At close to a million hits, “Father” is Tooji’s most viewed song since his Eurovision 2012 entry for Norway. Full on gay sex with a priest in a packed church is always going to be a tough act to follow. But the newly out singer tries his best with “Say Yeah”.
The video centres around three men – a conflicted boyfriend, a gang leader and a solitary loner. The boyfriend abandons his female bedfellow in search of his male lover (the loner), only to discover that he is being attacked by the gang. He tries to intervene, but the antagonists turn on him too. Eventually they clear off, leaving the pair for dead. So far so very Hozier’s “Take Me To Church”. But there’s a twist. We see the gang leader running with a look of regret, confusion and repulsion. He’s clearly a closet case. However, just in case some of us have candy floss for brains, Tooji hammers home the point by showing him watching gay porn (avert your eyes if you don’t want to see some pixelated fellatio). Is the final scene necessary? No, but then this is an out-Tooji video, so what do you expect?
It’s all rather harrowing. And while the clip draws attention to the important issue of homophobic hate crimes, it’s hard to see how this relates to the single it’s supposed to be promoting. “Say Yeah” is a heady EDM track, which could easily sit alongside “What Do You Mean?” and “Where Are Ü Now” on Justin Bieber’s new album. The opening lines touch on a prior darkness, but once the chorus kicks in the mood becomes much more upbeat, a sort of melancholic euphoria. You certainly don’t think of homophobia and violence.
It’s almost as if Tooji’s become an addict to controversy. “Father” gave him an unprecedented high, and now he’s seeking more. It’s a pity that he feels the need for added shock value, because musically “Say Yeah” is a much more palatable dish for the mainstream. The “message” feels like it’s been shoe-horned in. The video is too heavy for the song, the song is too frivolous for the video. Both are superb separately, but the mismatch does them a disservice.
What do y’all think? Let us know below.
Tooji “Say Yeah” Official Video
Update: the “Say Yeah” video has now been removed from YouTube “as a violation of YouTube’s policy on nudity or sexual content.” We assume this is due to that final scene showing the only slightly blurred shot of a porn clip.
Update 2: A “censored” version was re-uploaded on 25 October.
Tooji Interview at Eurovision 2012
Tooji – Say Yeah Lyrics
Say everything comes when the time is right
Only sunshine after the darkest night
You got what you got, why won’t you smile?
Why won’t you live? I fell
Long before I ever knew
That you were out there
Looking like I’m looking too
Whatever did I do?
I do for you, I do for you
Say yeah, say yeah
If you feel me
Say yeah, say yeah
If you feel me
Say yeah, say yeah
If you feel me
Say yeah, say yeah
If you feel me
Say yeah
Time living with you in another age
Another place, love was all we had to make
I call for you, take me there, take me there
Bring it back, bring it back
It’s like a hollowed place of memories
Of what could be, fighting my mentality
Where are you now? I’m calling out
I’ve got your name, I’ve got your name
Say yeah, say yeah
If you feel me
Say yeah, say yeah
If you feel me
Say yeah, say yeah
If you feel me
Say yeah, say yeah
If you feel me
Say yeah
Don’t need nobody but you
Don’t need nobody but you
By my side, by my side, by my side, by my side
Don’t need nobody but you
By my side, by my side, by my side, by my side
Say yeah
Say yeah, if you feel me
Say yeah, if you feel me
Say yeah, if you feel me
Say yeah, if you feel me
Say yeah
i’m tired of all these gimmicks tbh.
He is ending up as a parody of himself!
YouTube has apparently removed the video for violating its policy on sexual nudity and consent. Thoughts of “Relax” by Frankie Goes To Hollywood come to mind.
“Amazing song and touching video” VS. “Stupid song, boring video”
Maybe next time Tooji should go straight to the point and gives us full hardcore porn … it will be stupid, but it will not be boring, it will be amazing but no longer touching …:)
“It’s almost as if Tooji’s become an addict to controversy.”
It’s almost as if Tooji is a no-talent who can only sell records through blatant pandering.
Amazing song and touching video <3
Stupid video, boring song.
Spectacular!