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March 22, 2006

1,188 Luftballoons

Set your Tivos! This Sunday, VH1 Classic will air a full hour of Nena's "99 Luftballons" (both English and German versions).

Before you cry "publicity stunt," it's actually part of the channel's Pay To Play For Hurricane Katrina Relief campaign, in which viewers donated money in exchange for the opportunity to program hour-long video blocks.

For his allotted hour, one donor requested the music video for Nena's 1984 hit, and Classic has obliged. If you JUST CAN'T WAIT for an hour of Nena, our favorite showbiz friend/foe delivers.

If I was forced to watch one video continuously for an hour, I would choose... actually, can't think of one. Can you?

Posted at 3:45 PM




54 Comments

This one.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zyTKvk5XAGw

And upon discovering youtube, I did watch it over and over again for an hour.

Posted by: BAM! at 03/22/06 3:59 PM | Reply
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I think I would watch Kylie Minogue's video Come Into My World, directed by Michel Gondry. Before you let out your Indie-Yuppie snyde remarks, watch the video. I personally don't like Kylie's music at all, but the video is pure genious and speaks for itself.

Posted by: eyun at 03/22/06 4:03 PM | Reply
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the link didn't come through on her video, so here it is:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-223851176750335182&q=come+into+my+world

Posted by: eyun at 03/22/06 4:05 PM | Reply
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a-Ha – Take On Me

Posted by: Take That at 03/22/06 4:06 PM | Reply
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The Macarena song. I want to drive more people insane while channel flipping.

Posted by: Alex at 03/22/06 4:14 PM | Reply
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California - Wax. I could watch guys on fire run all day long.

Posted by: ThePope at 03/22/06 4:16 PM | Reply
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I'd probably watch the Beaties "Sabatoge" for an hour with no complaints.

Posted by: Jen at 03/22/06 4:24 PM | Reply
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Scratch that, BAM! is right. That video is epic, innovative, and represents what VH1 is about. Fyi, VH1 is about air keyboarding outside a warehouse.

Posted by: Alex at 03/22/06 4:25 PM | Reply
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Obviously that was supposed to say "Beasties".

Posted by: Jen at 03/22/06 4:25 PM | Reply
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I love "California" -- song and video.

"Separate Ways" makes it hard for me to believe those guys got any groupies.

Posted by: scott at 03/22/06 4:26 PM | Reply
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as a graphic designer, i can without a doubt say this looks like crap—or worse.

Posted by: fred at 03/22/06 4:27 PM | Reply
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Is "I am a graphic designer" the new "Clap Your Hands turned them down"? Either way, it's better than "First post, bitches!" So no complaints here!

Posted by: scott at 03/22/06 4:29 PM | Reply
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Lionel Ritchie - Hello

Posted by: Diego at 03/22/06 4:35 PM | Reply
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I could watch The Soundtrack Of Our Lives "Sister Surround" for a full hour and not mind one bit. Just a perfect rock & roll song/video.

Posted by: David at 03/22/06 4:38 PM | Reply
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The new Pipettes video.

Posted by: Michael at 03/22/06 4:40 PM | Reply
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Shouldn't it just be 188 luftballoons?

Posted by: Max at 03/22/06 4:52 PM | Reply
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Hands down Alan Parsons Project, "Don't Answer Me." Although I'm no graphic designer.

Posted by: Burton at 03/22/06 5:06 PM | Reply
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From Your Mouth by God Lives Underwater - directed by Roman Coppola. Once I start, I can't stop watching it. The guy just keeps pulling food out of his mouth.

The secret is that we're seeing the film in reverse - the guy was actually eating the food during filming.

You can watch it on sputnik7.com, and probably other places too.

Posted by: Daphne at 03/22/06 5:11 PM | Reply
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This one:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vfUnbEYbpLg
or any other music video w/boobies, I guess.

Posted by: brainville at 03/22/06 5:39 PM | Reply
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around the world by daft punk

Posted by: jenny-fer at 03/22/06 5:52 PM | Reply
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"Shouldn't it just be 188 luftballoons?" -Max

Actually, I think they were going for what an hour's worth of "99 Luftballons" would be. iTunes music store lists the track at 5:06, or 306 seconds. With 3600 seconds in an hour, they could play the track 11.76 times, which would be 1165 Luftballons by my count.

Or, you could just round up and do 12x99=1188.

I'm a huge nerd. I know.

Posted by: Kevin at 03/22/06 6:01 PM | Reply
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i could watch the video for "days go by" by Dirty Vegas a few times over..

theres no conflict in the world that cant be solved by breakdancing..

Posted by: cesar at 03/22/06 6:02 PM | Reply
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Thanks for the link eyan. I've never seen Kylie Minogue's video for that song and thanks to you I finally got around to doing so.

Posted by: Blair at 03/22/06 6:14 PM | Reply
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OMG, that God Lives Underwater video...

A friend who as at the shoot told me it was the THIRD TAKE that ended up as the video.

Then he had a tummyache.

Posted by: scott at 03/22/06 6:24 PM | Reply
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"Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak. A whole hour....? I don't want to clean up the puddle on the chair.

Posted by: Jen at 03/22/06 6:28 PM | Reply
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i'd wanna watch yeah yeah yeahs "y control." i just love the vibe with the creepy kids that cuss.

Posted by: Joey at 03/22/06 6:38 PM | Reply
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BAM!, Alex: I think that, more than air keyboarding and the stiletto/black leather skirt/white leather jacket combo, VH1 exists to make us relive our 80s fashion crimes.

Confess! Confess! Repent! Repent!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D9fu2NQmD8

Posted by: Colin McKay at 03/22/06 6:38 PM | Reply
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I love Grand National video.

http://www.grand-national.net/site/av/

Posted by: emily at 03/22/06 6:45 PM | Reply
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Sigur Ros - Glosoli --> http://www.emichrysalis.co.uk/quicktime/sigur_ros/glosoli/index.php?version=7.030&bandwidth=100000

just because if I had to watch for an an hour I'd like a song I wouldn't get sick of as well.

but that Grand National video was awesome!

Posted by: TheHumanComa at 03/22/06 8:40 PM | Reply
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wait no, changed my mind.

Kashmir - Curse of Being a Girl
http://www.kashmir.dk/discography/no_balance_palace/index.php?item_id=8&video=3

Posted by: TheHumanComa at 03/22/06 8:43 PM | Reply
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Radiohead, "Just"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CzEdITdGht4&search=radiohead%20just

or,

Radiohead, "Street Spirit"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BrZTNhW44-o&search=radiohead%20street%20spirit

or that Kylie video.

Posted by: Todd at 03/22/06 8:54 PM | Reply
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This isn't a music video, but if I had to pick anything to watch for an hour straight, it'd have to be the Honda "Cog" ad:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kh97oYCJ-Ok

Does anyone believe the story that it took 301 takes to finally get it right?

Posted by: Devin at 03/22/06 9:08 PM | Reply
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Sigur Ros - Untitled #1
or
Gigi D'Agostino - The Riddle

Posted by: Megan at 03/22/06 10:25 PM | Reply
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blur - coffee and tv

Posted by: dennis at 03/22/06 10:33 PM | Reply
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jamiroquai - cosmic girl

Posted by: j at 03/22/06 11:14 PM | Reply
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"Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim. What a great video. Could watch hours and hours of it.

Posted by: lex at 03/22/06 11:40 PM | Reply
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bjork - joga

Posted by: jimbo at 03/23/06 12:03 AM | Reply
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I married a graphic designer and I'd watch Gondry's video for "Hardest Button To Button" until I threw up (probably after 12 minutes or so.)

Posted by: Skatelip at 03/23/06 2:25 AM | Reply
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I would say one of those Michael Jackson shorts, because you'd only watch it like two times, but then again, they're creepy ass Michael Jackson shorts.

Posted by: germ at 03/23/06 5:55 AM | Reply
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As a balloon manufacturer, I can without a doubt say this looks like joga — or worse.

Posted by: LL Cool F at 03/23/06 8:58 AM | Reply
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shakespear's sister - "stay"

that video was crazy and i still remember it even though i haven't seen it in about 12 years

Posted by: megs at 03/23/06 9:42 AM | Reply
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Marilyn Manson's "Lunchbox" video for an hour. It would be more of an endurance test than a request. Finally, I would come to understand his genius.

Posted by: Sarah at 03/23/06 9:56 AM | Reply
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Radiohead-Just

Posted by: Jen at 03/23/06 11:09 AM | Reply
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Radiohead-Just

Posted by: Jen at 03/23/06 11:10 AM | Reply
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NEW VINES ALBUM:

http://www.webvomit.org/

March 22 post.

Posted by: Chun-Li at 03/23/06 11:34 AM | Reply
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Radiohead "Paranoid Android"

Peter Gabriel "Sledgehammer"

Prodigy "Smack My Bitch Up"

White Stripes "Fell in Love with a Girl"

Posted by: he he...all right! at 03/23/06 11:35 AM | Reply
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the chauffeur-duran duran
hott girl on girl action!

Posted by: kickboy face at 03/23/06 2:01 PM | Reply
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Tom Petty - don't come around here no more

Best video ever.

Posted by: kiteless at 03/23/06 2:41 PM | Reply
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That Louis XIV video with the Suicide Girls
(on mute of course)

Posted by: Dan at 03/23/06 6:19 PM | Reply
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The Weekend
http://youtube.com/watch?v=y5RP3t-MXww

Posted by: shoepal at 03/24/06 12:54 PM | Reply
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I love the Just video! Saw it once and loved it and have told many people about it since. Thank you!

Posted by: sasefina at 03/25/06 4:10 PM | Reply
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I would probably watch "Parabola" by Tool, simply 'cause at over 10 minutes I wouldn't have to watch it that many times :P

Seriously though? Probably OK Go's "Million Ways" dancy thing: http://www.okgo.net/video.asp

Posted by: Phil Urich at 03/26/06 6:35 PM | Reply
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Okay, So, I'm about 12 minutes into the hourlong set. By friend Ben, now can play every part of the song. The german version is way better, likely because even though i know what Nena's saying i can dance better to the words i don't know.

Posted by: Jake at 03/27/06 2:27 AM | Reply
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N.E.R.D. - Lapdance.

It's a very uplifting video.

Posted by: Grub at 03/27/06 6:59 AM | Reply
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