Harper Simon knows how to surround himself with accomplished people: Actor Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project, HBO’s Hung) has directed his new video for ‘Wishes and Stars’, a song whose lyrics were co-written by the Nigerian-English poet and novelist Ben Okri, and which figures on his self-titled debut album.
Beside Leonard, the video uses the talent of many artists from Money Mark (producer and musician who has collaborated with the Beastie Boys many times), John Perry Barlow (American poet and former lyricist for the Grateful Dead), Angela Featherstone (Canadian actress, best-known for playing Adam Sandler’s ex-girlfriend in ‘The Wedding Singer’), Alison Sudol (American alternative songwriter known professionally as ‘A Fine Frenzy’), Laila Nabulsi (producer of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), Jessica Joffee (model, writer and ex-girlfriend of Ryan Adams) and E.E. Johnston (poet, painter and musician).
The song becomes the soundtrack of a short movie that could have been filmed in the California of the 50’s, with retro cars, two glamorous women and a guy bored in front of a Thanksgiving turkey, a nice Christian family, two women who seem to have just done a hold-up, and a desperately sad clown (Money Mark), who all end up in a pink motel held by a dark and enigmatic old guy (John Perry Barlow) and his bellboy.
If the intimate soft folk rock of Simon sometimes borrows to the 60’s or 70’s, the video seems to be an homage to the 50’s.
The mini-film creates mystery without giving answers, and builds a very stylish, odd and peculiar atmosphere that could almost remind a David Lynch movie. And curiously, the carefree and upbeat melody, with somewhat melancholic lyrics, flows smoothly and cheerfully through this little story. Ordinary and apparently simple life can sometimes be a little confusing.