Ben Taylor "Wicked Way"

I was doing research for my Monday afternoon interview with Ben Taylor, and I came across the video for "Wicked Way," which is super-cool. Ben is an independent artist, so usually there isn't much of a budget for a music video. But when you are a creative type, surrounded by other creative types, you can often get people to go to bat for you.

"Wicked Way" falls into a long tradition of songs that work really well when received as Tongue And Cheek. But fall flat when people take them at Face Value.

Think Randy Newman's "Short People." I can remember being in grade school, and the teachers getting so mad when we would sing that song, because it made fun of short people. A sane rational adult knows that the song is about random bigotry. But the artist can't always count on the audience to read between the lines.

Ben's song is silly and sassy, but I know that a number of folks who heard this song and found it a little "date-rape-y" for their tastes.

There's that great quote from Spinal Tap: It's a fine line between clever and stupid. When you are clever, but too dry or deadpan, do you come off like a jerk?

Where do YOU come down on this tune?

Hear Ben Taylor "Wicked Way"

See the video Here