Björk – It’s Oh So Quiet
Björk – It’s Oh So Quiet (1990)
Directed by: Spike Jonze
The music video, directed by Spike Jonze, which was shot in San Fernando Valley, California, features everything in slow motion and set as a Broadway musical style as Björk sings the verses; during the riotous chorus, everything returns to regular speed and everyone near her dances along. Normal life resumes during the next verse with the return of slow motion. This theme continues throughout the video. This video based on Jacques Demy’s 1964 film Les Parapluies de Cherbourg.
The video begins as Björk emerges from an extremely dirty washroom in an auto shop. She dances along with the auto workers for the first chorus, then emerges from the shop. During the second chorus, she dances tap with a few people outside of the auto shop. Björk continues to walk along the street, dancing with several elderly women and their umbrellas before settling to rest her arms on top of a mailbox for the final verse. The mailbox comes alive and dances along with Björk during this chorus. Björk then runs down the street and into the road, where the rest of the town has decided to join her for one large dance number. The video ends with Björk floating up above the townsfolk and hushing the viewer.
“It’s Oh So Quiet” video received six nominations for the MTV Video Music Awards for 1996 including Best Female Video, Best Art Direction, Breakthrough Video, Best Direction in a Video, International Viewer’s Choice Award — MTV Europe and Best Choreography in a Video, winning Best Choreography. The video was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Video – Short Form losing to “Scream” by Michael Jackson and his sister Janet In October 2007, MuchMoreMusic placed “It’s Oh So Quiet” as number 8 of the Top 40 Most Memorable Music Videos on Listed.
