This Day in Pop: 'From the Bottom of My Broken Heart' music video premieres in 1999 (December 17)

[PokemonSpears]

On December 17, 1999, Britney Spears released From the Bottom of My Broken Heart, the last music video to promote her debut album ...Baby One More Time. Different than the previous four videos, FTBOMBH features no dance scenes, and instead is more story-line driven, featuring more acting scenes between Britney and her love interest, played by Christopher Snyder.

The video premiered on TRL. Britney phoned in to the help Carson Daly premiere the video and to announce some tour dates, while also revealing to the audience that she just had her wisdom teeth removed.

The video starts with Britney at her house packing up her belongings as she remembers the times she spent with her boyfriend, in different scenarios like a football field or climbing up onto a windmill. She says goodbye to her mom and sister and leaves. We eventually see Britney as she tells the news to her man that she's leaving, breaking his heart in a now iconic scene

Throughout the video we also see clips of Britney sitting on a tire swing, another one with sunflowers in the background, she's also singing by a "Welcome to Cedar Springs Gardens" billboard and at the windmill too. She finally takes the bus to leave, when we see the man arriving to the bus stop, only to find out it was too late.

In a behind the scenes interview, Britney talks about the possibility of acting in a movie in the future (she would do Crossroads a few years later).

 

The music video was directed by Gregory Dark. In an interview for EW he said he was hired by Jive Records to help them re-image Britney from the "naughty schoolgirl" persona from the ...Baby One More Time video:

Quote

''They wanted to re-image her a bit [from the naughty schoolgirl of ''... Baby One More Time'']. They wanted a much more story-oriented video without dance, one that was serious and emotional'' about its subject -- lost love. I'd joke with her so that she would loosen up and feel comfortable acting, as opposed to being Britney Spears at that moment.''

Ironically, Gregory Dark, who also directed Mandy Moore's Walk Me Home and So Real videos, used to make adult films in the late 80's to mid 90's. His erotic thrillers such as Animal Instincts and Body of Influence won him accolades such as "the Steven Spielberg of the soft-core set" and "the Martin Scorsese of the erotic thriller".

On that interview, Dark defended himself saying ''I don't deny that I did it, it's just that I also like people to know that I don't currently and haven't in a long time.''

Meanwhile, Britney's representatives stated "as far as I'm aware the director just does music videos. This is a video for young teenage girls and not **** at all."

 

From the Bottom of My Broken Heart became Britney's fourth video to be retired from TRL, and it also appeared at #87 on TRL's Top 99 of 99, a special countdown they did at the end of the year.

 

 

Related:

 

[MrPieceOfMe]

It was a perfect single choice to close the BOMT era 

[Danielle1987]

Now that you mention it, I totally remember the top 99 of 99 countdown on TRL. That was one of the best years in music, IMO. 
 

It was a moment in time. Britney was well on her way to the top 

[HeavenOnExhale]

Her best single vocally. That truly defines her real vocals.

 

Her most beautiful video! ❤️

[Spicechinodiva]

I feel the controversy of the director overshadowed the video and radio airplay.  

 

It peaked at #14 due to strong sales of the single,  but radio was reluctant to play the track..

[Isla]

I've never been a big fan of the video. It's sweet and I love Britney's hair but it's kinda boring in a way.

It is kinda odd that a **** director made this video... he also directed the video for Mandy Moore's Walk Me Home around the same time.

[PokemonSpears]

 

[em03]

I love this ballad. Very sweet Britney. 

[Moscow]

I am big sucker for long songs all thanks to growing up with Pink Floyd, this is her only song exceeding 4 minutes I wish she could do long songs I love long ballads. 

[PokemonSpears]

1 hour ago, Prachi said:

I am big sucker for long songs all thanks to growing up with Pink Floyd, this is her only song exceeding 4 minutes I wish she could do long songs I love long ballads. 

I prefer longer songs too, when they're good, because then we have some Lana del Rey songs which should be illegal to be that long (no offense fans of Lana  ) 

[femmepop]

On 12/18/2020 at 12:51 AM, Spicechinodiva said:

I feel the controversy of the director overshadowed the video and radio airplay.  

 

It peaked at #14 due to strong sales of the single,  but radio was reluctant to play the track..

Was it controversial at the time??

Would be interesting to see some press clippings from that time. But I feel like her team really tried to keep it hidden.

 and I had NO idea at the time and only found out til very recently. Maybe because I was a younger teenager then and wasn't really following the news? 

Anyway so funny that the most wholesome video in her catalogue was directed by a guy that formerly did softcore ****.  Also "Walk Me Home" is such a sweet and innocent video too lol

 

 

[MikeHunt]

Wasnt it the first number one TRL music video of the year 2000?

 

I love the video but always HATED when the mom is holding the younger sister and making her wave her hand "goodbye" like she's fückin 2 years old. 

[runoncoldfire]

I wanted that fuzzy hat so badly

[devilsadvocate]

Wait the bridge break up scene is her breaking up with him, I always thought it was the other way around ….

[britney_rocks]

Such an underrated ballad. Home girl was serving vocals too. 

[bitbitboi]

My girl friends in high school used to love this side of Britney, I feel like this was made for them... Meanwhile I was like "nooooo, SHOW ME SKIN AND DANCE!" 

Then BAM! "Oops!" came.

Seriously, following Britney's career has always been a rollercoaster, but as a teenager it was INTENSE! haha <3