SOULS
Directed By Doug Dowdle

I must admit that this is probably not my favorite Rick Springfield video, however but it does have some highlights that make it one to remember.

* My favorite part of the video hands down has to be when Scruffy Rick looks directly in the camera and sings to you.  Now if he could have only had a goatee...

Honorable mentions:

*The "sigh" when the old woman gets into the car and he looks down, so depressed.

* And this is just funny, but when Rick is singing with all the hour glasses around him and the band is in that circle behind him hanging on the wall, I want to scream...."LET THEM OUT!"

* Rick in the bus singing .."there was something familiar about the smell of her skin"...whoa, he looks so intense. Very nice.

* Again, not to harp on this, but man oh man, the girl is so not-worthy-to-be-on-a-screen-with-THE-Rick-Springfield.  I know they were going for the Midwest, innocent look.  That is great, good theme.  But jeez, she just needed to be a bit cuter.  I am sorry, I know that might seem a bit harsh....but it is true.

I must admit the theme puzzled me then and it still kind of does now.  I assume it is one person, 2 paths -look what happens when you do not "listen to your heart".  You end up with an old woman, looking at silver bodies in an art gallery, singing.  I just remember being so grateful they did not cut the song even a tad short for the video because one of my very favorite parts of the song is when he sings "hard, hard place and a rock"....for the second time at the end.  It shows up just as he meets up with Miss Midwest in the alley and puts his arm around her.  I literally broke 2 cassette tapes because I replayed that portion of the song over SO many times.  The gravelly tone his voice takes on "rock". Wow, it did something for that 16 year old back then.  Actually, it still does quite a bit for me now. 

I love the opening shot with "scruffy" Rick.  I think  the video fell a little short, could have gone so much deeper (although maybe it went really deep and we just didn't get it).  I thought Rick looked really good as both characters, but I did not like the cream colored outfit.

I loved it when "scruffy" Rick does the little leg dance, and I liked the split screen shot when both Rick's were showing at the same time.  I noticed one of the works of arts was titled "City of Shadows" and was wondering if there was a meaning behind that.  To tell you the truth, I never really noticed the singing clay statues until we started talking about it here.  [it's kind of like at EFX - Dancers?   What dancers?]  At the end of the video, it's like he ran out of time, all the sand was gone through the hour glass, and those streamer things fell from the ceiling.   I guess most of it just went over my head.  I noticed the bus had it's right blinker on, not sure about that, and I have no idea what was with the use of the clips from some of the previous videos.

I really didn't like this vid. I LOVE the song. I just always felt it could have had a better vid. I REALLY didn't like the scruffy look that had him in for half of the vid. He looked horrible. Also didn't enjoy the cheesy things they did with the band. Popping up on different shapes and things on the wall..... Ick.  Then there was the whole bus thing. Whatever. Are you getting the point? Love the song. Was disappointed in the vid. He did look good though in the shots of him with the old lady at the party. That all makes me cringe too however.......  This one just didn't work for me.

I've made it no secret that this is my absolute favorite Rick song - so I guess it would be no surprise to any of you that I love this video!

From the start with the limo door slam, to the sigh (which, btw I always intrepreted as a window shutting, not a door slam, when listening to the song before the video), I love what was done with this song. Cream colored clothing is obviously not the best color for Rick, but he does look as handsome as the devil~don't he?!?!? (bad grammar intended there!) I think there was a point trying to be made by putting him in that type of suit, trying to make him look rich and sophisticated as opposed to the poor and average looking alternate he also was in the video. (did I just say average looking?? well, you know what I mean :-) ) I too, loved the scruffy version of Rick better. I dunno why, more macho??

The scene wit the statue people appears to be Rick at some kind of art show (kinda like those things they always attend on Sex in the City) and Rick is walking around checking out the art and the statues are really only speaking out to him, not the rest of the crowd. The same thing with the band in the picture - Rick is the only one experiencing them. Either that, or Rick was on some good drugs or something...
but he's realizing he's in a place he shouldn't be (with the rich crowd).

Again, the choice of 'chicks' in this video sucks. The "rich" lady looks about 20 years older than Rick (what is UP with all these old ladies cast opposite him?) and the "poor" lady...well she is definitely down on her luck, but I think the looks had alot to do with it. Get a hair cut, some classy clothes and some makeup for god sakes! Rick thinks you're his soulmate for cryin' out loud - look like you're trying here!

All jokes aside, (and I'm not going to even touch upon those "statue people") I really liked this video. I think the theme of the video is money and power mean nothing if you are not with who you really want to be with/love, and that you should not sacrifice something as powerful as being with your soulmate to achieve wealth/fame. It really follows the song well. I think the use of the bus symbolizes that Rick (thought) he waited too long to realize who he really loved and wanted to be with, and when he did she was gone. Ya know - kinda missed the bus on that one...

And the card - "One Spirit~looking for the Other" is kinda like life is giving you a message (but they just kinda "spelled it out" for you in that little moment).

The little "peep" we get of Rick from AOTH video here and there I find quite funny. Like we weren't supposed to know they were re-hashing old stuff already?? And hey - there's that tiger again.

Rick looks great in this video either as the dapper stud or the scruffy down on his luck guy. I've always interpreted this video as Rick being like an escort/gigolo because of the money and connections, but he finally realizes that money ain't everything and this latest gig is feeling and looking (haha!) old.  So he sighs, knowing there has to be more in this world.  

Okay, now his soulmate is a girl from the midwest. Well, I've never been to the midwest, but I wouldn't think that all the women dressed or looked like that!  But, I think what is being shown here is that it doesn't matter what someone looks like, they may be your soulmate. I just don't understand how she ended up at the same glitzy party or why she was humiliated by the old socialite grabbing the note. She's young, the other lady is old and I'm sure won't be in commission too much longer anyway, or appealing to a young man for much longer.

In the end, Rick gives up his material world to search for his soulmate, hence his scruffy look. He looks awesome though!

The song gets five stars from me....the video, 3 stars.