Hear The Bells Music Video

[Martin.]

Not sure how I feel about it. It's one of those videos you have to watch a couple times in order to fully absorb the true message & meaning behind it.

[AG.]

Not what I expected, but beautiful nonetheless. I was really surprised to see all those home videos, like everyone else, and I'm sure after a few more watches, we'll all be able to unravel the symbolism. I loved all the fading and merging of the shots, and in HD it's magic!

[Ghisy]

Thanks for the download link guys! I was frustrated when I opened YouTube and saw the vid was blocked outside the US.

She looks gorgeous in the video (dang, those legs...) and I really enjoyed the little clips of young Vanessa

[Arwen]

Wow so beautiful! The imagery is stunning. I love all the home movies. She was and still is such an incredible dancer. I can't wait until I get home so I can view it more times. Damn work!

I also love how in certain parts they made the dancing videos sync up with the music.

Does anyone know what those are at 0:41? They almost look like wine bottles but they all have different numbers on them.

[[sobriquet]]

I have some things to say about it:

1) I find the clips from her home in NY to be too sharp. I feel that if it had the same grainy texture as with the home videos, everything will fit perfectly.

2) While watching it, I can't help but think how low the budget allotted for the video is. Is this something we should put blame on to Razor & Tie?

3) Did anyone notice that in the first chorus, V was wearing a white ballerina dress while on the second verse she was wearing a black one. It reminds me of the story of The Black Swan (how Natalie Portman transformed from the white swan to the black ones). I guess it represents her health?

4) I hate the fact that we didn't get the chance to steal another glance at the keyhole like we did in Nolita Fairytale video. And no graveyard nor Chinatown. I was expecting to see them, so....

5) The rabbit, well I guess it's about the hope she found in doing this record. Anyone?

6) The mirror facing us, I think, symbolizes the things she wants to show us. She was looking at it for the first half, and she wants us to see what she was seeing.

7) Does anyone love the part before the second chorus where it fast forward to her playing the piano? V had me at that.

The part where she wears a bandanna - I think is when she found the cure. For whatever.

9) When she clicked those jewels in her hands, I think that's when she found it. Notice that after she first clinked them, the almost all of the next scenes were taken outside.

10) I think that V has three alter-egos: the real her (the one wearing black), the doctor (the one wearing bandanna), and the banshee (the one wearing peach dress). I think it's the banshee that's blocking her ears from hearing the bells. And after the doctor clinked jewels (aka bells), the banshee seems to, I don't know, weaken? Notice that the video ends with the banshee seems to fall.

I don't know how many things I actually got right. But then, again, we will never know.

Or maybe I'm just being unusually inventive right now.

EDIT: And I don't want to sound like an a-hole, but I'm gonna say it anyway: V, when's the next one coming out? XD

[AG.]

^ that is a great post, I completely agree with your idea about the personas and the symbolism and progression. What you said about the sharpness of the NY video, I thought was a way of conveying the clarity she has found, that maybe the ballet of her youth and her previous focus of her youth clouded in her mind.

Also, I'm in two minds whether the apartment setting was used for making the video more personal and for Vanessa to obviously show perhaps the Peace she has found in NY/Nolita/or a more intimate lifestyle or budgeting reasons; perhaps a little of both?

[lavender skies]

Of course it looks cheap, so does hands on me and carousel. Vanessa is never going to have a high budget music video again. I'm disappointed, but I like it for the sole reason that i like she let us in a little bit. But yeah, I wasn't even excited for this. I don't care about videos, give me new music.

[Manny]

Its not what I expected Oh well but I felt like I was in some type of dream while watching the video.  I will provably have to watch the video several times.  I dont think it became its my fav video but oh well

[sarab]

Of course it looks cheap, so does hands on me and carousel. Vanessa is never going to have a high budget music video again. I'm disappointed, but I like it for the sole reason that i like she let us in a little bit. But yeah, I wasn't even excited for this. I don't care about videos, give me new music.

I almost agree 100%.  I did not have high hopes.  I didn't wait with bated breath.  I just was rolling with whatever she wanted to give.  However, when I saw that the video was out, I was really giddy and HAD to watch it right away.  I really love it. 

sobriquet I like all your interpretations and I almost wish I hadn't read them yet so I could come up with some of my own! 

[Fred_Saboya]

THEY SAID IT WOULD BE "AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE" IN ONE OF THE TWEETS. I COMPLETELY REMEMBER IT.

downloading it.

"On June 7th the official music video premiere for "Hear the Bells" will be available to all on VEVO"

[Fred_Saboya]

i was expecting more. BUT I LOVE IT SO MUCH! IT'S AWESOME!
but guys, where are the references to grey gardens, the ode to moms and her sickness?

yes, she's wearing little edie's outfit and the videos of her childhood may be the ode to her mom. but i thought we would really "know evertyhing about her". in some scenes where there is a zoom on her face (specially after the first chorus, "december crossing arms in chinatown") and then scenes of her childhood come, i feel like she's telling us a story.

but still it's a really beautiful video.

[Manny]

Its available worldwide now! like it!

[lavender skies]

criticisms sides, I do think that it is nice V added touches from her childhood. I think she knows how much we beg to know more about her life. So while it's not the video I would hope for, I appreciate it the same.

[Arwen]

Just got this email:

Dear [Phantom] Friends,

Today we are excited to announce the VEVO premiere of the official music video for "Hear The Bells," from Vanessa's latest album, Rabbits on the Run.
"Hear the Bells is about clarity, enlightenment.  It is song map about the journey of someone who is seeking out a remedy.  But remedies lie within us.  That is powerful and true but not always obvious.  I hope the song is a reminder.  In society the sound of a bells marks an important time, whether from a church tower or a chime in a garden. "

"This visual clip is the most revealing video I've ever done thus far.  Re-teaming with Jake Davis and his team was fluid and an inspired experience.  It was filmed at my house in New York.  The place where I wrote the song.  Doing a video for this song was Jake's idea and I'm really happy he pushed me to do it.  It is a reveal of my history woven in with the story of a reclusive woman based on little edie of grey garden.  An eccentric and wonderful lady who rarely left her house.  I believe we are our own fortune tellers."

For upcoming news and information tune in to Facebook, Myspace, and follow Vanessa on Twitter @VanessaCarlton.

Rabbits on the Run Deluxe Edition/LP is available now on iTunes by clicking here . The Deluxe LP includes 3 live acoustic bonus tracks, "Carousel" official video, "The Four Elements of Rabbits on the Run" video and "Behind the Scenes of "Carousel" video".

[Lyris]

It definitely feels much more home made than the others.