Everyone knows that it’s easy to be overwhelmed by cynicism and forget the simple joys in life. We can get caught up in hating the huge portion of the world that sucks, and ignore all the things that make us happy. That’s why Thanksgiving is a great holiday. Leaving aside the holiday’s unfortunate historical baggage, I think it’s really important to take a day every now and again and remember the decent things in life. And along with all the real things I love, like my friends and family, my American Liberties, Mexican food, and red pandas, I’m thankful for pop music.
If you’ve read anything I’ve written, you’re probably aware that I am absolutely, irrationally in love with popular music, from Taylor Swift to the Dillinger Escape Plan. But I hold a special place in my heart for the high-concept gems of mainstream radio. And this Thanksgiving Day, I couldn’t help but turn my thoughts to one of my favorite songs ever, “Same Girl.” How cool is it that we live in a time graced by entertainers as brilliant as R. Kelly and Usher? And that they collaborated? And that that collaboration was an over-the-top story song about how they were carrying on with the same woman?
“Same Girl” has amazing details like how the woman in question attended the Georgia Institute of Technology and works at TBS. And the video is just perfectly absurd, from the intro where the two crooners are talking over their business affairs to the twist-ending that raises a whole host of bizarre questions. And I just love the premise that Kells and Usher just sit around shooting the shit and maybe shoot some hoops. Anway, just watch all of it (complete with Portuguese subtitles) and give thanks.
[youtube src=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KePaFLLKWJE”]