The video for "The Words That Maketh Murder"

[Thatwaslove]

Saw it on Muzu the other day, just wondered what people thought about it?

I didn't like it, personally. I think that the video should enhance the listenabilty of the song - for a song that's quirky and non-catchy to begin with, making a quirky video was the wrong way to go IMO.

I couldn't see any other threads that I could jump onto so decided to start my own!

D

[astroboy64]

PJ Harvey loves ambiguity, so we'll never get anything other than quirky videos. Personally, I really liked the imagery in the video, particularly the dancers at...Blackpool?

[somme]

How can you say the song is 'non-catchy'? It whizzes around most peoples head after only one listen. Everyone I've played it to anyways.

[Hell and High Water]

It's been running around in my head for weeks, starting shortly after I wake up!

I like the video, the dancers really stick in my mind too. All these bored looking people, going through the motions of enjoying themselves while PJ is singing about murder. They don't care about anything.

[Teclo25]

I love it, a lot more than her earlier videos. People are going off to war in other countries, dying, getting injured, longing for family and/or lovers, watching their comrades die; Meanwhile back at home, there's dancers, a chick doing her makeup while waiting for the train, kids playing war video games. War is happening yet the world keeps turning. In my opinion, the new album and the video seem to share that point of view.

[DeBarra]

Love the old people dancing! I wondered if it was the same place they made "Is That All There Is?"

[Shadowboxer]

I think the videos are cool, but honestly, I would've preferred it if they released "official" videos with a storyline for the singles in addition to the Seamus short films.

[Skladunk]

I liked it enormously!
But also had to pause and ask myself - where is the relevance? - especially in the last part...
My guess is that Seamus Murphy was given as little introduction to the music and lyrics as the rest of the world.
And he certainly wouldn't have wanted to pin the songs down in the same way PJ always refuses to do - to any extent.
Maybe the dancers just mirror the slow foxtrot-kinda-rhythm with the sax'n'trombone chorus?!
Or could the sequence of clips be a version of something u've seen, but want to forget?!?! XD
(reminds me of a comment made about "Plants and Rags/ Ease myself into at body bag" - they were just words that went well together - no deeper meaning intended)

[Thatwaslove]

So is the Shamus one is not an official video?

I was just comparing it to my favourites, like "C'Mon Billy" that at least relates to the song - this video just seemed very random.

Maybe I'll give it another go and it will grow on me, as you all seem to like it

[somme]

It seems to relate to the song to me.

[Lara]

[Skladunk]

I think the track is great, but I particularly love the video with people going about their normal lives.

There's something incredibly appealing and comforting about normality in this crazy world we live in.

I know what you mean - believe me!
But doesn't it bug you just a tiny bit that we can just go about our normal lives and have war being something comfortably on a distance on the news?
In this respect I find Murphy's film really underlining the importance of the theme of the song - once you've seen war, how can you actually go back to old-age ballroom dancing og caring more of your make-up on the tube?!
Maybe you have to, but you'll never forget it... once you've seen war with your own eyes.

[DeBarra]

I never really liked storyline videos as I thought it detracted from the song. Or were too over the top - see Bush's "Greedy Fly", haha.

No one will ever top "Man-Size" IMO. Not even PJ apparently!

Definition of raw power.