PJ Morton and El DeBarge dial it back to the '80s in the music video for their duet "On My Way," taken from PJ's latest classic album Watch The Sun.
In "On My Way," PJ and El are trying to smooth things over with an estranged partner. After an album full of soulful apologies and a little R&Begging, this song (which appears toward the end of the tracklist) is the last-ditch effort to salvage what was torn asunder.
"Don't say it's over / You know I know ya / Better than anyone else / We just need time, yeah / To fall in line, yeah," Morton sings in the first verse, urging his lady not to give up on them. DeBarge follows up with contrite lyrics of his own, singing to his woman, "I understand / If you can't / Make your way back to my heart / But if your mind ever starts to change / All you gotta do is call my name." They both make it clear that they are only a call away and ready to run back – just say the word.
The visual, directed by Nathan Corrona for Dustbrand Films, takes that theme and develops it into a 1980s teen drama of sorts. We watch a puppy love story play out between two teens as a young man calls up his girlfriend on his vintage landline telephone. An argument ensues, and once she hangs up she sits on her bedroom floor and destroys all of the cassette mixtapes he made her.
While the young couple is going through it, scenes of PJ and El posted up at payphones around the city and singing their verses into the receivers are cut in to break up the drama. This story has the potential for a happy ending, though, when the young woman rings her boyfriend back up. Whatever she said has him hopping on his bicycle and riding like the wind to her house where he leaves a new mixtape on her doorstep entitled "I'm sorry. I love you."
The plot, execution and attention to detail of this video gets 10s across the board. Everything from the decor in the teens' bedrooms to the clothing to the payphones and, of course, the cassette tapes will trigger nostalgia for anyone who grew up during that era. Let PJ Morton and El DeBarge take you back in time when you watch "On My Way" below.
