Today, we look at how the music video for Bob Dylan’s “Duquesne Whistle” pokes fun at the concept of the “romantic stalker.”
In Meta-Messages, I explore the context behind (using reader danjack’s term) “meta-messages.” A meta-message is where a creator comments on/references the work of another creator (or sometimes even themselves) in their work. Each time around, I’ll give you the context behind one such “meta-message.”
One of the all-time great Onion articles is “Romantic Comedy Behavior Gets Real Life Man Arrested,” mocking the idea that so much of the behavior that we see in romantic comedies is really just stalking, trespassing, menacing and sometimes even worse!
On Bob Dylan’s 2012 album, Tempest, one of the early singles was the charming throwback tune, “Duquesne Whistle.”
Nash Edgerton has directed a number of clever music videos for Bob Dylan, and he directed the “Duquesne Whistle” music video, which takes the concept of that Onion article to the nth degree, by showing a young man fall for a young woman, and he tries to woo her with romantic comedy gestures, like stealing a rose to present to her. However, his behavior gets more realistic reactions, like a face full of mace, and then arrested due to his continued stealing of roses, and when he knocks over a guy on a ladder in an attempt to distract the pursuing cops, the friends of the injured guy on the ladder then beat him badly and throw him back to the sidewalk, where Bob Dylan and a group of friends walk over him as the song ends.
Funny stuff, and some strong physical comedy acting from the lead actor, dancer Daniel ‘Cloud’ Campos.
If anyone has a suggestion for a good Meta-Messages, drop me a line at brian@popculturereferences.com!
