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May 22, 2007

Video Hangover: Al Jarreau - "Mornin'"

Every week, we dig in the archives for videos that we find noteworthy, memorable, or just unbelievably stupid. And then, we break 'em down for you. Why Video Hangover? Because when you watch as many videos as we do, you're going to feel it afterwards.

"Mornin'"
Al Jarreau, 1983

Al Jarreau gets so high he thinks he's Peabo Bryson.

Mornin' Mr. Ad Sales Man
We have no idea whether this was an officially sanctioned General Mills joint, but mentioning the Cheerios by name was a brilliant play for marketing dollars. Jarreau was clearly a man ahead of his time when it came to product placement. Check out the plug for the San Francisco chamber of commerce, the Levitra-ready plant-stiffening scene, and the vaguely racist shoeshine boy, who is buffing a bionic prosthesis that will not even be invented until the year 2133.

For the record, we do not endorse trying this at home -- or anywhere else
An Al Jarreau sweater happens when you relax your eyes and stare at a Cosby Sweater until the sailboat appears.

Also, stop talking to your breakfast cereal
"Higher" means "happier," not "messed up on cough syrup." Right, we get it. But here's a quick word of advice: If you don't want people making jokes about you taking drugs, don't make a video in which you 1) prance around a pastel, animated town, 2) run up the Golden Gate Bridge, and 3) take a hydraulic lift to a balloon ride to a cloud. People might get the wrong idea.


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5 Comments

It's a shame how a great song was massacred by that 'sunny' video.

Posted by: dudeasincool at 05/22/07 1:22 PM  | Reply
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song of the south + vice city = mornin'

Posted by: jim at 05/22/07 2:07 PM  | Reply
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If it ain't saying "coked up", it certainly is inferring "queer nation".

DwD

Posted by: Dw Dunphy at 05/23/07 10:31 PM  | Reply
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The author of this review must have really taken his hate pill to find so much wrong with the Mornin' video. I suggest lightening up a little. If Jarreau had pastel-coloured hair, was bling-laden, and rapped out epithets about cops and bitches, the review might have had been milder. Remember, this was 1983. Most serious songwriters and musicians recognize that "Cherios" might have fit perfectly in the emotion intended. Childlike though it may be, the musician roster included some of the industry's greatest: David Foster, Michael O'Martian, Jay Graydon. Only an ill-informed, maybe even envious, critic could miss the beauty in this unusual production.

Posted by: Joel at 11/16/07 1:11 PM  | Reply
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Love this video! Back when MTV was actual music television this was on frequently. Awesome! Who cares what he wears? He is a very talented man. Love you Al!

Posted by: KCisme at 04/01/09 2:46 PM  | Reply
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