One of my favorite music video customs is when a celebrity (either a friend of the artist or a random celebrity in general) is the main star of a music video. What I mean by this is all the music videos where a celebrity is basically lip-singing in place of the actual artist. The reasons I love this style of music video is because I feel like a) the people probably had a ton of fun making the video, and b) they usually don’t need a lot of trimmings in order to be considered funny or exciting. One of the most recent videos to do this is Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe. In the video below Carly Rae’s friends (J’Biebs, Selena Gomez, Ashley Tisdale and more!) dance, lip sing, and all around have fun.
Here are some other classic videos with also do the same thing.
Paul Simon: You Can Call Me Al:
Why I love this video: Not only is this song so catchy, and fun (although I know maybe 10% of the lyrics), but it stars Chevy Chase as Paul Simon! It doesn’t need a lot of frills or special effects. It’s just two dudes hanging out in a semi pink lit room playing random instruments (including a pen flute!), and yet I’m literally enthralled every time I watch it.
Elton John: I Want Love:
Why I love this video: Because I love everything with Robert Downey Jr. No MATTER WHAT! But seriously. How amazing is he in this video? Its important to note that RDJ did this video right before/as his career was resurrecting itself. This isn’t the only Elton song on the list, and it had me wondering if he just felt like he didn’t love the way he looked anymore and had to get relatively attractive ‘younguns’ to sing in his place? Discuss…
Sara Bareilles: Uncharted:
Why I love this video: This video wins MAJOR points from me for putting Adam Levine, Pharell Williams, and Josh Groban in the same 4 minute clip. It involves a bevy of music artists lip-syncing Sara’s tune and is really fun to watch. Is Sara friend with all these people? And if so, can I be her friend so I know all of them by extension?
Fiona Apple: Not About Love:
Why I love this video: Didn’t every woman growing up in the 90’s go through a Fiona Apple phase? That being said how fabulous is it that Zach Galifianakis, who was not at all famous at the time is the star of this video singing Fiona’s lyrics with her voice? This isn’t his only video appearance on this list either…
Snow Patrol: Called Out in the Dark:
Why I love this video: I’m not sure why I love this video more; the fact that Gemma from Ringer plays the director of the music video or the fact that Jack Davenport plays the lead singer of snow patrol while the ACTUAL lead singer of snow patrol plays a desperate stand-in wishing he was the star. Ps for all of you who aren’t a freak like me who recognizes every celebrity, you might recognize Jack Davenport from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, or NBC’s Smash.
Elton John: This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore:
Why I love this video: Justin Timberlake! Yes that is JT in full 70’s Elton garb. It was this video that made Elton believe that JT should play him in a biopic on Elton Johns life (and who would be the first person in line to see that movie? 3 guesses). JT does have the look down for sure (even down to the teeth, details people!). I guess it’s interesting to note that this is the only video on the list where the celebrity actually dresses up like the person to which they are lip synching.
Beastie Boys: Make Some Noise:
Why I love this video: Well most of you who have previously read my blog know that I love this video in general for the 1,000,000 celebrity cameos in general. But the brilliance of this video, aside from the fact that the beasties made music that was actually good 20 years after their debut, is the casting of the 3 boys. Knowing the beasties are too old to act like partying fools they hired thee current actors who have played stoners pretty recently (including Elijah Wood in the very oddball series Wilfred). Whatever the case, the whole video is brilliant to me.
Kanye West: Can’t Tell Me Nothing:
Why I love this video: Who doesn’t want to see a super white weirdo singing Kanye West? The greatness of this video stems not only from the fact that Zach Galifianakis is the Kanye of this scenario, but also the fact that this song about Kanye telling his haters virtually to go screw themselves, and how he deals with the pressure of fame, is sung by random white people on a farm in a COMPLETELY serious way. Favorite part is when all those random milk maid style girls are dancing with the guy in overalls. Classic.
Bonus Video:
The Black Keys: Lonely Boy:
Technically speaking this is not a celebrity lip-synced video so it couldn’t be included in the list above, but it’s so great. This random dude at a random looking motel singing and dancing to black keys= Perfection.
Did I miss your favorites? Post about them below!
