Music Discussions

For the third installment of my video analysis series, I present "Mope" by Bloodhound Gang. This video is an homage to all things ’80’s and, at times, is extremely humorous.

The very beginning features a woman in a powdered wig repeating "rock me Amadeus" referencing the wildly popular song by Falco. Metallica’s very recognizable opening sequence from "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is sampled for background music during the chorus. Two men in dressed in leather dance in front of a rainbow during lines from "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Luciano Pavarotti is implied to be out of shape. Also, throughout the video placards with words are held in a manner reminiscent of the video of "Mediate" by INXS.

The assault on popular media from the 80’s doesn’t stop with music though. Television is also referenced heavily with allusions to "Golden Girls", "Cops", "Party of Five", and even the entire Weather Channel. The shows referenced were highly popular for their time and parodies of them were – and still are – plentiful. The Weather Channel on the other hand was a background noise staple in many households.

Products referenced in the song and video range from fast food through toys. McDonald’s "Shamrock Shake", the never-popular Flowbee, the always fun Etch-A-Sketch, and Silly Putty among others. I realize that Silly Putty is much older than the 80’s, but it seemed to make a resurgence then and I had several eggs of the foul-smelling, dirt-attracting gunk.

Popular – and sometimes idiotic – trends are also acknowledged. Recycling, which received much press, is referenced if only so that the Bloodhound Gang can make a fart joke. Recording television shows to watch later, which wasn’t possible for most people until VCRs became widely available during the 1980s, receives mention. Also, speed reading, which seemed to have some scheme advertised in the back of every comic is not ignored.

However, the best fusion of two popular concepts from the 80’s occurs near the end of the video. The infamous Pac-Man shows up offering the band members cocaine. The group, remembering the words of Nancy Reagan, says no. I mean really, tell me Pac-Man wasn’t on drugs; he thinks he’s being chased by ghosts, pops a couple of "power pellets" and suddenly believes he’s invincible. I think the Bloodhound Gang accurately described much of problem with the 80’s in that one short conversation.