November 26, 2006
Topic: Internet – YouTube and the future of entertainment
A coworker sent aYouTube video to me, which is something that I can only describe as disturbingly funny. If you go to You Tube. And search for "One Bank" you will likely find the video. Look for the guy shown in the picture to the left.
I'm afraid that if Bono ever sees this hilarious and disturbing aberration of one of U2s greatest songs it might make him lose faith in humanity. Please Bono, please don't lose faith in humanity! We need you.
The creator of this One cover song, Ethan Chandler, who is also a professional musician in his own right as well as a manager at BoA, has asserted that the video was never meant to be seen by the general public; however, thanks to You Tube, this video is abundant all over the internet and is drawing both approval, scorn, and laughter.
Sites like You Tube, and the soon to be UndoTV.com (which will feature a lot of the talent from the no-longer existing television channel TechTV), are examples of new forms of media that are community driven, and they show a difference is comming in the way information and entertainment is created and distributed by putting the power to communicate and share data in anyone's hands. I foresee that in the near future instead of executives in board rooms analyzing test group data and deciding what is created and distributed, the general internet using population will become the decision makers as to what is actually worth our attention, for better or worse. Considering the popularity of You Tube, I wonder how long it will be before the internet becomes the next medium for watching traditional network television, which could be similar to the existing video-on-demand services like MLB.com and CNN's Pipeline. The question is: who will be in charge? Are there any rules for how television programming is distributed on the internet?
I've typed out the lyrics to “One Bank” as accurately as I can so you can read along as you watch the video.
One Bank, with the voice of Ethan Chandler and Jim Dubois on Guitar
“It is even better, now that we're the same
Two great companies come together; now MBNA is B of A.
And it's one bank, one card, one name that's known all over the world
One spirit, we get to share it
leading us all to higher standards, ow-ow-ow, mm-mm-mm”
“Do you like the Cowboys, or your university?
Do you like the Yankees, or is Nascar more your speed?
Well it's your choice, you're right, to pick a card that shows you heart and your pride
We're one, with infinity
and we'll carry each other, carry each other, one...”
“Have you come to meet Bruce Hammonds?
Have you come to meet Leah McGee?
Have you heard about Michelle Shepard? She's leading the team in the north east.
And we've got Bank One ... on the run
What's in your wallet?(tm) ... it's not Capitol One
It's us...so which card are you?
Integrations never had us feeling so good!”
“And we'll make lots of money, forever I can sing
About trusting and teamwork, and doing the right thing
We'll live out our core values while the competition crawls
Cause they want what we have got, but it's only here, at Bank of America!”
“One bank, one card, one name that's known all over the world.
One heart filled with spirit: with feeling ... share it
Were one bank working every day
To bring higher standards, higher standards
One,”
“We are one, yeah,
We are one yeah
We are one bank.”
Bono, don't give up on us!
