Motorcycle Mama (Or Girls on bikes in videos)

Let me start this year by saying how much I love "Black Widow" by Iggy Azalea featuring Rita Ora. I know, I know: a lame, derivative "Dark Horse" if ever was one. But you have to admit the build-up to the non-chorus is pretty fantastic, considering that is sung by an almost anonymous voice -Rita is not well known by her vocal skills, anyway-, and Iggy is more powerful on "Fancy" or "Work". But you get the idea.

Via

Now, the video is something else altogether. In her grand tradition of making videos that seems like a tribute to famous movies, now it is the turn to "Kill Bill", including the one and only Michael Madsen, best known as Budd from said movie. It is such a travesty badly done, but nonetheless fun and it raises the song to more than a clone of some other tune and give it a life of its own. In a word: bonkers.



Which got me thinking: there should be a number of videos that features amazon-like women riding a motorcycle on some CGI universe looking to avenge mishaps committed towards them, right? Why, yes, there are, and plenty of them. This trope is very common in female empowerment video and our life is so, so much better for that. Let's take a look, shall we?

Britney Spears - "Toxic"

Before all the umbrella incidents and general craziness, Brit released this gem that surely got us talking with a sexy vibe and general greatness. But the trope was certainly improved by a handsome Tyson Beckford, driving such vehicle. All in all, an epic video.

She is riding a... Ducatti 999, and Tyson, let us not forget.




Paulina Rubio - "Don't Say Goodbye"

In her first incursion to American music landscape, Paulina shoot this expensive video almost on a green panel, it seems. Cool video, although it did little to get her on the mainstream pop of the beginning of 2000's. Well, you cannot have everything, right?

She is riding a... Replica of Kaneda's motorcycle, a character in the famous Akira manga and movie, which this video is heavily influenced from. Who would have known?




Shania Twain - "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!"

Following a success like Come On Over was not an easy feat, but Shania made it through this fun, sing-along song that made one hell of a video, as silly and clueless as the song itself. More like a TRON throwaway than the dystopian future they tried to convey. But yeah, great song.

She is riding a... Non-identified model of motorcycle, but reminiscing of the ones featured on TRON. You should check that movie.




Nicole Scherzinger - "Poison"

Certainly Nicole had a rough time convincing people that she was more than the prettiest girl on The Pussycat Dolls, or the more talented. Sadly, in this redux "Toxic"-like video, she didn't support that idea and seemed desperate to be a star in her own right. Sadly, it's not working for her, is it?

She is riding a... BMW R1200, which is a nice thing, I guess.




What we learned from all this?
- Girls love motorbikes...
- But they are afraid to ride them properly, so they need special effects and a green screen to achieve the desired effect.
- But they look fucking good while doing it.

An aside? Interestingly, all this videos are inspired from movies, and at least two of them (Britney's and Paulina's) are among the most expensive in the history of video.

So riding a motorcycle certainly has its perks, right?

Do you happen to know any other video featuring this trope? Sound off in the comments!