The Dark Fruits "Florida" track is not just the lead single of their sophomore album, Warm Weather Starter Pack; it's a touching bit of nostalgia. It's even more emotionally grounded with Northern Yukon archived footage for its music video. It consists of collected 8mm footage of the Yukon from the 50s and 60s. The video opens up with a line from a poem called "My Heart Soars" by Chief Dan George, saying:
"Nothing belongs to you of what there is, of what you take you must share... The sunlight does not leave its marks on the grass. So we, too, pass silently."
This line fits the music video in the context of what we see. The lyrics are also made up of Florida references to sunshine, the ocean, and Disney. More importantly, vocalist Jeff Wolosewich bases this song on his trip to Florida and returning home to the Yukon.
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Nostalgic Sentiments About "Florida"
To go along with the nostalgic footage, the song starts to tell its story. When he sings, "Sally’s going back to the cradle, Clarke is stepping out of the grave," characters move backward, rewind to the past to see these lives in the video as they were. Also, listen for the choral ambiance when Jeff sings, "A little boy got pulled by the ocean." Another great moment is at 2:32 with that Johnny Marr guitar sound from The Smiths after he sings, "like I’m going undercover." These moments add a more cinematic feel to this story
The real story behind the track takes us to Florida, where he observes the lives and the stories of the people there. They spend time looking for shade from the sun; someone is scooping ice cream for Sally, or taking a cooler to the pool, and he thinks about how those motions "Is killing all the time till all the time is up, and how it's nothing new." It's a fact we face and return to often throughout our lives. On a grand scale, none of the things we do are important.
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Then, he returns to the Yukon where everyone can see the tan he got while away, noticing that everyone back at home needs moisturizer. Never mind the souvenirs he bought. While he's observed people in different areas living their lives, the archival video footage is matched to show the lives of the people back home. He's back home with friends and family, a bit uneasy about his thoughts and, as a result, not wanting to feel alone.
Comments About The Northern Yukon Archived Footage
In the description for the original music video, the band says: "This music video was created with the support of Yukon Economic Development and Yukon Archives."
Jeff has said that people from the area have commented, recognizing some of the people seen in the video. They've also asked others to do the same. "If you would like to know more about the making of this video, or if you would like to help the band identify people in this archival footage, please connect with The Dark Fruits."
As a member, you can comment on using this Yukon archived video footage if you, too, are moved by it.
Comments