"Shiny Happy People" by R.E.M. (1991)

Accompanied by the adorable voice of Kate Pierson (one of the founding members of the B-52’s who looks way younger than her 40’s in this video), Athens, Georgia-based band R.E.M. created a fun, feel-good song that makes everyone a shiny happy person! "Shiny Happy People" is the second single of of R.E.M.'s hit album Out of Time (the wildly popular single "Losing My Religion" was released off of this album, as well. The video looks straight out of a TV show created for children, featuring a little girl with a 90’s-tastic ponytail holder made out of curly ribbons and a nice older man riding a bike which controls the backdrop movement. The backdrop is also very colorful and looks like it was drawn by children. Near the end of the video, a bunch of random people just come onto set and have a cool dance party! Sweet! I totally want to be transported into that video. Especially to play with those retro cymbal-banging monkey toys! I think I want to go thrift shopping for those now….

When I think of Tokyo, I think of new, interesting, and kind of weird art. That city provided the perfect backdrop for the English band’s bizarrely fun music video. “Panic Station,” which happens to be my favorite song off of their most recent album The 2nd Law, is a entertaining song as it is with its celebratory trumpets and baller guitar solo, and the video only solidifies that. The fashion is my favorite thing about this video (besides the weird squid and dinosaur): front-man Matt Bellamy is wearing a stylish orange furry jacket, drummer Dominic Howard is studded almost head-to-toe with amazing fringed pants, and Chris Wolsetenholme is decked out in the most amazing colorful furry and leather coat I have ever seen (I lust after that jacket so much, can I please have it?!). This video is insanely colorful and loud, and the bloopers at the end cracked me up. “Panic Station” looks like it was so fun to make.

Have you ever seen “The Big Comfy Couch”? Well take that concept and twist it in the trippiest way possible…. No matter how creepy that toothed couch is, this video is incredibly… adorable? "Water Fountain" is the first single released off of the New England-based artist's (Merrill Garbus) third full-length album Nikki Nack. tUnE-yArDs made a colorful, 80’s-like video equipped with moving shapes, lacy leotards, and a dancing skeleton… wait what? Okay, this is the most bizarre video I put on here… but it makes me smile so hard! Especially with the old science man at the end… “Do you see that? 1 potato, 10 straws, SCIENCE, in action!” The New England based artist did an incredible job being strange and oddly charming!

I hope these videos perked you up and gave you the energy to finish this week with a bang! “Now, until next time, may the power of the cosmos be with you! Yes! Yes! YES!”