Saturday, October 16, 2010

Under (economic) Pressure


Media Moment: Viral video
Queen Related: Under Pressure used in muppet-sync performance

Another QMS member sent a link to this video today and after watching it, I thought it was interesting on several levels:

1) The video was hosted on a “comedy” site but I didn’t find any humor in the homeless man’s situation, if indeed this is a legitimate appeal for help and not a social satire on the economic slump felt throughout most of the westernized world.

2) From what I remember, the original music video for UP was a montage of imagery meant to underscore the stresses felt by citizens in a turbulent society . . . how to deal with the overwhelming pressures of industrialization. Now, however, it’s the recent global economic pressures that the song seems to reflect.

3) I wonder if this guy was inspired by the recent Muppet performance of Bohemian Rhapsody that made the viral rounds a few months ago.

4) Unlike other fan-created Queen-themed videos that have saturated the Internet over the past few years, this one has a poignancy to it due to a performance that is more akin to video-panhandling rather than a single-minded attempt at fame and glory (ala slide recorder BoRhap dude).

5) This guy has obviously thought through the duet between Mercury and Bowie because he imbues each Kermit with subtle characteristics from each singer and exaggerates their mannerisms to coincide with the lyrics, especially the end sequence where he intertwines the two muppets. He would have crossed the line, however, if he had given one Kermit a moustache and the other two different colored eyes.

6) As a Queen fan witnessing a Queen song used to sell me a hard-luck case, I’m actually motivated to help the guy because of this connection. If it was a non-Queen song being performed, I can’t say that I’d be any more moved to help the guy than I would out of mere compassion. The Queen connection does hit a nerve for me. It would be interesting if Queen fans came to his rescue, or even if Brian or Roger made a donation to his cause.

7) Bottom line: he’s either a huge Queen fan, a huge fan of the song, or merely chose it to plead his case of desperation and rehearsed it perfectly.

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