Synopsis
Jellyfish performs "That Is Why" on an elaborately lit soundstage, with Andy Sturmer singing from behind a drum kit while the other musicians occupy separate cylindrical platforms. Swirling psychedelic colors, theatrical lighting, and stylized camera effects turn the straightforward performance into a distinctly early-1990s pop-rock spectacle. The visual presentation emphasizes the band's retro-minded power-pop identity, pairing their tight ensemble playing with a glossy, deliberately artificial setting rather than a narrative storyline.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was released in the United States on December 12, 1990, shortly after "That Is Why" appeared on Jellyfish's debut album, "Bellybutton."
- "That Is Why" was the second single from "Bellybutton." The song was written by Andy Sturmer and Roger Manning Jr.
- The production was made by David Naylor & Associates, also known as DNA, and carried an estimated budget of $125,000.
- The video runs for approximately four minutes and presents Jellyfish as a four-piece performance group, with Jason Falkner and Chris Manning appearing alongside Sturmer and Roger Manning Jr.
- Its visual style reflects Jellyfish's broader retro-pop presentation: colorful, theatrical, and intentionally polished at a time when grunge was beginning to dominate alternative music culture.
- Although Jellyfish released only two studio albums, "That Is Why" became part of the band's enduring cult reputation and was later included on power-pop compilations.