Cigarettes Will Kill You – Ben Lee

24 Comments

Movie Ranking: four / 5

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24 Responses to “Cigarettes Will Kill You – Ben Lee”


  1. Ospire

    it seems almost everyone is wrong

  2. seldomusedwords

    Why does that fact that both versions were shot in the USA make the point, like, so invalid it isn’t funny? You, like, literally don’t explain your point very well. Ben Lee without awkward is like, burgers without fries.

    My guess is that the lack of cigarettes in the original proved, like, so weird and confusing that the record company asked to get some, like, LITERAL cigarettes in the film clip. So it’s like a song, but like an anti-smoking statement too. Like, totally.

    USA!!

  3. mdrumt

    @2:40 Gotye circa 1998

  4. Joshua Harrison

    It’s a political statement about american culture, He’s taken the title of the song and changed it into something you can watch and pick up a whole new meaning of the title of the song, I understand it’s nothing to do with the song btw so all you wikipedia educated mofo’s just back off now… I bet none of you even know what the song is about

  5. Joshua Harrison

    It was nothing to do with that, It was because he acts so awkward in the first filmclip, They’re both shot in america so your point is so invalid it isn’t funny… It was a political dig during a time when people were getting shot for pulling out a pack of ciggies or an asthma puffer, It was a political statement…Not an artistic one, Look at kid cudi…he’s from america…made a clip for pursuit of happiness then made another one which was justa visual adaptation of the lyrical interpretation.

  6. Joshua Harrison

    Cheers wikipedia.
    

  7. Joshua Harrison

    Those that don’t grasp art…go jump off a cliff you elitist **** Come on genius try and explain art in a paragraph.

  8. onlykittenlove

    LOVE HINA SIM DATE LOL

  9. Chris Anderson

    Just going by what I see (or don’t see) on television in Australia, and there just isn’t much smoking and gun violence. That American video would look extremely out of place on Australian television.

  10. shorebreak69

    know how you feel Ben,,,I wish everyone was wrong too,,unfortunately,,,,,,,,,they weren’t.

  11. airmiami

    Noooooooooo! He recalled that he had been listening to The Verve who have a song called “The Drugs Don’t Work”. He was so impressed with the title of the song, that he decided to name his song with a similarly catchy title. The name is also a metaphor for continuing to go back to a bad relationship even though you know it will end badly and you’ll end up getting hurt, compared to everyone knowing cigarettes can cause health problems but many people continuing to smoke them anyway.

  12. ElTee842

    There are also ‘international’ versions of American artists’ songs, so the same could be said of the international market. In some instances, there are several different ‘international’ versions depending on translations, regions, etc. And it’s not just the American music industry that does it. Asian pop singers usually release in four languages; Japanese, Korean, Chinese and English (if they’re big enough for the latter).

  13. jonship

    holy crap, this version is different again!! in the original original (or maybe its actually a descendant of this version) he ends up in a dentist chair and thats how he becomes all white, then when he goes running through the streets its a bit more obvious that he’s getting smaller and smaller. not sure i can be bothered tracking it down though :) just glad to have seen the real clip again!

  14. jonship

    oh and for those that dont seem to grasp art – no, the song has nothing to do with its title :)

  15. jonship

    Ah thank GODS somebody found this, the REAL clip not that SHIT self righteous piece of crap with them all in the grocery shop. This clip, like the song, is a masterpiece. Some very subtle CG going on. How many of you, like me, didnt realize he’s actually not standing present in ANY of the scenes in the street? :)

  16. Diane Shipley

    this song….is shit…..it has nothing to do with cigarettes and he is talking about making a cake…..what the fuck…….

  17. EyepopTheSailorMan

    Seems fairly unlikely tbh. Is there any evidence at all of fictional depictions of smoking or gun violence being actively restricted on Australian television in the 1990s?

    My preferred theory is that someone just suggested the white body paint section was kinda goofy and offputting. Which would be a fair point. :)

  18. supervampcat gormley

    unless some die in videoclip it won’t interest an american audience according to the media propaganda.
    

  19. Hollie Bray

    haha its so funny how his face contorts when he sings..

  20. mygreatlovenova

    Such a fabulous Australian talent………..

  21. mygreatlovenova

    awww how sweet……..

  22. Chris Anderson

    @elonbroadway. I just watched both versions and my guess is that Ben wrote and produced the song and video while living in America. Then the Video was not approved by Australian censors, who have strict rules regarding both Ciggarettes and Guns. So he made the US version first, and then remade it for Australian audiences.
    Like I said, this is just a guess, but an educated guess, because I don’t see a lot of smoking and guns in mainstream music videos here in Australia,

  23. TheSingingQueen94

    Honestly I don’t see any difference from the US version except for the back up in the chorus.

  24. WizFizz

    Agree completely! Surely Americans are sick of being told what to watch. Sure they must feel patronised?