I\u2019ve been meaning for a while to post about a dilemma I\u2019ve had.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s sad when a good band gets sucked into the dark side by a video director with a \u201cvision\u201d. Anyone can make a crappy video, but it\u2019s especially painful to me when it\u2019s a successful band that should know better. Even worse when it\u2019s a song I actually enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given that narrowed definition, I\u2019ve been debating which of two videos I\u2019ve seen truly qualifies as the worst video ever\u2026 the one that does the most damage to a song I really like. In one corner, we have that fusion band-turned-power ballad machine Journey<\/a>, with Separate Ways<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do I really have to say anything here? They\u2019re standing out on a dock, looking all angsty and playing their air instruments. Who talked them into this one? I love Steve Perry<\/a>\u2019s voice, but I have to admit that his over-dramatic posing was bad enough when he was on stage performing. It\u2019s downright painful here. Without a microphone to clutch, he looks like he might rip out his own heart at any moment. Either that, or he really needs more fiber in his diet. You can almost hear Neal Schon<\/a> thinking, \u201cI left Santana for this<\/strong><\/em>?!?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a close fight, but in the other corner we have a truly worthy competitor: Can\u2019t Fight This Feeling<\/a> by REO Speedwagon<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Okay. So live in my head for a moment on this one. I know it\u2019s a cheesy ballad. I know Kevin Cronin<\/a> looks really weird with the big hair and the overly-sincere expression. Try to look past that, though, because there\u2019s so much more<\/em><\/strong> here to make fun of. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, there\u2019s the whole kid-with-the-teddy-bear thing. That\u2019s just weird. Wait for the run-up into the first chorus, though. Watch what happens as Cronin sings, \u201cYou\u2019re a candle in the window\/On a cold dark winter\u2019s night.\u201d I guess the director thinks we can\u2019t handle metaphor. This becomes a theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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