Obviously taking a lift from the Web series Yacht Rock, a series of videos titled Memoirs Of Michael McDonald have been released to promote McDonald’s latest album, Soul Speak. Introduced by music historian “Alistair Pennywhistle,” the clips share scenes from the singer’s past, which usually consist of a young Michael (already with white hair and a beard) consoling children on the playground with a classic cover after bullying or a hamster funeral. Sounds like it could be another online hit, but Universal Music Group is rather protective of its advertising campaigns, and the allegedly promotional films can only be seen through AOL and the label’s YouTube page. Which means most of the people seeing the clips are Michael McDonald fans, who aren’t really feeling them.

YouTube comments in response to “First Kiss”:

This is the sneakiest pile of sleeze. It looks like a below the radar advertisement for child porn. Just Awful.

WTF! I love the guy’s music, but this is just creepy.

……Those 3 Minutes Of My Precious Life…Gone…YOU BASTARD!

Who had in mind to make a video like this??? Come on! The world is full of creative people, this definetely made me think, WHY??? At first I thought that everybody was overreacting! I have to admit that I do like the song, but this video is really, really bad.

I stopped it as soon as the little boy “grew” the beard and gray hair. Very, very strange. I didn’t want to go any further, especially after reading the other comments here. I appreciate the warnings. Geeez.

Isn’t the point of stuff like this to introduce the music to people who wouldn’t normally seek out his music? Thankfully, we can still show you the true highlights of McDonald’s career.

So smooth, so sweet. The video for “I Keep Forgetting” is infinitely funnier than the “memoirs” anyway.

Michael McDonald – I Keep Forgetting [YouTube]