Soul Searchin' (1988)
Lyrics :: Screen Captures
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"Plot" Summary: This video is all about contemplative Glenn - contemplating his own relationship, contemplating the world around him. Appropriate for a song called "Soul Searchin'"! Apparently, he and his wife have had a fight before he left home that day (strange, since their relationship seems idyllic in the flashbacks - perhaps it's the rose-colored glasses thing, which is unusual after a fight!). She comes out with their new baby to kiss him goodbye before work, but they both look sad. He starts driving to work - it appears his job is at a big industrial plant. Waiting to get in the gates, he suddenly becomes frustrated, swings his car around, and drives away. He's going to take the day off to do some thinking.

As he drives around in his convertible, he begins by just looking around him. There are scenes of hope - children playing, people rallying around a sign "God is love" - and scenes of despair - poverty-stricken people sleeping in a park or pushing a car along that no longer works. Intercut with his contemplation of society are memories of the good times with his wife, demonstrated through a camera technique that mimics 8 mm-filmed home movies (remember those? Interestingly, this same technique is used for the Some Kind of Blue video). Also intercut are scenes of him silhouetted against a sunset and scenes of a large gospel choir doing the chorus, although those step outside of the "plot."

After driving around a while, he parks his car and walks around to contemplate life on foot. He stops by a newspaper machine and gets out a paper with the headline "Toxic Hazards" so he can do some environmental thinking on top of everything else. He arrives at a stadium of some sort and pulls out his lunchbox that appears out of nowhere (he wasn't carrying it earlier). He finds inside a note from his wife that says "I'm Sorry." (My mom used to put notes in my lunch box too - but they never said that!) This gives him more reason to remember good times with his wife like when they cavorted outside and kissed, at one point actually spinning around with both hands held.

Once lunchtime is over he finds himself at a park. There's a mother there throwing a large ball back and forth with her young child. The ball goes astray and rolls to Glenn. He tosses it back, smiling at the domestic scene. It apparently shows him the importance of family and perhaps reminds him that he has to be a good daddy to his baby because after that, he walks, then runs towards his car to return to his wife (reminds me of the end of When Harry Met Sally - "once you decide you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to begin as soon as possible"). He returns home to find her watering the lawn. (Now, if your woman lets off steam by doing yardwork, she is definitely a keeper!) He runs up to her, gives her a hug. We see him say "I'm sorry." The video closes on them walking towards the house, arm in arm, reconciled.

 

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