Mercury Rev - Opus 40

Music Video for Merury Rev's "Opus 40"

[@marlonbonnici]

God I'd forgotten about this song but the film I just watched reminded me of it.

[@justsolo5562]

Love and Monsters!

[@DIYPanda1]

@@justsolo5562 Same. I'm old enough to have been vaguely aware of mercury rev at their height, but wasn't my thing, this is the first of their songs I've laid much attention to, and it's from that film

[@brianfairclough4109]

Daughter bought me a ticket to see these live a couple of years ago. This was was the finale. Me, daughter and wife all drunk singing along. In the bar afterwards I shook Grasshopper's hand. Goddamn I was drunk.

[@nabolom]

Hermosa canción!

[@heyvenus123]

BEUATIFUL!!

[@BrentForsythebrentforsythe9]

thank*

[@Ruimteaapje]

It's sort of a Max Schreck in space combination of tribute and parody

[@dOdAdEish]

"I'm alive she cries but I don't know what it means" Blah love this song

[@SplinterAce]

That's the doors album

[@saltemann3581]

i cant listen to this, only special occasions, when i think about my first love and the springtime we met eachother, life is short

[@jonmelgabs1419]

It sure is my friend

[@shayneoneill1506]

Ah yeah I gotta few songs like that. Theres this one song, I cant even name it, it was on the radio when the love of my life (at the time!) left me, 25 years ago and my entire mental framework just collapsed all at once. To this day if I hear even mention of the song the hair on the back of my neck stands up, I mean the band itself (shit, I think it was Powderfinger or something, the song was "this life is nothing like I planned" or something like that) where pretty generic meh 90s post-grunge guff, stuff the kids would call dad-rock now, but that fucking song wrecks me and i hate it. I mean, if a songs gonna have that much power over you it should at least have the decency to be a good band. See your lucky, your song, its at least from a good band!

[@styxcreek]

Love the video. Like Nosferatu in Space. Brilliant song as well.

[@Bimkovitz]

Man, Mercury Rev and the Flaming Lips really are like siblings. Not only do they have similar sounds, but they've taken similar paths: both started out playing noisy, vaguely avante-garde stuff and moved gradually into a more orchestral, melodic formula.

[@thechief5670]

I wish that Jonathan could sing some Flips songs and Wayne some Rev songs. It’s be so dope to hear their vocals and takes on the other bands songs. I love both bands and Dave Fridmann forever!!!

[@kcza47]

Anybody else hear the Beatles Golden Slumbers in this song?

[@franciscojosemari4707]

Pachelbel's Cannon

[@middlehutch14902]

i get visions of Golden Slumbers, A day in the life & across the universe

[@NickPoundPhotography]

Saw Mercury Rev at Glastonbury the other day. Managed to get right near the front. Fucking awesome!

[@theestever]

Rev and F'Lips have close ties, they are produced by the same guy (Dave Fridman, who also works with MGMT). I tend to think of both bands as two sides of the same coin - MR are the melancholy and romantic, F'Lips the psychedelic, life-affirming, party band. To accuse either of copying the other ignores a connection I think they have that is deeper than just having had Jonathan Donahue in common.

[@sonial1839]

Flaming Lips are very melancholic and romantic too...

[@MemoryColor]

Jonathan Donahue was a member of TFL, so it make's no sense that people would think that they're copying each other.

[@shayneoneill1506]

Its also worth noting that there are music "scenes" that have their own sounds, and its not that people are copying each other, but rather they are all going to see each others bands, hangng out, swapping ideas, raiding each others record collections etc. "Grunge" in the 90s was a product of a particular scene in seattle and olympia , shoegaze was a product of a specific english scene. "The dunnedin sound" was the result of a scene of kiwi musicians in the 80s and 90s who all hung out. Australian psychedelia is very much the same. Even in my hometown in perth, australia there was definate "Perth sound" in the 90s led by bands like cinema prague that led to a lot of great bands that had some common threads musically. I suspect thats partly whats going on. These guys and Flaming lips are good friends (and yes, have shared members), see the same bands, listen to each others bands, swap ideas, even recorded in the same studios. Of course theres gonna be common threads.

[@Rocketman10057]

Sometimes music is so perfect it nudges you to admit you’ll never be able to self suck ,commit hari-kari or even invent a steam engine ,but I digress ,a beautiful song dreamt up by angels

[@lop_nur]

fr fr

[@mattmurdoch6720]

Love and monsters brought me here

[@alltheworldsastage4785]

Heh.

[@mattmurdoch6720]

​@@alltheworldsastage4785hi

[@mattmurdoch6720]

​@@alltheworldsastage4785🤪

[@callumcampbell5570]

All The Young Dudes...

[@edwardbliss8931]

I was born with synesthesia. Out of the hundreds, perhaps thousands of songs I'm able to visualize moving shapes, I'm still having a tough time trying to visualize the part of the song at 2:09. It's just so complicated...it throws my synesthesia off

[@kyletomlinson5365]

i see how it could be weird but the time signatures are completely normal. It's just in 4/4

[@Monorail-Beyond-the-Veil]

I Googled it, but still don't understand WHAT is synesthesia? Thank you.

[@conorsherry4229]

Hi Monorail! Synesthesia is a disorder related to your senses. For example, a synesthete (one who has synesthesia) might be presented with the colour yellow. However, instead of just seeing the colour yellow, the synesthete might vomit up their own pelvic bone and then try to row to China using it as a paddle. I hope this helps!

[@lizzy__brock]

Conor Sherry what do you see for the rest color wise etc ? i do not have it so i’m curious

[@clairecarlia-jones5979]

Do many songs have this effect on you?

[@naphtaliboateng9566]

Love and Monster brought me here

[@tonyamadeus]

Love and monsters

[@ManlyOBeeferton]

I had the biggest crush on the actress in this video (whoever she is) when I was a kid, I'd never seen someone so beautiful. The song still holds up after all these years too.

[@drsexypants100]

She reminds me of that girl in Chemical Brother's "Let forever be" (One of my fav vids)

[@ManlyOBeeferton]

I fancied her as well :). That's a blast from the past, just spent the last half hour listening to all their old tunes.

[@drsexypants100]

yeah, I was really into that chick in chemical brothers. I also thought it was cool how they paid tribute to that style of choreography that I can't remember the name of lol. I like to tell people I was the homeless drummer in that video. lol.

[@drsexypants100]

Busby Berkeley! That's who I was trying to remember... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busby_Berkeley

[@marioalt9420]

@@drsexypants100 Stephanie Landwehr :)

[@weirdgetsaround]

what an album deserter's songs was. poetic, profound, tranquil

[@BarryWarne]

also a bit of Mott the Hoople happening in the best possible way

[@yakinbozek]

All the young bowiesques Mott the Hooples.

[@janinanoleen]

2023?

[@polotown1]

Nights alone by your side ! Poignant or what.

[@petternerman5587]

The absurdly popular Swedish artist Håkan Hellström has copied this song without giving cred. Listen to "Det är så jag säger det".

[@omarqure]

Aka Kråkan Gnällström

[@bembridgebabe]

this is my absolute favourite song of all time

[@hayley8715]

Nostalgia! Wow, seen this live as a teen many moons ago.

[@sophiaturbo]

Весьма и весьма прикольная/приятная команда - в лучших традициях поп-рока 70х; и рокик чудесный.

[@markissboi3583]

This song is in Love & Monster 2020 Great Movie 9/10 my Fav Fallout meets Big Bugs apocalypse

[@pauloluwasesan8459]

I never knew this song until I watched that particular movie you mentioned. Heard succinctly inside a dying and expectant scenario and I liked it. Searched for the lyrics and I discovered the song. It's a nice and soulful song really.

[@VictoriaEatingCake]

Great song! On top of that, this is one of the best music videos I've ever seen! What a treat for the old eyes, ears, brain and heart! Who directed it? The actress in this is brilliant in what she does with the position of the usually silent pretty girl role in music videos. I've watched this a bunch of times and I still love it.

[@JohnMoseley]

The director was Anton Corbijn, known not just for his direction but his still photography.

[@cheezysmusiclounge3239]

That fuggin vid reminds me of "Tonight, Tonight" by Smashing Pumpkins

[@AuthenticCelestial]

their last great album. mastered the epic, sweeping, orchestrated thing at first attempt, and then proceeded to drag it out. most recent one was an improvement, mind...

[@steveasat2]

Now be fair: EVERYONE has horrible taste in music. We just pretend otherwise to keep the music industry profitable.

[@neverbreathesleeping]

omg I just found this so now it's time for a history lesson if you don't already know, Opus 40 is a huge (6 or 7 acre) stone sculpture (ramps, pedestals, platforms, etc) in Saugerties, New York built by Harvey Fite. He purchased the land in 1938, idk when he built it. He died before it was finished, but it's beautiful. My family goes way back in Saugerties, I was born here but I moved away. I'm visiting now but I'm moving back in a couple months. I was excited to find a song about it!

[@davebetts900]

I've been looking for this song for years, couldn't remember the name of the band until today 🙂

[@LaggyOmar]

Love and monsters❤

[@pivot1022]

this really reminds me of golden slumbers by the beatles

[@andrewslatter8115]

I like the song but the music video leaves me with so many questions like “ wtf was that” so confused but hey the song rocks!!!

[@joseramonperisromero6345]

Una obra maestra

[@patriciomartinotti5694]

Que vivan dos álbumes! Deserter's Songs de Mercury Rev y el Album del Plesiosaurio de los Konklins!! :) :) :)

[@hannahe7556]

I don't understand why they aren't more popular

[@kikeborrellas6752]

Despres de 14 anys amb mi, aquesta cançó es de les millors que mai escoltaré.

[@arendalfiyanto8447]

Well she tossed all night like a raging sea Woke up and climbed from the suicide machine With her Spanish candles and her Persian poems Stuck on the rocks inside opus 40 stoned And scratching her wrists in the pouring rain She collapses down upon the ocean floor again Tears in waves minds on fire Nights alone by your side Catskill mansions buried screams I'm alive She cried but I don't know what it means Somewhere out there across the moonlit sands There's a line drawn like the lines on her own hand And slamming her eyes locking the door She collapses down upon the ocean floor again Tears in waves minds on fire Nights alone by your side Tears in waves minds on fire Nights alone by your side

[@nigellangridge1975]

There is beautiful music, and then there is Mercury Rev…

[@minfo2000]

SYD LIVES

[@settlece]

love

[@2seconds992]

For the trillionth time: WHOO IZZZ SHEEEEEE??????? 😥

[@seandoran2209]

I was nowhere near you..lucky lad.

[@rileyburdeos1415]

Came here because of Love and Monsters

[@coco1970]

FANTASTIC musicians!! - amazing live!! Thank You Mercury Rev for all your music and Amazing live gigs XXX Nats

[@steveharrison4176]

What is this video got to do with anything ? enlighten me please

[@sonial1839]

She is screaming because she wants to see the manager.

[@alpinebeanie88]

Please tell me I'm the only person who thought of the Twilight Zone.

[@TheWinkler]

this has got to be one of my favorite videos of all time. I saw this on TV years ago and didn't know until recently what the song was, although I knew it was Mercury Rev. I'm glad it's been posted. Thanks!

[@retromemenaga3084]

Canon in D in a song can never go wrong.

[@rmontesalvarez]

OMD - Walking on the Milky Way

[@mehrad4u]

I just heard "Persian Poems" and got curious about it but this is really good

[@mysterywhiteboy45]

are you a hypnotist?

[@stereodata]

mercury rev are aldready great !!!

[@shaxan]

Bowie's legacy manisfested.

[@avscorreia]

Yep. Fully baked! :) Great song!

[@ruthdixon7807]

majestic pocket pop symphony.

[@catharinekariana]

NOBODY else drums like Levon. RIP buddy.

[@50CalTV]

questionable content brought me here lol.

[@mparusz]

Corbijn - pure genius

[@MaxGiu]

@Stokemeaclipperbro la mujersita quedándose quieta y por momentos moviendose (0:55) me enamora completamente tears and wave minds on fire

[@ThePoorhillbilly]

love the organ break in the middle, and the outro

[@rulomala]

GOLDEN SLUUUUMBERS IN YOUR EYEEEES !! -- dude thats not it..-- OH WHAT? OH IM SORRY I THOUGHT -- look, you just get out and close the door behind you

[@thehospitalofsongs]

Stuck on th' rocks inside opus 40 stoned

[@goodsirknight]

when music videos were good.

[@MrAugustus88]

This masterpiece is the new 'Strawberry Fields' and the new ' Lucy in the sky with diamonds' neo progg. Quality music has not died after all. Aren't the companies and MTV tired of Promoting Rap and disco crap all the time ?

[@hellfatie0011]

Peaso de grupo y de cancion

[@artrock101]

Actually, they did more than "hang out". Jonathan Donahue (the lead singer & guitarist of MR) was IN The Flaming Lips for 2 records, and even Wayne Coyne admits that they were never a proper band until he joined. And the guy that he formed Rev with (Dave Fridmann) has produced the last half dozen Lips records.. So, yeah.. read that "influence" where you may. As much as I love Deserter's Songs, my favorite MR album is See You On The Other Side, which is sadly out of print.

[@casr2]

why are we talking about a band as bad as coldplay on an awsome track like this?, coldplay are nowhere near the league of mercury rev.. and im one of the few people left in the world that still kinda likes coldplay... mercury rev are awsome, end of

[@metamagick]

@CrystalClaritySan Opus 40 is a large stone sculpture created by Harvey Fite in Saugerties, NY (where some of the band members reputedly live), in the foothills of the Catskill mountains.

[@jessicakennon]

@camdablinkfreak Just because millions of people like something doesn't mean it is automatically amazing. Millions of people liked Britney Spears.

[@bluewonder136]

Rip levon

[@johnstuckaiii]

bluewonder136 what happened? And which one was he ?

[@Nanusko]

mattokuk tiene toda la razòn, el video molarìa mucho màs de no ser porque la pava me recuerda a Victoria-horror-Beckham

[@iklock]

Really eh? Zaireeka has the exact same lush, orchestral sound of The Soft Bulletin and that was released in 1997 whilst songs made during Zaireeka which wouldn't fit onto the whole 4-disc format of Zaireeka were sent onto The Soft Bulletin so most were recorded before the release of Deserter Songs. Whilst recording the rest of the songs for The Soft Bulletin it's been noted that the bands would often see each other just after/before a session with Dave (producer of both records) so no-one copied

[@petunyanose]

song of my lifetime.

[@mercuriopiccoli]

it's a great song but they rip off so many bands... flaming lips... and flaming lips ripped off butthole surfers... but this one is still a masterpiece

[@thegreatestguitaristonmars3608]

golden slumber

[@helcio1960]

I believe the video has a clear mention of the fime "Nosferatu the Vampire Night." Classic German film directed by Werner Herzog and starring Klaus Kinski. Nosferatu did not die, he was just in space, returning to find his love.

[@discotecabsurda]

Perhaps the lyric:"I'm alive she cried but I don't know what it means" should be in that 1:57 moment... Fuck the not-happiness watching this piece of Arte Povera :)

[@Subvertia]

haha they influenced the lips and vice versa. one of the members of Rev is from OK, and they all hung out. Same producer, too on several albums. Yerself Is Steam is a great album, so is Boces!

[@DronePete]

Exactly. Deserter's Songs is from 1998 while The Soft Bulletin, the album that first displayed the now famous Flaming Lips sound, is from 1999. So if there was any "blatant copying" being done, it sure wasn't Mercury Rev.

[@monkeypeas]

too good its wrong

[@misterblister1200]

Who is this actress? I've seen her somewhere before and I can't place it.

[@psirou]

Great song, but I personally think "Tonight it shows" is three times as good... Check it out!

[@ridedeus]

supporting coldplay?????oh god.they are 87t475684756 better than coldplay!!

[@mercuriopiccoli]

I think they should have splitted up after this song..... IT'S PERFECT!!!! How can you do better?

[@boilingsand]

This is one of the few decently well-known bands that actually understands music from top to bottom, side to side, the whole shebang. .

[@nikito370]

Goooooldeeen sluuumbers fillls your eeeeyeeesss! The chorus it's very similar to that melody.

[@BHMRmapache_ancestral_B5889]

Magic sjsjjs

[@JennyOndioline]

Um, like during the 20+ years they've already been together?! They are truly one of the great original American bands out there, and their work is singularly amazing as it is!!!!

[@MrSuttie]

But er..written several years later. Hmmmm. You mean he ripped it off?

[@Comus89]

hahahahahaha millions of people think Soulja Boy is good too remember?

[@crazygolfer333]

Yes...why didn't people like my comparison to Lennon? What's wrong with that?

[@stephenwalker850]

40 u say

[@mfmadprops]

didn't like this one at first, now it's one of my favorites on the album

[@gazzaonetwo]

saw these guys in melbourne, supporting coldplay, went down pretty good. i enjoyed the sound.