Trevor from Corporate Engagement tapped me with the Rage meme ages ago (where you select the 20 music videos you’d chose if you were their guest programmer). Cue obsession.

I started with the usual dilemma of do you program the video clips you like the most, program your favourite songs, or even program songs so you can see what the video clip is like. But what if your favourite video clips are not your favourite songs, or your favourite songs have bad video clips…

I was also feeling a bit sheepish that strictly speaking this meme was outside the bounds of vegetarian reviews. So I cleverly stupidly decided to choose my favourite video clips by vegetarian musicians.* Some of these bands would have been on my original list… others would not. All I can say is I need my life back.

Favourite clips by vegetarian musicians (in no particular order)

There is a Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths. Sure, Meat is Murder may have been more thematically appropriate, but this is my favourite Smiths song.

All You Need Is Love- The Beatles. Paul McCartney and his wife, Linda, were famous for their vegetarianism and strong stance on animal rights. I like this video clip because it shows the Beatles having fun.

Disco 2000 - Pulp - Tongue in cheek celebration of the ritual of going out on Saturday night featuring vegetarian lead singer Jarvis Cocker.

Sabotage - Beastie Boys - They offer links to vegetarian food resources on their site and have outrageous video clips.

Redemption Song - Bob Marley - a beautiful song by one of the world’s best known rastafarians.

Friday I’m In Love - The Cure. Apparently Robert Smith eats fish but no meat. Close enough.

Enjoy The Silence - Depeche Mode. A beautiful 80s pop classic that reminds me when I used to go out and dance all night. Martin Gore is vego.

Girls and Boys- Blur. A clever song and clip. Damon Albarn is one of the vegos.

Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead. This was my introduction to Radiohead and vego Thom York. Still one of my favourites.

New York New York- Moby. I can’t say I have a favourite Moby song or video clip, or even that I’m a huge fan of his music. But having eaten at Moby’s vegetarian cafe, Teany, in New York this one seemed appropriate.

All I Want is You - U2. Larry Mullen Jr is vego. Also, whilst I know its sappy, I really liked this clip when it came out (is being in primary school a defence?)

Karma Chameleon - Boy George. Longtime vegetarian and Buddhist convert. Memorable film clip.

Hot in the City - Billy Idol. He’s Billy Idol and vegetarian… How could I not?

Funny Little Frog - Belle and Sebastian. Annoyingly, my favourite songs from one of my favourite bands don’t have video clips, but I like the whimsy and dancing in this one. Stuart Murdoch is the vego.

Good Excuse - John Butler Trio. Can’t argue with vego John Butler’s message.

Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan. This one is for you Trev!

Planet Earth - Duran Duran. Not my favourite 80s band but I really like this song. Nick Rhodes is vego.

Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics. Even as a young girl I knew there was something special about Annie Lennox.

Hey Ya - Outkast. Twenty songs by vegetarian musicians is a lot. And Andree 3000 is vegan.

Eat it - Weird Al Yankovich - He’s vego. It’s about food. What can I say?

*NB: I made this list in good faith but, incredible as this will sound, sometimes the Internet is not a reliable source for identifying vegetarians. I’m sorry if any carnivores have been defamed in the writing of this blog post.

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