Bike “Save My Life”

Ok, first a disclosure: I really don’t like this song, I generally don’t like the music of Bike, and I was not a fan of Andrew Brough’s songwriting in the Straitjacket Fits. But I know many people who love his songs, including “Save My Life”, so I’m willing to put my personal feelings aside. This is very generous of me.

Directed by Mark Tierney, the video is based around the band playing the song in a simple studio. They’re all dressed in black, all wearing dark glasses, and the black-and-white footage is tinted orange. The video is slowed down, which gives it a dreamy feeling and works with the tone of the song.

The band’s sunglasses are a little reminiscent of the diabolical Boss Godfrey in “Cool Hand Luke”, and we frequently see fiery flames reflected in Andrew’s glasses. So when he sings “I’m already dead”, we can assume this means he’s in hell. Oh crap.

Occasionally we catch a glimpse of the outside world – a wave crashes on a beach, a photograph flutters in the wind in a city street. These images are shot in untinted black and white. Is this heaven?

As the video progresses, the orange-filtered footage of the band alternates with straight black and white. Even though they are “already dead”, perhaps it is still possible for their souls to be saved. Whoa.

Best bit: the flames, the fiery flames of hell.

Director: Mark Tierney
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision

Next… open up the bar.

3 thoughts on “Bike “Save My Life””

  1. I also dislike this song quite intensely, but I do like that it was played on Home & Away so much that it (according to legend) paid for a house for Mr Brough.

  2. I think Brough said that himself in that Flying Nun doco that was on tv a few years ago!

    But cmon, how can anyone dislike Bike? Quality songs every time … videos sometimes a bit generic, but you can’t have everything.

  3. I really liked Bike – their “Take In The Sun” album was quite a clever and full sounding pop album which should have been huge worldwide due the fact that it fitted well alongside Oasis’ “What’s The Story Morning Glory”. In fact squint your eyes and Brough could be Noel.

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