One of the best aspects of music is its ability to mesh
the most unlikely disparities into one very pleasing tune. Think about the new Jack White song, “Love Interruption.” He sings longing for
love, but that request comes the most an array of unromantic desires- “I want
love to roll me over slowly stick a knife inside me, and twist it all around...”
to name one. Another example goes by
the name “Pumped Up Kicks,” the popular Foster the People song. [Check out those lyrics.] These two songs share the perverse ability to
turn such shocking statements into a something far from unfavorable.
That isn't the exact case of the Arctic Monkey's song "Fluorescent
Adolescent." No, its lyrics doesn't demand any such ill mannered requests; here it’s the visuals that are called to
questioning. The music video for "Fluorescent Adolescent" involves a man and his posse dressed up as clowns trying
to bash the brains of a rival group.
Other than the unfortunate association these characters have with serial
killers and messed up B-horror films, clowns used to be seen as symbols
of impeccable joy and childlike entertainment.
Bu these clowns share none of these qualities.
When I first watched this, I immediately called to
mind a comparison with a scene from Stanley Kubrick’s 1971film adaptation of “AClockwork Orange”- you have a bunch of weirdoes dressed up in outlandish
clothing trying to kill each other. But unlike
the mindless chaos brought forth by Alex in “Clockwork,” our clown here seems
to acknowledge his wrongdoings. Working
in stride with Turner’s lyrics- “Where did you go?” the clown puts down his
fists for a moment to think. He looks
back and remembers what he was once-a sweet-hearted and innocent young boy, now
grown up and dressed up as a clown mindlessly whacking people’s brains out. “The best you ever had is just a memory...” Something he realizes a bit too late.
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