Synopsis
The "Natural One" video intercuts footage associated with Larry Clark's *Kids* and a whimsical, homemade-looking space-exploration narrative. Images of New York teenagers, streets, movement, and youthful freedom are set against scenes that suggest scientific observation and cosmic discovery. The contrast gives the clip a loose, collage-like quality, shifting between documentary realism and playful art-school surrealism rather than presenting a conventional performance video. The result mirrors the song's mixture of detached vocals, hip-hop-influenced rhythm, and uneasy teenage energy.
Factoids & Trivia
- Although "Natural One" was created for the *Kids* soundtrack, the song itself does not appear in the film. The video instead uses material connected to the movie alongside its separate space-themed imagery.
- The promotional clip became part of MTV's Buzz Bin rotation, helping turn the Folk Implosion's unlikely soundtrack contribution into a mainstream alternative hit.
- The video has been described as resembling a blend of a National Geographic program and an art-school film, an apt summary of its collision between observational footage and handmade surrealism.
- Lou Barlow and John Davis initially developed the music as an instrumental jam. The track was reportedly known as "Dr. Dre's House" before lyrics and vocals were added at the request of *Kids* music supervisor Randall Poster.
- Barlow later explained that the lyrics reflected his impressions of the film's world: the freedom, danger, and restless perspective of young people moving through the city.
- Released in 1995, "Natural One" reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the Folk Implosion's signature song.