Crash Test Dummies - Keep A Lid On Things

JUL 01 1999 · 12:00

Crash Test Dummies - Keep A Lid On Things (1999) Director: Clark Eddy Era: Late-90s Alt-Rock Transition Era (1998–1999) - Canadian post-grunge acts pivoting toward electronic-pop hybridity; major-label alternative rock ceding ground to glossy, effects-driven production A rare and well-documented artifact of Crash Test Dummies' commercial and creative pivot at the close of the 1990s. The robot-performance concept, confirmed Toronto production location, and directorial pedigree (Clark Eddy, MTV VMA winner) make this a high-value archive entry for researchers studying late-90s Canadian alt-pop, music video surrealism, and the transitional aesthetics of early-digital video production. The video's appearance in VH1's 'Ultra Sound: One Hit Wonders' further cements its period cultural footprint. Context: Released in early 1999 as the lead single from Give Yourself a Hand, Crash Test Dummies' fourth studio album, 'Keep A Lid On Things' marked a pronounced stylistic departure for the Winnipeg-formed band. The album was recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, and produced by Greg Wells, showcasing a far more electronic sound than prior work, with Brad Roberts notably employing falsetto vocals. The single was a top-10 hit in Canada, sustaining the band's domestic commercial presence even as international traction waned post-'Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm.' The robot-centric video concept resonates with a broader late-90s pop-cultural fascination with automata and artificial life, contemporaneous with Y2K anxieties and the proliferation of digital/electronic aesthetics in mainstream music video production. Director notes: Confirmed director per IMDb (tt23462676) and IMVDb. The video was filmed in Toronto, Canada in December 1998 and released in 1999. The central concept involves Brad Roberts driving robot/animatronic versions of the Crash Test Dummies band members, before departing via jetpack to find a new battery, a direct and playful literalization of the song's 'keep a lid on things' theme of delegated responsibility. The production reflects Eddy's trademark blend of practical prop construction with controlled studio lighting, consistent with his mid-to-late-90s directorial style. The video appeared in the VH1 program 'Ultra Sound: One Hit Wonders' (1999), per IMDb connections data.