How often does a music video turn you round on a song.? At first listen David Bowie's "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" was lyrically intriguing but musically a little tuneless. The "huhuhuhuhuhs" chorus is, of course, a hook of sorts, and after "Where Are We Now" it is certainly lively enough in an aggressive gloomy Gus kinda way. And I wondered, was this a Bowie song of insane paranoia, was he scared the actual stars in the sky were gonna get him?
No such luck but the video is so good it sells the story on its own terms. Bowie and Tilda Swinson play a married couple who have loud rock and roll neighbors move in. Troubling and next thing you know, Bowie is banging on the popstars walls and demanding a Bowie as a youngster knock it off. But wait… the couple of stumbled on a shocking truth: all celebrities are aliens from outer space and immortals. Directed by Floria Sigismodi (who also directed the Runaways) it builds very very nicely from an early denouncement of Brad Pitt to a scary "The stars are never sleeping, the dead ones and the living…"
A really terrific idea and I began listening to the song again, and while, I admit, it will never be a favorite and mostly because the melody isn't there still it has a head of steam and, as these things will, I went back to "Where Are We Now?" and even liked that one more. Plus, he is probably right, celebrities are aliens.
Grade: B+