One of the good things that came out of the 2020/2021 weirdness and woes was the discovery of the man behind the TikTok Sea Shanty “Wellerman” craze, Nathan Evans. This summer, he continued to prove he isn’t just a social media influencer. He is also a legit and worthy musician with his upbeat, catchy single “Told You So.”
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The official video for this ditty dropped in August, featuring Evans and some happy road-tripping, pub-haunting companions. And it just make you feel good.
The video for his remix of the the song (featuring an appearance by the funky pig-masked producer and DJ, Digital Farm Animals) came out in June. It also provides some armchair traveling with location hopping. Some of it may be green screen (I’m really not sure) and some real. No matter, as it is all enjoyable. Evans’s massive smile also makes him a very worthy travel companion.
Evans isn’t the first one to take us with him to some exotic (and not so exotic) locations, as his remix video immediately reminded me (in a good way) of some other music videos that embarked
The Dead South – “In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company”
I shared this video when it first came out more than four years ago, and have since been a huge fan of The Dead South’s music. Since this once came out, it has gotten more 261 million…yes million…views. The song itself has also been featured in the darker moments in shows like Umbrella Academy and American Gods, as well as in the teaser for the creepy crime drama Perpetual Grace, Ltd. It was this simple, meticulously edited video for their bouncy sing-a-long murder anthem that pushed them into the spotlight. It was so popular, they released a “Worldwide Dance Party” edition, where fans could show their best Dead South style moves.
Yet, you can’t beat the original.
Brad Paisley – “Southern Comfort Zone”
Back in 2012, country star Brad Paisley went far out of his comfort zone on a “film journey.” The video boasts it covers “10,000 miles” using “two cameras” with “a tractor” and “six jackets” to visit eight countries in eight days. His message is to get outside your comfort zone and see the world, but he scored himself a pretty sweet world trip in the process.
That journey might be bit tough for most of us to pull off right now, Brad, but thanks for a fun video and the beautiful sights in the meantime.
James Blunt – “Bonfire Heart”
Just as All-American singer Brad Paisley took off to see the world, British singer James Blunt celebrated some of the back roads of America on a motorcycle in 2013. He primarily tooled along U.S. Route 20 in Idaho and Route 191 in Wyoming. The best thing about this is all the folks he encounters along the way are “real people” — not actors — he met on his trip. This includes a group of Harley riding Afghanistan veterans. How cool is that? Plus, it is a beautiful, spirit-lifting song.
If you’re more into a California hippie surfer beach vibe, check out his also cool “Stay The Night.”
God Bless America, indeed!
As Labor Day weekend marks the customary end of summer, many of us weren’t able to travel once again. That doesn’t mean we can’t relax with a few armchair traveling opportunities and some great music.
