Of Love and Lust (OLAL) has just released a powerful new version of Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me,” complete with a haunting music video that merges music with real-world issues. The video features exclusive footage of a Pima County Sheriff’s spy plane, revealing unnerving surveillance over one of OLAL’s songwriters.
OLAL’s rendition of “Somebody’s Watching Me” elevates the iconic song by fusing it with disturbing real-life imagery. The band’s new video integrates unsettling aerial footage from Pima County’s “Survey 1” spy plane, which was used to surveil the band’s songwriter under the pretext of a welfare check. The visuals, coupled with Rockwell’s eerie lyrics, add an urgent, contemporary twist to the song, highlighting the growing concerns about government surveillance and privacy violations.
The footage used in the music video is a chilling depiction of how local law enforcement is using military-grade technology in civilian spaces. The spy planes, which cost taxpayers thousands every day, can track personal details like clothing and cell phone use, even at night, from over a mile away. This invasive technology raises serious questions about the erosion of privacy and the limits of law enforcement power.
OLAL’s release comes at a time when surveillance programs are under increasing scrutiny. The video draws disturbing parallels to Baltimore’s 2021 aerial surveillance program, which was ruled unconstitutional by a Federal Appeals Court for violating Fourth Amendment rights. The controversial use of spy planes in Pima County has only intensified the debate over the cost, ethics, and legality of military-style surveillance in local policing.
By weaving together these elements, OLAL’s music video serves as a stark commentary on the pervasive surveillance culture that is increasingly shaping modern society.
