Sixpence None the Richer had a huge hit in the late 90s called Kiss Me. And why not? It is a sweet song, well executed. But I have a hard time believing that the success of the song was not, at least in part, due to the wonderfully romantic video (no doubt indicative of the whole marketing campaign once the song got a little traction) that went along with it. Take a look at this horrible (sorry) copy:

What is most remarkable about this video to me is how much they managed to change the look of Leigh Nash. When the song was released, she did not look like this. Here is what she looked like:

I doubt it is just me who thinks this is a modern “in your face” gal! This is the kind of woman with the intelligence and drive to get to the top of the music business. That girl (and I do mean “girl”) in the video is a marketing department creation intended to make men feel warm and protective. This works perfectly with the fragility of the song’s production. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that. But there is little doubt that if she and the rest of the band got past their anemic Christian “good boys and girls” mentality, they might be able to produce engaging adult music, and not just the occasional well-produced cover.