It's taken us most of the day to make heads and/or tails of this video for "Falling Down," the first single from Scarlett Johansson's album of Tom Waits covers. But as far as unintentional A-list homages to the meandering road-life videos of the '80s go (remember "Kyrie"? No? OK, well, here), we have seen much worse. As intentional A-list homages to meandering, gravel-throated rock legends go, however, Johansson has her work cut out for her. By the time she gets around to her follow up, we're sure she'll have the earnestness bug licked and her ironic prime sprawling before her. Our money is on a full-length tribute to James Brown, but really, anything funkier than Tom Waits would probably do just as well.
Video Reveals Tom Waits is a Decent Enough Muse For Scarlett Johansson
5:30 PM on Tue Apr 29 2008
By STV
10,794 views
19 comments









It's taken us most of the day to make heads and/or tails of this video for "Falling Down," the first single from
Comments
I cringed during this entire song. Monotone=bad no matter how gorgeous you are.
Comment on Video Reveals Tom Waits is a Decent Enough Muse For Scarlett Johansson You know, every time I listen to Tom Waits I picture gum-chewing movie stars getting their nails done for Japanese tv. And Salman Rushdie neck kisses. It's just intuitive.
It's terrible and has been electronically manipulated all to hell to make her sound like Sinead O'Connor back in the Troy days mixed with the remains of the Mary Chain and spread thick on a "isn't this the chick who has tits for a living" ponder.
Garbage, fucking garbage.
Bad.Bad.Bad.Bad.Bad.Bad.Bad.
I actually wasn't completely against this when it was first announced. I mean, Scarlett may not be particularly beautiful or a good actress, but she has really big cans and I'd like to have sex with her. So because of that both I and Wong Kar Wai can forgive her for Lost In Translation, and for this.
Or so I thought.
Because of her huge rack and the choice of Tom Waits — did you get that? Tom Waits — as a songwriter choice, I was unusually willing to believe that Ms. Johansson was also extremely intelligent and blessed with highly developed musical taste. All good signs, right?
But this video raises two prominent questions. (1) Is there anything Rushdie won't do a cameo in these days? and (2) Aw, Bowie, c'mon. (Okay, I guess #2 isn't really a question.)
Maybe I'm not making myself clear: the song (and the video) are terrible.
But Scarlett, I'll still have sex with you. And if it helps my cause at all: I'm closer to twice your age than not.
I know I'm throwing myself to the wolves but I enjoyed it.
Absurd and painfully earnest vanity project, no surprise. Okay, so she can't act OR sing her way out of a paper bag.
If Tom Waits heard this he would be crying in his Jack Daniels.
She's one of the worst singers I've ever heard. Up there with Wlliam Hung.
I didn't know she was British...is that accent new?
I managed to save my ears until just this morning -- wow. WOW WOW WOW. Truly, eighty times worse than I thought it would be. I am floored.
all across america, stoned alternateens are going to dry hump to this and think that somehow it speaks to them in all their infinite miseries. has she not gotten over lost in translation yet? jesus.
This is REALLY bad. Just because you want to bang someone, music critics, does not mean they can sing. It was off-key and monotone.
She's OK looking but very sexy; an OK actress with wondrous boobs. However, her vocal technique or 'voice' is bleedin appalling. The sefl indulgence factor is off the scale. The video is 'wow, my life is so... something...'
Salman Rushdie again? That's the fifth video I've seen him in all week.
There's a push to get the song heard so I've already heard it about four or five times this week. I'm at work so I kind of drone it out until about halfway through it. Then something primal screams within me to "please, for the love of all that is holy and sacred, make whatever the hell that noise is stop!"
No video is going to make that song listenable. Scarlett, less on the effects and go with your strengths...I know you've got to have a couple around there somewhere.
awful. she is hot, but this is awful.
It reminds me of when they play a really good song at the end of a movie that fades out thirty seconds into the credits. Then they cue up a ponderous dirge like this, I guess 'cause they want us to leave the theater.
@spankhaus: You got it right on the nose. I'm amazed that the multi-tracking of her vocals shows off how versatile she is in terms of her lack of pitch.
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