Sail Away”?
- A Lightning bolts
- B Black butterflies
- C Red roses
8. Which director created the music video for Tenacious D’s “Wonderboy”?
- A Michel Gondry
- B Spike Jonze
- C Gus Van Sant
9. What distinctive stage feature is used during Rammstein’s performances of “Feuer frei!”?
- A Giant steel wings
- B Flame-shooting masks
- C Snow machines
10. For what event did Enya donate “Only Time” proceeds?
- A Tsunami relief efforts
- B September 11 victims’ fund
- C Amazon rainforest preservation
11. How was the Pet Shop Boys’ vinyl single uniquely scented?
- A Rose
- B Lavender
- C Cinnamon
12. The music video for System of a Down’s “Hypnotize” includes footage from what type of event?
- A An art gallery
- B A live concert
- C A documentary screening
For TWENTY FOUR more ‘Vous Avez Dit Bizarre’ – Vintage 2000s Music Videos – week 47/52 – click here and here
Tracklist
1 . Arctic Monkeys – Cornerstone |
| Arctic Monkeys’ “Cornerstone” melds Alex Turner’s vivid lyrics with a tender guitar and nostalgic organs, crafting a tale of love’s haunting presence and echoes of a lost romance. The minimalist video is directed by Richard Ayoade a.k.a. Maurice Moss of “The IT Crowd.” |
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Featured on the 2009 album “Humbug“. Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site |
2 . Modest Mouse – Ocean Breathes Salty |
‘Will you tell me what you saw and I’ll tell you what you missed’
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| Modest Mouse’s “Ocean Breathes Salty” combines an ethereal synth line with Isaac Brock’s reflective lyrics on loss and remembrance. The song pledges to internalize the departed’s essence, promising to keep their spirit alive within. The music video, directed by Chris Milk, features a young boy and an injured bird (or more precisely a man in a bird suit), symbolizing Brock, dealing with themes of life, death, and carrying on. |
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Featured on the 2004 album “Good News for People Who Love Bad News”. Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site |
3 . Green Day – Jesus Of Suburbia |
‘I read the graffiti in the bathroom stall Like the holy scriptures’
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| Green Day’s “Jesus of Suburbia” is a 9-minute epic painting a raw portrait of youth disillusionment. Billie Joe Armstrong’s lyrics narrate the story of a suburban anti-hero seeking purpose amidst chaos and self-destruction. The song is split into movements, showcasing Green Day’s musical evolution with refined guitar work and dynamic structure. Samuel Bayer’s music video, featuring indie actors Lou Taylor Pucci and Kelli Garner, captures the track’s spirit. |
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Featured on the 2004 album “American Idiot“. Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site |
4 . The White Stripes – Hardest Button To Button |
| Utilizing a blend of straightforward and clever production methods, ‘The Hardest Button to Button’ music video by The White Stripes, directed by Michel Gondry, showcases the duo as they move through a cityscape with musical instruments that sequentially come into and fade out of view, keeping time with the music. A noteworthy feature of the video is a guest appearance by musician Beck with a little red box, infusing an extra touch of allure to this already classic visual experience. |
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Featured on the 2003 album “Elephant“. Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site |
5 . Duran Duran – Falling Down (w/ Justin Timberlake) |
‘Howling at all this corrosion’
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| Duran Duran’s “Falling Down,” produced with Justin Timberlake, is a nuanced pop track with a music video set in a rehab facility, portraying the band members as medical staff. Directed by Anthony Mandler, the video’s commentary on the public’s consumption of star downfalls and celebrity breakdowns features model who are the look-alikes of famous stars in crisis, drawing parallels to the media frenzy around Britney Spears’ personal struggles. |
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Featured on the 2007 album “Red Carpet Massacre”. Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site |
6 . The Darkness – One Way Ticket |
‘Chewing my face off, talking absolute rubbish’
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| The Darkness’s “One Way Ticket” is a dynamic opening to their album, heralding their distinctive style with an infectious mix of hard rock and pop. The track starts with an unconventional pan-flute intro, leading into Justin Hawkins’ falsetto vocals and catchy riffs, peppered with sitar solos and oriental melodies. The song humorously confronts Hawkins’ cocaine addiction, eschewing rock clichés for a candid take on substance abuse. The music video is directed by Tim Pope. |
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Featured on the 2005 album “One Way Ticket to Hell… and Back”. Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site |
7 . The Rasmus – Sail Away |
| The music video for “Sail Away” by The Rasmus, shot on a beach in Riga, Latvia, is co-directed by Christoph Mangler and Mathias Vielsäcker. |
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Featured on the 2005 album “Hide from the Sun”. Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site |
8 . Tenacious D – Wonderboy |
‘How about the power To move you’
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| With a King-Arthur-esque Jack Black, the music video for Tenacious D’s “Wonderboy” is directed by Spike Jonze. |
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Featured on the 2001 album “Tenacious D”. Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site |
9 . Rammstein – Feuer Frei! |
| Rammstein’s “Feuer Frei!” is a high-octane track with lyrics, laden with raw, aggressive imagery, that explore themes of pain and desire, magnified by Till Lindemann’s powerful delivery. Directed by Rob Cohen, the music video showcases Rammstein’s signature blend of industrial metal with pyrotechnic theatrics. |
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Featured on the 2001 album “Mutter”. Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site |
10 . Enya – Only Time |
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| Enya’s “Only Time” is a serene track that ponders the mysteries of time and life’s unpredictable journey. The accompanying music video, directed by Graham Fink, features Enya in vivid displays of the four seasons, reinforcing the song’s timeless message. |
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Featured on the 2000 album “A Day Without Rain”. |
11 . Pet Shop Boys – Miracles |
‘Rain wouldn’t dare to fall near you here’
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| Co-produced with drum and bass talents Adam F and Dan Fresh and orchestrated by Anne Dudley, “Miracles” by Pet Shop Boys is a melodious ode to the euphoria of new love, described through the “pathetic fallacy” where nature responds to human emotion. Directed by Howard Greenhalgh, the music video paints a world transformed by love, where even the weather seems altered by the beloved’s presence. |
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Featured on the 2003 album “PopArt: The Hits”. Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site |
12 . System Of A Down – Hypnotize |
| For “Hypnotize,” the music video features footage from the System Of A Down’s 2005 concert at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. |
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Featured on the 2005 album “Hypnotize”. Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site |
And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. The vinyl for Arctic Monkeys’ “Cornerstone” was exclusively available at Oxfam shops. A clever distribution choice by the band at the time.
2. A bird plays a central role in the “Ocean Breathes Salty” video, portrayed metaphorically by lead singer Isaac Brock. Ancient animal symbolism, anyone?
3. “Jesus of Suburbia” is divided into five sections, keeping you engaged for over nine minutes — or approximately a coffee break.
4. The music video for the White Stripes’ track includes a cameo by Beck. Just a casual appearance as a friend rather than a stranger.
5. “Falling Down” was co-written and solely produced by Justin Timberlake. Quite a career expansion from boy bands to British rock.
6. “One Way Ticket” by The Darkness begins with the sound of snorting cocaine. Subtlety was not on the set list in this case.
7. The video for “Sail Away” features black butterflies among other symbolic imagery. Not your average visual metaphors by the sea.
8. Spike Jonze directed Tenacious D’s “Wonderboy” video, transforming mere rock into mythological adventure.
9. Rammstein uses flame-shooting masks while performing “Feuer frei!”, adding literal fire to their already fiery performances.
10. Enya donated proceeds from “Only Time” to victims of the September 11 attacks. Her music became a symbol of eternal reflection.
11. The Pet Shop Boys’ vinyl single was scented with lavender. A musically aromatic experience for all vinyl enthusiasts.
12. The video for “Hypnotize” includes live concert footage, capturing the band’s dynamic stage presence and audience engagement.
For THE FULL ‘VOUS AVEZ DIT BIZARRE’ COLLECTION click here
NB . You may wonder what are these “Quotes” attached to certain photos above. Well! For a specific song, we select a still image from the video on one side and choose a lyric from the song on the other side. We ensure that the lyric has a connection to the image, although sometimes the connection may be far-fetched or based on a double entendre, creating a humorous or meme-like combination when the two are merged together. Et voilà!
Love Quotes • Will you tell me what you saw and I’ll tell you what you missed (Modest Mouse) • I read the graffiti in the bathroom stall Like the holy scriptures (Green Day) • Howling at all this corrosion (Duran Duran) • Chewing my face off, talking absolute rubbish (The Darkness) • How about the power To move you (Tenacious D) • Rain wouldn’t dare to fall near you here (Pet Shop Boys) •
Music-wise : Pop, Dance Pop, Rock, R&B
