You must of course play this video as you read my lyrics.  The beautiful irony is too sweet to pass up.


I saw you on the screen in nineteen eighty one
I’d watch the videos and just stare at everyone
If I was young it didn’t stop you having fun
Oh a oh

They take an image whenever they step in a room
Rewrite some words and sing them all in autotune
And now I understand your problems all too soon
Oh a oh

I met your grand-children
Oh a oh
What did you tell them?

On-demand killed the video czar
On-demand killed the video czar

Streaming came and broke your heart
Oh, a, a, a, oh

And now we meet in an abandoned studio
We watch the playback and it seems so long ago
And you remember the jingles used to go
Oh-a oh

You were the first one
Oh-a oh
You were the last one

On-demand killed the video czar
On-demand killed the video czar

In my mind and on my phone,
they’re always there; i’m never alone

Oh-a-aho oh
Oh-a-aho oh

On-demand killed the video czar
On-demand killed the video czar

In my mind and on my phone,
they’re always there; i’m never alone

The Internet came and stole your bae
You can’t compete when they mash ‘replay’

Oh, you are an internet star
You are an internet star

On-demand killed the video czar
On-demand killed the video czar
On-demand killed the video czar
On-demand killed the video czar

On-demand killed the video czar
On-demand killed the video czar
On-demand killed the video czar
On-demand killed the video czar


Photo credits:

Some rights reserved by gaspaston (https://www.flickr.com/photos/gaspaston/33095628194/)

Some rights reserved by AdamCohn (https://www.flickr.com/photos/adamcohn/26342532773)

Video backstory:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_Killed_the_Radio_Star

Ice cube.

Ice cube wrapped in a towel.

Ice cube wrapped in a towel, held by a grubby toddler hand.

I remember that.

That is one of the earliest memories of my childhood.

The crunch of the cube is still strong, as is the scent of clean towel used to keep my hand from going numb.

Why do I remember this?

Well, why not?