Documentary airs Sunday at 9 p.m. on MTV. By Eric Ditzian
Justin Timberlake Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images
Earlier this year, Jessica Biel, Emile Hirsch, Lupe Fiasco, Santigold and others banded together to climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness about the global clean-water crisis. Now Justin Timberlake has pitched in to support the effort.
The singer is set to provide a personal introduction to "Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro,"the 90-minute documentary about the celebrities' climb that will air on MTV on March 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Masterminded by Grammy-nominated musician Kenna, the team took a six-day, 50-mile trekto the peak of the tallest mountain in Africa.
"It was a combination of the mental and the psychological aspects of the mountain, of the slow-but-steady pace that you had to go up it, and that sometimes made your brain just want to explode, because you just wanted to get there so badly," Biel told MTV News Wednesday. "But then you'd get this rush of inspiration of 'I'm not doing this for me. I'm doing this for something bigger than me, for people who don't have a voice, for people that need water around the world,' and then you'd power through."
In addition to raising awareness about the clean-water crisis, the "Summit on the Summit" raises funds for P&G's Children's Safe Drinking Water Program, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Water for People's PlayPumps Technology. During the MTV broadcast, viewers will be able to text SEND to 90999 to donate $10 to the U.N. Foundation on behalf of "Summit on the Summit." Each donation will send 1,000 liters of clean water to people in need.
"MTV has a long history of educating its audience to raise awareness on issues that are important to them," said Dave Sirulnick, Executive Vice President, News and Docs. "More than 1 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe, clean drinking water. By airing this documentary, MTV hopes to mobilize a new generation of young people who may not be aware of this global cause and take action to get involved in helping find solutions to the water crisis."
Michael 'Big Mike' Lynche shined, while Aaron Kelly gets an 'unsatisfactory' grade on this week's 'Idol' report card. By Eric Ditzian
Aaron Kelly performs on "American Idol" on Wednesday Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images
Yesterday we gave "American Idol" producers props for reducing the show to one hour instead of two. Today we feel like tossing the judges in detention for their shenanigans this week, from Tuesday's awkwardly forced lap-sitting incident between Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres to Wednesday's infantile Simon/Kara DioGuardi flirtation.
But this is a singing competition, isn't it? So on to the contestants. The evening took off with strong performances from Lee Dewyze and Alex Lambert and U-turned into Snoozeville at a certain point, before blissfully blasting away with an injection of Michael Lynche-provided power. Who surprised us, who disappointed us and who's in danger of going home? Let's take a look at the top eight men's report card. (And don't miss Jim Cantiello's recap of their performances in the MTV Newsroom.)
Excellent Michael Lynche: First things first. While Big Mike's take on Maxwell's version of Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work" was the highlight of the evening, it was nowhere near the waterworks-generating territory that Kara's tears suggested. That being said, Lynche keeps surprising us. Last week he ditched the guitar and brought an ear-pleasing soul sound to the stage. This week he busted out a falsetto during a butter-smooth channeling of Maxwell that showed off an impressive vocal range and convinced us that Big Mike is in the upper tier of "Idol" contestants.
Good Lee Dewyze: Owl City's "Fireflies" was by far the smartest song choice Dewyze has made during these lives shows. The emo rock vibe seems to be a comfortable niche for him, and we were almost able to dismiss his rampant pitch problems. Almost. Dewyze is like a poor man's David Cook. And when you consider that we've never had a very high opinion of the seventh-season "Idol" winner, you can imagine what we think of Dewyze's long-term prospects. No matter, he did well for himself on Wednesday and is a lock to make the top 12.
Alex Lambert: The kid keeps impressing. The judges seemed to think he'd reverted back to a jelly-legged newbie. Not us. His tone on Ray LaMontagne's "Trouble" was compelling, his vocals generally soft yet powerful. We don't buy for a second that the only thing standing in the way of his winning "Idol," as Kara suggested, is his lack of confidence — ever heard of Crystal Bowersox? — but we're digging Lambert's growth from week to week. "Trouble been dogging my soul," he sang, and ya know what? We believed him.
Casey James: Has any contestant this year been so lovingly framed and lit on the "Idol" stage? The crooning cowboy's rendition of Keith Urban's "You'll Think of Me" was a step up from last week's sub-par Southern rock number and nowhere near as magical his take on Bryan Adams' "Heaven." James keeps delivering confident, calm, passionate performances and he'll keep doing it for a long while.
Todrick Hall: Todrick narrowly nabs a Good grade because of his sheer enthusiasm. It's the most clichéd "Idol" explanation ever, but he really was up there just having fun. His performance of Queen's "Somebody to Love" might well belong on a Broadway show version of "Idol" rather than the actual competition, but that's a show we wouldn't mind taking in. Hall's in big trouble this week, but what may have been his last performance was certainly his most enjoyable.
Satisfactory Tim Urban: Has Urban's God-fearing adorableness run its course? Will the judges start to honestly evaluate his singing talents rather than concentrating on his dimples? Those were the questions heading into Wednesday's show, and the answers were made clear when Ellen jetted out of her seat to hug the kid. His version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" was the essence of just-all-right-for-me-dog dullness. And yet Urban is not going anywhere this week. His Christian music vibe and his all-American niceness will win him a spot in the top 12.
Andrew Garcia: In choosing "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera, Garcia announced himself as a gimmick artist, a one-trick-pony novelty act. He takes pop tunes and reworks them with a mildly funked-up acoustic guitar arrangement. Anything else he tries doesn't deliver. What we took for amazing artistry after his rendition of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" was in actuality a sort of creative tunnel vision. Garcia has gone from front-runner to in-danger-of-going-home contestant. We don't think it's going to happen, mind you, but he's not nearly the top-12 lock we once assumed he was.
Unsatisfactory Aaron Kelly: Oh boy. We don't like tearing apart the efforts of a 16-year-old. But what are we to do when voters keep sending him through week after week? His take on Lonestar's "I'm Already There"? Pitchy beyond belief. It's not just because he was the youngest kid onstage that we think he's a boy amongst men. He just can't belt with the front-runners. We'd keep asking how this kid is still here, but continually asking the same question and expecting a different answer is the definition of insanity, right? Right?!
What did you think of the men's performances? Who killed it? Who blew it? Who is definitely making it to the top 12? Let us know by leaving your comments below.
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Aaron Kelly and Andrew Garcia, however, get some tough words from the judges. By Gil Kaufman
Tim Urban Photo: Fox
The top eight men took the stage on "American Idol" on Wednesday (March 10), a night when the front-runners staked a claim for their spots in the top 12, and the weaker members of the herd punched their tickets home. When the dust settled, Michael Lynche emerged emerged as the new one to beat with a performance so strong, it brought judge Kara DioGuardi to tears, and seeming also-ran Tim Urban possibly saved himself with his strongest performance to date.
Lee Dewyze made it clear that he intends to hang around, coming out strong with a Dave Matthews-like acoustic ramble through Owl City's "Fireflies." It wasn't always on key, but he made up for it with his infectious charm and barroom sandpaper drawl.
Randy Jackson thought it was too soft a song for Lee's voice, and a bit pitchy, but he liked how he made it his own, and Kara appreciated the confident vibe he brought to the tune. "There's nothing to rave about after that," said Simon Cowell, who didn't feel his favorite male semifinalist had "a moment" but still displayed solid progress.
As his star has steadily risen on the show, Alex Lambert nailed his song choice with Ray LaMontagne's weary ballad "Trouble," a tune that perfectly fit his dry-throated voice and sad-eyed, innocent demeanor.
"The only thing standing in the way of you winning is you right now," Kara said, praising his unique voice but counseling him to let it rip. Ellen busted out the ripening banana metaphor one more time and said Lambert is getting better and better every week, even as he maintains his innocence. Continuing with the inappropriate advice, Simon said Lambert needs to loosen up, perhaps by imagining Jackson in a bikini.
With two weeks of bad news behind him, Tim Urban went for it by tackling Leonard Cohen's iconic — and hard-to-sing — "Hallelujah." Strumming an acoustic guitar, Urban didn't try to reinvent the wheel but capably hung in there for his strongest effort to date.
Ellen, feeling bad about slagging Urban every week, ran up onstage and hugged him as a kind of apology, and Simon patted himself on the back for giving Urban back his confidence, calling it Tim's best performance to date. "You walked in some pretty big shoes, and I think you did a pretty good job, Tim," Randy said, as Kara predicted he might have sung his way back from the brink with his honest, emotional take on the song.
Needing to find his groove again, Andrew Garcia went back to the well for a cover of Christina Aguilera's breakthrough hit, "Genie in a Bottle." The Santana-like flamenco/soul take felt like another high point, with Garcia making the song his own.
Kara, though, sensed he was fighting with the melody and straining too hard to recapture his "Straight Up" glory, saying, "It just wasn't great." It was a good idea, but too pitchy and not dynamic enough for Randy, though Ellen loved the song choice and wished the genie had come out of the bottle earlier. "It was a little bit desperate," Simon said.
Casey James went with Keith Urban's "You'll Think of Me," a safe, straightforward acoustic country ballad that highlighted his soulful tone. That's exactly what Randy thought, encouraging Casey to go edgier and more rock. For Simon, it was James' second-best effort, one that made him seem sincere and sounded great, even if it was a bit forgettable. His former number-one fan, Kara said she was missing the spark, but was glad he wasn't trying to be a phony rock star anymore.
A singer seemingly on the bubble, Aaron Kelly, also chose a country tune — Lonestar's "I'm Already There" — which started out pitchy and tentative and didn't get much better as he rose from his stool and wiggled awkwardly back and forth, alternating between pure and off-key notes.
The singing wasn't great for Ellen, but she thought Aaron carried himself like a much older, more experienced singer than he is. "I love you, you come out onstage every week and you give it your all," said Kara, who then pointed out that the song is about a man calling home to talk to his kids, which just doesn't make any sense coming from a 16-year-old. Simon, however, totally disagreed, saying it was the right type of song for him and he had the right emotion, even if it wasn't a great vocal.
Todrick Hall's philosophy? If you might go home, go big. His unexpected take on Queen's "Somebody to Love" turned out to be a bold choice for the dancer, who turned the tune into a sanctified gospel showpiece.
"Todrick is back!" Randy announced, calling it one of the best male vocals he's heard in weeks. Cowell took it down a notch, dubbing the performance more fit for Broadway than an "Idol" recording artist while giving Hall props for performing and not just sitting on a stool and strumming a guitar.
Then Big Mike Lynche brought down the house. He also switched it up, singing British icon Kate Bush's classic ballad "This Woman's Work," evoking Maxwell with his silky, between-the-sheets R&B version.
The praise was unanimous. Simon said it was the best performance of all the live shows so far, Ellen declared the personal trainer the new one to beat, and DioGuardi literally burst into tears at the emotion the new dad put into the tune. All a dumbfounded Randy could say was "Really?"
Four more singers go home Thursday night as this year's top 12 is revealed.
What did you think of the men's performances? Who killed it? Who blew it? Who is definitely making it to the top 12? Let us know by leaving your comments below.
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Singer complains that radio stations are not playing his songs. By Gil Kaufman
Chris Brown Photo: Elsa/ Getty Images
As sales of his latest album, Graffiti, continue to falter, Chris Brown issued a message to his fans this week to help revive his music career in the wake of his guilty plea to felony assault on former girlfriend Rihanna last year.
Posting on the Web site SayNow.com — a site that enables people to leave and share recorded messages — Brown apparently said American radio stations are not playing his songs, which has made promoting Graffiti difficult for him. In an earlier message, Brown urged fans to keep in touch with him by calling a special 877 number while he is on tour.
At press time, a spokesperson for Brown had not responded to MTV News' requests for comment on the message, nor confirmed that the messages are definitely from him.
In a new missive uploaded on Wednesday morning, he directly asks fans to lend him a hand. "Hey, what's up, y'all? CB. I ain't never really did this but right now I'm just calling ya'll, I need all of my fans' help," he said in the 90-second clip. "I need all the fans that I have, I need y'all's help. It's crazy because a lot of radio stations ... some radio stations aren't playing my records. They're not being that supportive and I wouldn't expect them to.
"It's on the fans and what you guys do [whatever is] in y'all power to bring me back because that's all I need, is you guys," Brown continued. "Nothing else will do that except for the fans. There's nothing else that I can do. I'm doing everything that I need to do. I'm doing me as a person and I'm a better guy. But it's on y'all.
"My singing and my music is all great, but I do it for you guys and everything else but it won't be possible if I'm not relevant on the radio and it won't be possible for me to be an artist if I don't have any support from people that give me an artists outlet. I can't be an underground mixtape artist!" Brown said with a laugh. "I just want all my fans to help me. I love y'all. Peace."
Since its release in early December, Graffiti has spawned the singles "I Can Transform Ya," "Crawl" and "Sing Like Me," with only "Transform Ya" gaining traction on radio and the album's sales stalling out at just over 250,000 copies. The singer mounted a small "Fan Appreciation" tour from October through December that hit modest theaters that were considerably smaller than the arenas he played with Bow Wow on the tour for his previous album, 2007's Exclusive, which has sold nearly 2 million copies to date.
When contacted back in November, a number of radio programmers told MTV News they weren't shying away from playing Brown's songs on the radio in light of the sordid details of the assault that leaked prior to Brown's guilty plea.
And though fans appeared to like "Transform Ya," many programmers appear to have cooled on the singer's music for now. At the moment, Brown does not have any songs in the top 50 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
Piecing together clues and leaked photos, we try to guess what's in store for Gaga and collaborator Beyoncé in the clip. By Jocelyn Vena
Lady Gaga in "Telephone" Photo: Interscope Records
On Thursday at 11:30 p.m. ET, fans will finally get to see the "Telephone" video by Lady Gaga, featuring collaborator Beyoncé and pals Semi Precious Weapons. Shot in California in February and directed by Jonas Åkerlund, the video has Gaga's little monsters salivating in anticipation of its release.
Although we don't know everything that's going to happen, there are certain leaked details that are giving us a few ideas of what we can expect — Lady Gaga is in jail, Beyoncé breaks her out and from there, we imagine, the two have some wacky adventures that include them stopping at a desert diner. So far, here are the clues we've gathered:
Lady Gaga will be wearing some crazy outfits. In leaked photos, she's been seen wearing everything from crime-scene tape to American flag garb to a telephone-shaped eye patch made from hair. She's also been seen in a studded leather jacket and a sparkly strapless dress, with cigarette sunglasses on, covered in heavy chains. Beyoncé also appears to be getting her fashion on in a military-style, jewel-encrusted blue top.
Gaga was inspired by Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman's ride from "Kill Bill" appears in the video and Semi Precious Weapons confirmed that the video certainly had nods to Quentin Tarantino, something Gaga and Beyoncé also touched on in their "Video Phone" clip. "It's very Tarantino-inspired," frontman Justin Tranter shared. "Sort of like violent melodrama glamour."
She got "crazy" and "magical" on set with Beyoncé. "It's gonna be so crazy," B said about working with Gaga on the video. And, Semi Precious Weapons added that the girls are kind of "magical" together. "Obviously, Gaga's one of the greatest music visionaries of our time," Tranter said. "And Beyoncé is one of the greatest visions of our time. She is a music visionary too."
This video will leave "Bad Romance" in the dust. Simply put from Gaga herself, "I feel so bad for the 'Bad Romance' video 'cause the 'Telephone' video's so much better. [Beyoncé's] really a great friend of mine. We have a lot of fun working together. We're so very different in our approaches, but somehow when we come together it's really magical. I'm very excited for everyone to see the video."
The clip picks up where "Paparazzi" leaves off. Both Beyoncé and Gaga herself have confirmed that the video picks up where the other Åkerlund-directed clip, "Paparazzi," leaves off. So what exactly does that mean? Well, perhaps the "Paparazzi" heroine has been jailed for the crime of killing her lover (played by "True Blood" star Alexander Skarsgård) and now it takes the one and only Beyoncé to bust her loose.
Are you excited for the "Telephone" video? How will you celebrate the premiere? Let us know in the comments below!
Former 'Tonight Show' host will kick off the 'Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television' tour on April 12. By Jocelyn Vena
Conan O'Brien Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images
Conan O'Brien is ready to take his act on the road. The former late-night funnyman will go on a 30-city, two-month-long tour along with a few friendly faces. Titled the "Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television" tour, a jab at the fact that he can't appear on television until September in accordance with his exit contract with NBC, he will be joined by Andy Richter and his former late-night band.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, O'Brien said of the decision to tour, "It was either a massive 30-city tour or start helping out around the house." News of the tour first spread after a report popped up on TMZ last week.
The tour kicks off April 12 in Eugene, Oregon, and O'Brien will play theaters in at least 20 states and two Canadian provinces. American Express is sponsoring the trek, and organizers say, "It promises to be a night of music, comedy, hugging and the occasional awkward silence."
O'Brien also took to Twitter to talk about the tour. "Hey Internet: I'm headed to your town on a half-assed comedy & music tour. Go to http://TeamCoco.com for tix. I repeat: It's half-assed. Alert! Teamcoco.com is jammed with too much traffic. If you can't get on, go to http://ticketmaster.com to buy your tickets. See you soon. We are now adding a second show in both NYC & Chicago. For that second show, I'll be doing all Liza Minnelli songs."
Duo played second-ever live show Wednesday night. By Kelly Marino
Travis Barker and DJ A-Trak perform in Los Angeles on Wednesday Photo: MTV News/ Kelly Marino
LOS ANGELES — On Wednesday night, Travis Barker and DJ A-Trak played their second-ever public show together — and although the set was quick, it did not disappoint, featuring guest spots from Lil Jon, Kid Cudi and Kid Sister.
Performing in front of a sold-out crowd at Hollywood's Roxy Theatre, the duo hit the ground running the minute they took to the stage. With a set that lasted a little under an hour, the duo treated fans to a medley of songs that included remixes by A-Trak (who also serves as Kanye West's concert DJ), Barker's own remixes and new material.
Though there wasn't any interaction with the fans, the crowd didn't seem to mind. Instead they stood and watched in awe as Barker and A-Trak opened the show with Jay-Z's "99 Problems" and continued to please the crowd with remixes of Nas' "Made You Look," Kanye's "Stronger" and Snoop Dogg's "I Wanna Rock."
And just as the energy was peaking, fans were treated to a guest appearance by Lil Jon, who took to the stage with his signature sunglasses halfway into the set, performing his song "Outta Your Mind." But as just as quickly as he appeared on the stage he was gone, teasing fans and leaving them wanting more.
As the night went on Travis Barker and A-Trak continued to perform an array of tunes, adding a little more of a rock feel to the show with Rage Against the Machine's "Bulls on Parade," Beastie Boys "Sabotage" and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Heads Will Roll." Each song lasted for only a few short minutes before spilling into the next. The set then transitioned into more dance-oriented material, with songs like Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up," and Daft Punk's "Robot Rock."
Not surprisingly, the set ended with a bang: opening act Kid Sister returned to the stage, with Barker playing drums and A Trak spinning behind her. Wearing '80s-inspired attire, she pumped up the crowd with some booty-shaking moves while performing her hit "Pro Nails."
But when Kid Cudi took the stage, the crowd exploded. Performing "Pursuit of Happiness," fans sang along at the top of their lungs while Cudi jumped around the entire stage, hi-five-ing fans lucky enough to be standing in front.
The show ended just shy of midnight with DJ A Trak waving to the crowd thanking them and Travis Barker handing his drums sticks off to a screaming fan before walking off stage. As fans scattered to the exit doors, VIPs headed backstage — including Amber Rose sans Kanye West.
One fan threatened to quit his job in order to come. By Matt Elias
311's Nick Hexum (file) Photo: Dana Nalbandian/ WireImage
LAS VEGAS — It might have been the day before 311 Day, but the festivities were already in full swing Wednesday night at the Jet nightclub at the Mirage Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The official 311 Fan Party at Jet served as the epicenter for die-hard fans from all over the country to converge — and converge they did.
Fans packed the line in droves even before the doors opened at 9 p.m. Jet let its usual formal dress code slide for the night, allowing fans to show their true colors in 311 T-shirts, hats, and plenty of tattoos. By 11 p.m., the line of fans stretched all the way to the entrance of the Mirage. But you didn't have tosee them to feel their presence — their chants of "311!" could be heard all the way to the blackjack tables.
Inside the club, 311 music was blasting on the speakers — and that's where MTV News' guest correspondents Dave Kosin and Lauren Black, winners of the 311 Day contest) were hard at work. The pair were meeting old friends and new ones from all over the country: ecstatic fans from Lauren's home state of Texas to a local Las Vegas couple who booked a hotel room to take part in the activities.
But it was a fan from across the pond that proved just how die-hard 311 fans are. He told Dave, "I had to threaten to resign from my job to be allowed to come." For him, a week without pay ended up being a small penalty for his first-ever 311 Day.
He could hardly contain his excitement. "In England they never play a 311 song, so even tonight, it's just wow! It's amazing — tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life," he said with a smile.
MTV News will have much more from 311 Day for the rest of this week!
Simpson laughs with David Letterman about John Mayer's remarks in Playboy, Tony Romo's butt. By Jocelyn Vena
Jessica Simpson Photo: Mark Davis/ Getty Images
Jessica Simpson stopped by "Late Night With David Letterman" on Wednesday night and chatted a bit about her ex-beaus Tony Romo and John Mayer. And even when Letterman's questions got a bit personal, Simpson laughed off the interrogation and even dished a bit about her relationships with the two superstars.
"Tony is great, still a dear friend of mine," she told Letterman when she stopped by to promote her new show "The Price of Beauty." "My dad introduced us. I told you that we're big Dallas Cowboys fans. I'm still a fan. I still look at his cute butt in the outfits ... uniforms."
While she went on to describe Romo as "a fine breed," she had a less positive review of her other ex, Mayer, who very famously revealed details about their sex life in Playboy. "Normally, you would think that somebody you care about would keep those intimate details to themselves, It was definitely compliment ... in a way. But I don't really want people to know that about me. It's like, I'm the good girl, and then that happens. That's the thing I am, but he gave away my game [details about her sex life].
So, does she still talk to any of her exes? "No I have not talked to him since. I will always care about him, but I was disappointed about the article," she said about Mayer, adding, "I will always adore Tony. He's going to be one of my friends for life."
Lynche sang Kate Bush's 1988 song, which was later covered by Maxwell. By Gil Kaufman
Michael Lynche on Wednesday's episode of "American Idol" Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images
"American Idol" judges often rail on contestants for not making the right song choices. But on Wednesday night, personal trainer and new dad Michael Lynche provided a textbook example of how to pick the perfect song.
The 26-year-old Florida native, whose wife gave birth their firstborn while he was performing during the show's Hollywood Week, moved judge Kara DioGuardi to tears with his sensitive take on British singer Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work."
On a night when the judges criticized some singers for not connecting with the words they sang, Lynche astutely picked a song that mirrored the tumultuous changes in his personal life. The combination of Lynche's velvety, gospelized vocals and the song's connection to his life's journey made for dramatic TV.
DioGuardi felt the emotion, tearfully telling Lynche, "I've never cried after hearing something like that. It's amazing. You were amazing. And it's so relevant for you and I can feel it. It's your life right now. It's your respect for your wife, what you've gone through ... and as a woman who doesn't have a child, I can relate to it so much and it brought me to tears."
"This Woman's Work" is one of Bush's most beloved tunes, and the biggest commercial success from an artist who has always followed her peculiar muse. Bush's career began in the late 1970s, when Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour turned label EMI on to the then-teenaged songwriting prodigy. In 1985, she released her most celebrated album, Hounds of Love. That album featured the hits "Running Up That Hill" and "Cloudbursting," and it helped cement her reputation as an enigmatic pop poet.
In 1988, Bush provided "This Woman's Work" to director John Hughes for his coming-of-age drama "She's Having a Baby." The song, reportedly written specifically for the film, plays during a scene in which new father Kevin Bacon is pacing outside the delivery room where his wife is having their first child, fretting about the changes his family is about to face.
Bush's self-directed video for "Work" parallels the story of the film. The primly dressed singer, seated at a grand piano, plays the haunting melody, and shots of her are intercut with images of a nervous man in the waiting room of a hospital. A ghostly image of Bush stands behind the man and hugs him as he breaks into tears and stares ominously into the dark. A flashback then reveals Bush collapsing and being rushed to the hospital as the man wails in agony. At the end of the clip, a smiling nurse comes over to the man and puts her hand on his shoulder, appearing to give him good news as Bush quietly shuts the lid on the piano.
"Work" later appeared on Bush's 1989 album The Sensual World, which contained a number of tunes about the perils and pitfalls of love ("Love and Anger," "Between a Man and a Woman") and a title track inspired by Irish author James Joyce's epic "Ulysses." In the years that followed, the song underscored dramatic scenes in a number of TV shows ("Felicity," "Alias," "Party of Five").
In 1997, it was covered by Maxwell during his MTV Unplugged appearance. He later included a studio version of the track on his 2001 album Now, and it peaked at No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year.
Bush has rarely toured, and she took a lengthy break between her 1993 album The Red Shoes — which featured contributions from Prince, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton — and her 2005 double album Aerial to raise her family.
Dan
