My thoughts on Fall Out Boy's new music video
Alright, so I just saw FOB’s new video for “What a Catch Donnie”, and I have to say that I was very surprised by it. Ever since “A Little Less Sixteen Candles” their videos have been, in my opinion, very pretentious and, when it comes to the things that they want to convey to their fans with their videos, badly done and in your face about it. Watching some of them was like watching Pete Wentz stand atop a soap box and shout about how much he simultaneously hates and loves himself and the people he has met on his way to stardom. However, with “What a Catch Donnie” I actually loved the video and what it had to say about Patrick, and possibly even Joe, Andy and the rest of the Fueled by Raman group of musicians. For me the video is his way of saying that they don’t need him to hold their hands anymore, as well as him acknowledging how lonely Patrick must have felt while FOB was becoming famous.
Yes Patrick has always said that he doesn’t mind being on the backburner, but I never really fully believed that. I mean think about it, put yourself in his shoes and try to imagine what it would be like to have the kind of talent he has, be the lead singer and composer for a band as famous as FOB, and not be the front man, ignored by most of the media and fans while your best friend basks in the glory. If I were Patrick I wouldn’t be able to handle that, I’d fold under all the pressure and self doubt, wondering why I’m not good enough to be loved like my friend is loved.
The boat that Patrick captains in the video is a symbol for his loneliness and isolation, as well as the music that he creates. Every day it’s the same routine where he wakes up and takes care of his boat as well as himself, with nobody to talk to or admire his hard work out there on the open sea. He’s so alone that he even takes in an injured seagull as his closest companion. The bird’s not a person, but it is flesh and blood and it stays with Patrick and makes him happy because it’s something he cares for that, in a way, actually does thank him for it. So now, the lone sailor and Scuttle Jr. are in a way content with their day to day toil, till Patrick starts to hook random objects from other music videos as he fishes off the bow of his boat. The fuck? He then investigates with a pair of binoculars when smoke is spotted in the distance. A luxury cruise liner (that kind of looks suspiciously like the Titanic =) ) is sinking on the horizon, life boats full of old friends, who preferred the lifestyle of such an extravagant vessel (popular music) over Patrick’s little tug boat (real music made from blood sweat and tears). Patrick rescues them and he welcomes them as they all dance and sing with happiness and thank their savior. But, wait, where the hell it Pete Motherfucking Wentz? One last look with the binoculars reveals that he’s still on the sinking cruise liner, smiling and waving farewell from the bird’s nest. He’s sinking with his ship (all his fame and the mess that it made of his friends), and he’s happy about it.
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