As fans of Norah Jones” “Little Broken Hearts” album already know, the song “Miriam,” is the most chilling she has ever recorded. The sweet melody and seemingly benign, casual delivery belie the lyrics about a murder.
The crime of passion, by a jealous lover, is deliberately laid out, though we never know for sure the method. However, the video solves that mystery. In a clip that is as simple and plain and spine-tingling as the song, the camera focuses on Jones, calm and dressed pretty as can be, sitting in a row boat singing the song. She”s left the evidence where it won”t be found for a long time. We’ll embed when we can, but for now, you can watch the Spin exclusive here.
The Phil Andelman-directed clip is the perfect visual marriage to the song. The camera moves slowly and snake-like, producing a video that provides the same cold-blooded, dead-eyed feel that song produces. There have been some other great rowboat murders, the one in the brilliant “A Place In the Sun” comes to mind, but none executed with such sang-froid.
As we previously wrote, “Little Broken Hearts” is on our short list for potential Grammy contenders for album of the year.