In 1987, a group of musicians got together and recorded a cover of the Beatles’ “Let It Be” for Ferry Aid, a charity to benefit victims and families of the Zebruggee Disaster. The line-up included Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Boy George, Andy Bell from Erasure, and a few of my favorites, Mark Knopfler, Mark King (of Level 42) and Nik Kershaw.
Fast forward 23 years, and the song has resurfaced. As lip-synch fodder for a few “where are they now” actors and musicians for a Norwegian entertainment show called “Gylne Tider”. What’s odd is that, with a few exceptions, most of the folks in this clip choose to lip-sync their lines instead of singing them. Including the musicians! Yes, that’s Huey Lewis – who can sing – mouthing the words to Paul McCartney’s intro. And Rikki Lake channelling Boy George. Best one? Hard to decide, but I think it might be between Kelly “Top Gun” McGillis as Kate Bush and George “Norm” Wendt as Level 42 lead Mark King.
And could someone please tell me why everyone else gets a name credit, but Terri Nunn is simply called “Berlin”? And Tonya Harding? There’s just so much wrong going on here, I can’t even begin to list it all. Maybe I don’t understand Norwegian humor.
The original, so you can see all the folks who really sung the song:
I don’t really understand Norwegian humor either, but I do know I really like this video 😉 Even better: there is another one like it: We are the world !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQOeDYDOCKc
I was thinking: come on, how strange can it be, really? Now I know. You win, Brian.
I read that the “stars” were told they were collecting green-screen performances for a charity project. Many of them are unhappy about the way they are being used.
Tonya Harding? That name makes me want to say something not nice. I hope she’s made her peace.
The one good joke in the subtitles was that Katarina Witt was the olympic medalist in figure skating, and Tonya Harding was “figure skater in trouble”.
This made me look at Malcolm Jamal Warner’s current status. Seems he’s put out a couple jazz albums – with COVERS!!!
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/12/let_it_be_video_explained.html