Sting: If You Love Somebody Set Them Free

"If You Love Somebody Set Them Free", words to live by yet most folks fail to learn and follow such ideal when it comes to love in its many forms.

Outside of that department, the music video for the song, directed by the great duo Godley & Creme, is definitely worth seeing because of the song, one of Sting's greatest hits, electrifying all the way. Visually is way too weird and painfully dated with its cutout-like effects as the singer and his group perform the song against those old chroma-key backgrounds. Groundbreaking at the time but quite hilarious now as you can spot the flaws, the still scenery as the artists move around, and it looks cheap.

But there's one interesting and subtle thing going on: sax player Branford Marsalis was given a different treatment with the visuals. Pay attention on the gray shadow-like effect that stays with him when he's not playing, then the colors show up when he's playing (also happens with the guitar player, but not too often). Well, there was some consistency with the trick going on and off. 8/10.