Everyone knows who Susan Boyle is: she's the lady from the United Kingdom who wowed TV and internet audiences when she performed on Britain's Got Talent last year, and her version of "I Dreamed A Dream" left even Simon Cowell speechless. Since then, Ms. Boyle has released two albums and both reached #1 in the U.S. and U.K. within the space of a year--a milestone achieved previously by only the Monkees in 1967 and the Beatles in 1969.

Fast company, indeed!

This week's video, "Perfect Day," was written by Susan's good friend Lou Reed, and has been covered many times. In fact, Lou--generally referred to as an irascible rock icon--actually co-directed this week's video! Wow! All the planets have aligned!

We are told that Lou also created the concept for this video--and if you discern it, please let us know ASAP--but didn't actually travel to the Firth of Fifth, or wherever the hell it was shot. 'Cause he's Lou Reed.

So, once again, we're proud to bring you folks an important new video that

One of the great things about writing Framed is that we can, if we wish, feature fictitious musicians and treat them as if they were real. Long-time readers will recall that we've had Alvin & the Chipmunks and Heidi Montag in this very space.

In keeping with that tradition, this week we're very happy to welcome the cast of the Fox TV show, Glee. Although Framed has never actually seen Glee--it appears to be a show about kids singing, dancing, and creating the glorious high school memories that will sustain them in their later years--we get the general idea. And we applaud the show and its many thoughtful fans.

Our video this week is "Over The Rainbow," the 1939 Academy Award-winning song from The Wizard of Oz. The song has been performed and recorded infinity times, most recently by Katharine McPhee, who was on American Idol in whatever year. In a perplexing twist, the Glee kids are made preposterously happy by the song... hands are held, shoulders are leaned on, and heads bop merrily.

This week, we welcome a band that isn't known to a lot of Americans: Manic Street Preachers, out of Wales in the U.K. The Manics have had eight albums and ten singles in the U.K. Top Ten, yet are little-known in the U.S. It may be because they come from the left of the political spectrum, with song titles like "The Masses Against the Classes," "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next," and--this week's video--"The Love Of Richard Nixon."

In fact, maybe this week's blog should be called "Richard Nixon, Framed," because the video is essentially a look at the career of the 37th American president. From the kitchen debate with Khrushchev to the opening of China to his resignation, we see Nixon at his highest and lowest. 

Framed is absolutely apolitical, of course, so our captions--while amusing!--are sensationally even-handed this week. We do this as a service to both our nation ("Serving white people for over 200 years") and our readers ("They pay this guy?").   

Please enjoy

Was Led Zeppelin the greatest band ever?

Yes. Yes, they were. They walked the Earth in olden times, along with Jesus, Triceratops and progressive Democrats, and became an artistic force of some renown. And, in addition to their many hit songs, they popularized Satan and red snappers.

Few realize that most of the members of the band exist even today! John Paul Jones, their bass player, has contributed to the Foo Fighters of late. Guitarist Jimmy Page has most recently hung with equally-storied musicians Jack White and the Edge. And singer Robert Plant has extended his Zep legacy by recording a hit collaborative album with bluegrass star Allison Kraus, and by recording with his own Band Of Joy.

We're happy to report that Band Of Joy has recorded a Los Lobos song, "Angel Dance," and that it's our video this week. You're certain to be mesmerized by, if not the video, our captions to the various still frames we pulled. And--if not!--well, hell, come back again next week, and we'll do