Uzbek v. Mongolia bathrooms, Compare and Contrast

Only a very cynical person could watch this Harmogu video ten or more times until they were able to ignore the spectacular musical performance and start to focus on the physical background that it was filmed against.

But some people are just watchers, I guess.  If you look closely, you will notice the kind of single-hosed water environment that I first encountered in Uzbekistan, although I think it extends to many post-Soviet states.  For reasons of economy, the same tap serves to provide water to the sink and the bathtub. This is  a very sensible arrangement, once you think about it.  Along the way, please take a moment to appreciate the Dolce & Gabbana fragance prevalent in Uzbekistan circa 2003.

So seeing the piping in the backdrop of the Payphone music video induces a warm wave of nostalgia for me that only adds to the musical resonance of the song.  The song makes me reflect on my own life, which notably includes Uzbek bathroom experiences, and those reflections deepen the emotional impact of the song.  This perhaps helps explain a bit of why a Mongolian cover of an American song can have a deep hypnotic power over me when I am indifferent to more professionally produced versions.