Questions about the 'Stop me...' video

[youwillneverdream]

Hello,
New to the forum, so sorry if this has been asked before.
Now, as far as I'm aware the video featuring Moz et al cycling round Salford was originally made for 'Stop me...', right?

But what I've always wondered is, how did it come to be used for three different Smiths songs?
The first time I ever recall seeing this video was on MTV (yes, when they actually played music videos) around 1994 and it was accompanied with 'There is a light...', so I always associated the video with that song.
It was several years later (when I actually started really getting into the Smiths), that I purchased 'The Complete Picture' DVD and found 'Stop me...' with the video instead. Hmmm...

Now, just the other day I saw on TV the same video accompanied with 'I started something...' I hadn't seen that before. So what gives then? A bit confused, I must admit.
Not only that, but I didn't catch the whole vid, only about the last 45 seconds or so - and I saw a particular shot which I hadn't seen on any other version. It was a long, sort of distant shot showing Moz on his own cycling over the brow of a hill, towards the camera pretty much. Anyone else ever seen this slightly alternate version?

Sorry if I rambled a bit.
Thanks for reading!

 

[Bradder68]

It was originally shot for the" I started something " single in October 1987 and has since been reused for "Stop me 2

 

[Stephane]

It was originally shot for the" I started something " single in October 1987 and has since been reused for "Stop me 2

Actually it was shot for "I Started Something..." and "Stop Me..." at the same time in late 1987, because those were simultaneous singles in different territories. Then in 1992 WEA created a video for "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" using the same footage. They probably thought that the already existing video for that song was too 'artsy'.

Stephane

 

[Uncleskinny]

Our reporter says...

"Yes the original film was made for 'Stop me....' however the release of the single coincided with the Hungerford Massacre when Michael Ryan went on the rampage with a gun and killed 16 people - including himself.
The line referring to 'plan a mass murder' was felt too close to home so in the UK the single was dropped and replaced by ''I started something I couldn't finish'' but elsewhere 'Stop me...' was released. Rough Trade simply used the same film for both songs.
The film was again used for 'There is a light...' a few years later I suspect because the record company just did not have any other footage to use."

P.

 

[youwillneverdream]

Ah, I see...
Thank you for clearing that up. It had been bugging me for a while.
As for the slightly alternate version I mentioned, I just found it online :

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1m5dz_the-smiths-i-started-something-i_music

The shot I mentioned in my previous post can be seen at 3:16.
I guess they probably shot several hours of footage that day and maybe decided they had enough film to make two slightly alternate versions.
It was interesting for me as I'd never seen it before.

 

[roky]

Actually it was shot for "I Started Something..." and "Stop Me..." at the same time in late 1987, because those were simultaneous singles in different territories. Then in 1992 WEA created a video for "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" using the same footage. They probably thought that the already existing video for that song was too 'artsy'.

Stephane

I would say the original video for "There Is A Light" is pretty boring.