Synopsis

Cat Power performs "Cross Bones Style" in a stark white studio, surrounded by friends who move through simple, deliberately stylized dance routines. Chan Marshall alternates between singing directly to the camera, gesturing with her hands, and moving with an understated, almost hesitant confidence. A drummer plays nearby as the performance unfolds through close-ups and loose group choreography. The minimal setting and limited visual palette turn the song into an intimate but knowingly theatrical piece, balancing indie-rock awkwardness with the polish of a classic pop performance.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed at Silvercup Studios in Long Island City, Queens, New York. The studio had previously been used for films including "When Harry Met Sally," "Working Girl," and "Do the Right Thing."

• "Cross Bones Style" was the only music video made to promote "Moon Pix," even though the album did not produce a commercial single.

• Chan Marshall had described the song as "the real dance song" before the video was made. She specifically imagined a white-room performance inspired by Madonna's 1983 video for "Lucky Star."

• Lip syncing was unusual in indie-rock videos of the period, but Marshall wanted to use it here. The concept allowed her to approach the performance as a deliberately pop-oriented piece rather than as a conventional live-band video.

• Marshall's friends appear as the dancers. The choreography was intentionally simple, combining basic steps with hand gestures developed for the video.

• The drummer seen in the video is Harry Druzd, a drummer and bartender who stood in because Jim White, the drummer who played on the recording, was unavailable for the shoot.

• Marshall selected two outfits for the video and wore yellow nail polish and black bracelets, details chosen to echo the visual language of Madonna's early videos.

• In 2006, Stylus Magazine placed "Cross Bones Style" at number 44 on its list of the top 100 music videos of all time.