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Your Top Five MLT You Tube Videos and Why
In the spirit of Rob Gordon from the film “High Fidelity”, Top 5 MLT Videos and Why.
Here are mine, in descending order.
5. Nothing is in Vain – Plunging into cold water, bouncing on trampolines at night, flying fish, underwater photography, hair SFX….it’s clearly the “Citizen Kane” of MLT videos IMO, and a beautiful original tune as the soundtrack to all that.
4. Two of Us – Maybe the best home movie footage set to music I’ve seen. Visuals and song lyrics are so beautifully edited together. That’s a great walk from 0-24 years in 3:30. I won’t be able to hear this song again without thinking of this video. They own it.
3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – And not just because it’s that time of year. I was playing the heck out of this last summer, causing my neighbors to think maybe the pages of my calendar got stuck together. I always loved the song. And most people do it in the Judy Garland manner. At this stage of life it’s now a bit on the melancholy side for me. In their arrangement Mona and Lisa up the tempo and makes this a joyful romp. Some of their best harmonies IMO, a great guitar solo from Lisa, and Mona on the candy canes. It is my new favorite version of this song.
2. This Boy – Probably my favorite Beatle ballad….from the first Beatles record I ever bought. A beautiful studio production with multi-screen twins singing terrific harmony. And we get a cool shared moment with the arrival of some packages from America.
1. You’re Going To Lose That Girl – My first MLT sighting. I was just flipping around You Tube and there they were at The Cavern. They had guitars. Hmmm. Apparently they played their own instruments. They were certainly very striking visually. But could they sing? And then they sang. OMG. They crushed this song in a performance about as tight as you can get. Since then I’ve circulated the link to this video to multiple friends and family members. One musically hard-to-impress buddy of mine e-mailed me a one word reply. He simply said Wow!
So what are yours?
Seattle Bob
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43 Replies
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Well Seattle Bob, you’ve picked a great selection here. ‘You’re Going To lose That Girl’ was probably my first sighting and got me hooked on the Twins immediately.
I also love ‘Two of Us’ with its wonderful accompanying video of the life of the Twins in one song! ‘Nothing in Vain’ is also a great number, accompanied by a beautiful, colourful video and a very informative ‘making of’’ video.
I’d also need to include the ‘Bus Stop’ video. This was always my favourite Hollies number and I never expected anyone to ever equal it. Well I believe that the MonaLisa Twins have in fact exceeded my expectations with this cover. Along with the fabulously, groovy video, it is a joy to behold!
Finding another number to include in a top five is always going to be difficult as there are so many I find equally good. However, it would have to come down to a selection between the following: ‘The Wide, Wide Land’, such a beautiful song and video. ‘Catch the Wind’ radio studio video, beautiful, sweet harmonies and great harmonica playing from Mona. ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’, such a well put together video with exquisite guitar playing from Lisa and some lovely, sweet harmonies again from Mona.
Sorry if this seems a cop out, but top fives are always difficult and can always change without notice!
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Hi Seattle Bob (neighbor!)
Here are my top 5 favorite MLT videos.
1.. San Francisco was the first MonaLisa Twins video I came across that introduced me to their wonderful music and world. Their version is just beautiful, and their angelic voices and incredible harmonies add another dimension to this already wonderful song by Scott McKenzie, elevating it to new heights for me. The video is also shot in many places I’ve been to with my family when visiting San Francisco and brings back a lot of fond memories.
2..The Wide, Wide, Land is my all time favorite song, and is one I know is very special and dear to Mona and Lisa because it’s about their grandmother who suffered from Alzheimers, and it reminds me of my mom too. It is one of the most beautiful song’s I’ve ever heard and the video is so touching.
3..Bus Stop is one of the best music videos I’ve seen, even compared to the multitudes of music videos that came out in the 80’s and 90’s (remember MTV and Much Music in Canada). Love the MLT version of this song, and the video production/choreography is so well done.
4..These Boots are Made for Walking. I just love the live performance of this song by Mona and Lisa, and the vibe it captures of the Cavern club.
5..This one is not a music video, but I always enjoy watching “MonaLisa Twins in Finland” video. It gives a glimpse of what I envision Mona and Lisa to be like back stage in person. Two wonderfully groovy and fun people with love for music and passion for life. It is just a very intimate and personal view into the MonaLisa Twins I think, and it looks like they had a blast in Finland.
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Well, let’s see. I’ll just start by saying that I love “A Friend of Mine”. It’s beautiful and sublime in contrast to MLT’s high performance numbers like “I Saw Her Standing There.”
Then I guess “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” and “Bus Stop” can be interchanged. I enjoy the humor in both. Also, in “Hammer”, the double images of Mona and Lisa, the editing, their father swinging away with a hammer, and the black and white effects keep it alive. Yeah, it’s darn good. The same goes for “Bus Stop” –the editing I mean–except it’s in color. I rarely laugh out loud for a video. But this one did it for me. Mona and Lisa are such darn good actors.
I’ve watched “Please, Please Me” multiple times and there are days when I can’t get it out of my head. And I don’t want to. It’s done in a very “simple” way but the multiple images placed next to each shows how to put new life into a good song and then reinventing it making it great.
But there is something about “Paint it Black”. It has everything going for it I think. The darken surrounds, and the passion put into the singing by Lisa is second to none. The guitar work is awesome and full of strength, but Mona’s use of the Schlagwerk Cajon set is inspiring. I’ve never seen anyone put so much feeling into a what can only be described as a simple percussion instrument. Wow. And I really do mean inspiring. I’ve thought about buying one.
Well, there it is.
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Hey Howard, Jung and Greg,
You guys make great cases for your picks. You are giving me pause here. While I’m still happy with my five, I’m definitely going back and taking another look at some of these with your words in mind. At the very least I expect I’ll have a multi-way tie for #6…if not a revised top 5. Yep, I am a real tower of Jello in my convictions. And I’m going to start with Paint It Black. Greg, not being a musician (as I believe you are) I need to revisit the Schlagwerk Cajon set that impressed you so much.
Jung, how are things up in B.C.? It’s time again for six straight months of gray clouds and drizzle in our corner of the world. Just like we like it huh?
Seattle Bob
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OK, seems like kind of a juvenile thing to do, but I’ll play along.
5. Bus Stop. Never fails to cheer me up. I love Mona as “the bus,” and the look on both their faces when Mona pulls the sock out of the bag. Not to mention it’s a great rendering of the song, almost as good as the Hollies.
4. All I Have to do is Dream. One of my favourite songs by the Everly Brothers. The Twins put their own spin on it, and the wintery scenes are almost like a Currier & Ives print. Not to mention, the early teenaged twins are as pretty as any girls that age can be.
3. Two of Us. A beautiful film history of their lives, from early childhood until almost the present. I don’t use the word “precious” very often, but this is precious.
2. I Don’t Know Birds That Well. The carefreeness of two young girls skipping down the path playing a guitar and ukulele gives an innocence to the song.
1. June. Just because Mona looks so pretty surrounded by the golden field of rapeseed. I also like Lisa’s guitar licks and that the camera focuses on her playing during the solo.
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Oh dear… I Luv All Equally…. Just Impossible to pick 5…10….etc…can’t do it but for the sake of this posting and for the hour /tonight only… I’ll give you the 5 that stands outright in my mind :
#1- Still A Friend of Mine because of it’s rawness of simplicity but poignancy of profoundness
#2 Wide Wide Land- visual aspects of location of video and for that it reminds of the Canada and its landscapes
#3 One More Time – Vintage flair of it
#4 Waiting For The Waiter- creative flair and bluesy feel and John Sebastian’s guest appearance
#5 – Don’t Know Birds That Well – For it’s visuals regarding video shoot location
Again… I luv all their stuff equally for their own merits that they offer.. Lol… So there you have it for a limited time… My top 5…by tomorrow it will change????????????????????????????????????❤️????
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I would say
Two Of Us: It’s one of my favorite song, I was happy they covered it. I would had still loved it even if it was made with photo slideshow.
All About Falling In Love: No idea why.
Still a Friend Of Mine: They are more mature and less goofy. It’s probably their best clip.
One More Time: So colorful, it’s unforgettable
Johnny B. Goode: It’s played live, the only way to make a Johnny B. Goode video clip.
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I think the girls get better with every outing:
5) That’s Life
4) Waiting for the Waiter
3) Nothing is in Vain
2) The Wide, Wide Land
1l Still a Friend of Mine
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Hi Robert and friends:
Here are my five favorite videos of MLT.
It is certainly very difficult for my choice of only five videos so I decided to put those who I see most frequently.
1. The Wide, Wide Land: Most importantly for my this video is the meaning which has the song for Mona and Lisa, and then the video production is well developed: the extension of the green fields – giving sense to the meaning of wide, wide land – , the movement of the clouds in the sky… everything is beautiful in this video!.
2. June: The prominence in this video is for Mona. She looks very nice in a beautiful natural environment and the film plane with the drone are very beautiful!.
3. Nothing is in vain: when I first heard this song in the voice of Mona and Lisa, I quickly remembered “Rain” from The Beatles and said: wowww, is fantastic!. Again the production of the video is beautiful and reminds me of the video clips of the 1980s… is very psychedelic and the final effect of the broken bulb is very beautiful. I love this video!.
4. In my Life: This music video is the first that I saw of MLT and has a very special meaning to my because remember me when I went for the first time to Liverpool and visited it, many years ago. A long illness prevents me from returning for the moment and I dream with return to The Cavern, enjoy the music and the city of The Beatles concerts. I love this music video also.
5. San Francisco: The was the first video that I saw of MLT, many years ago. When I was younger my dad had lots of music on vinyl and cassette and, in a cassette, had a home recording of a version of San Francisco which was not Scott McKenzie. It was a band of female voices which had a wonderful chorus. I never knew the name of the band, and searching the internet versions of this song I stumbled with MLT. Since then I follow them and I was buying all of her albums… In this video show us how beautiful that is San Francisco and is very nice for my. I think so.
Good day to all.
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It’s a little hard to pick, there are so many! But at the moment:
“When we’re together”
“June”
“Please Please me”
“Drive my car”
“Bus Stop”
I can’t say why, there are too many reasons.
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In no particular order:
1) If I Fell – One of my favorite Beatle songs and I like the way Lisa points the bow at us.
2) Still A Friend – One of the most professionally done videos that I have ever seen even though it is not as complex as some. Really shows me that less is more when the song and the setting is so striking.
3) Maxwell – Just plain funny and I like seeing Mona dressed up like a flapper.
4) Yesterday – They make the most covered song ever sound fresh and new.
5) Two Of Us – I’m a Dad of two daughters. So watching them grow up tugged at my Dad heartstrings.
Mike
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It was great seeing everyone’s favorites and reasons. Just to put a bow on this thread, there were 30 different You Tube videos mentioned in your lists. That included 10 MLT originals. Four selections popped up on more lists than any others. They are (in no particular order, since they all had an equal number of responses):
- Two of Us
- Bus Stop
- Wide, Wide Land
- Still a Friend of Mine
Coming in as the 5th most mentioned was another original….June. I’d say that’s a pretty good list.
Seattle Bob
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That is a pretty good list. Thanks for this Robert.
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OK, I’ll take a stab based on which ones I find myself going back to the most.
5. California Dreamin’
4. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
3. Two of Us
2. Bus Stop
1. Hotel California
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Well Bob, I’m happy with the five you have found to be the most popular. I had included three of them but I’m equally happy with ‘Still a Friend of Mine’ and ‘June’ being among the most popular. I have already listed ‘Still a Friend of Mine’ as my number 1 on Tim’s top 20 anthology album (which doesn’t include the video versions).
Of course my top five videos can change without notice, just the same as my anthology of 20 songs can change!
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Howard – I was pleasantly surprised at the number of originals were mentioned in these lists. As a general comment, I would also say the team reserved some of their most inspired video productions for these. I am hoping for a flurry of new songwriting in 2019.
And Steve, thank you for reminding me about ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year’. You are the only one besides myself who included a Christmas carol in their five favorites. I forgot how great this rendition was. I think they are advancing slowly toward an eventual holiday album. I had an idea about how to push this along in the suggestions section. They may already be way ahead of me.
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