Music Video Monday: "Ashes to Ashes"

Track: Ashes to Ashes

Artist: David Bowie

Album: Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)

Year: 1980

As weird as David Bowie has come off throughout his lengthy career, his video for "Ashes to Ashes" may take the cake as the epitome of his oddity. Iconic and expensive (at the time, it was the priciest video ever, at a cost of $250,000), the visual representation of the track intrigues and confuses all at once. To me, it seems to accomplish the goal of exemplifying his overall body of work-- an enigmatic blend of genres and themes which have worked to shape music trends, and inspire artists throughout the last four decades.

From the over-the-top costume choices, to the solarized color format of most of the video, "Ashes to Ashes" signaled to the world the transition from the 1970s to the 1980s. Dark, trippy and moody, Bowie aimed for the song to be a different approach on "Space Oddity"'s Major Tom, and in that mission, the song succeeds. For those who were there from the beginning of his career (obviously not me) to this point (still not me), it must have been astounding to see the progression to this point. In hindsight, we may look at the wardrobe choices with a cocked eyebrow, but if you've spent enough time with the library, believe me, it wouldn't work any other way. Maybe you feel the same? Check it out below, and a happy Monday to all.