Life is never boring for Beyoncé fans. The most successful, beautiful and talented woman in popular music (after La Toya) continues to keep us on our toes by releasing/leaking an alternate cut (above) of her iconic "Halo" video. From what I gather, this was set to be the original version until the record company got cold feet and scratched the dark subplot - which would explain the notable absence of a storyline in the final edit. Many fans and sad, jealous haters have called this a radical improvement but I couldn't disagree more. Anyone who knows me will testify to my ongoing obsession with "Halo". A year and a half on and I still listen to it at least once a day. Queen B's Grammy winning anthem got me through a rough patch and obviously struck a chord with millions of other people around the globe. Hell, international superstar Kym Wilson even walked down the aisle to it with the equally legendary Toni Pearen by her side! I wonder if people would feel the same emotional connection to the song if it was associated with such a dark and depressing film clip?
Don't get me wrong. I love it when Beyjesus mixes it up by going on a lesbian murder spree ("Telephone") or getting wasted in the bathtub ("Why Don't You Love Me?") but the alternate version of "Halo" completely misrepresents the song and - worse still - doesn't even make sense. Can someone please explain what the hell is going on? Beyoncé spends most of the video brushing her teeth and looking glamorous while driving a car, while her boyfriend is apparently chased by police. Or is he a policeman? And I'm sorry but the big finale is completely ridiculous. How often is being mauled by a (small) dog - on the ankle (!) - a fatal injury? Did he catch rabies or just die of boredom when Leona Lewis popped on his iPod? The released version (below) is incredibly simple but that's one of the reasons I love it. In fact, after "Single Ladies" it's probably my favourite video from the "Sasha Fierce" era. The soft, white light and eerie underwater scene imbue the clip with a spiritual element that suits the song perfectly and B's interaction with her male lead is romantic without making you want to vomit. I'm glad the alternate version leaked. I just have no desire to see it ever again.
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