On our minds and our playlists

Just when you feared all the new ways to repurpose old music videos had been exhausted, along comes Dustin McLean and his "Literal Videos."

A senior animator on Current TV's comedy "Super News," McLean (right) has been eliciting chuckles across cyberspace with his rescoring of classic clips by Tears for Fears, a-ha, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

For each installment, McLean literally sings about what's happening onscreen to the tune of the original song and provides sound for other previously silent images. The result is an amusing, cleverly conceived time waster. For instance, when Anthony Kiedis passes a man playing an accordion in the video for the Chili Peppers' "Under the Bridge" we actually hear a few notes synched to the guy's fingers.

The best part is that since they're "literal," you don't have to be familiar with the video in question to get the joke.

"It was just one of those funny ideas we threw around in the office," says McLean, who credits colleague Jonah Ray with the concept, which has spawned a host of imitators. "I just grab the video and a karaoke track of the song, and then the writing is pretty quick. I'm just writing what I see."

He started last month with a-ha' s "Take on Me," and much to his surprise it became an overnight viral success. Since then, McLean has been flooded with suggestions and plans to do more. He has yet to hear any complaints from the artists and figures he won't: "It's poking fun at them lightly and lovingly."

Check it out here: www.current.com/items/89390593_take_on_me_literal_video_version SARAH RODMAN