The Greatest Video Essay in the World 

"Perfect is good, done is better" - you don't know how much I needed that message to stop procrastinating.

This is, quite literally, a tribute.

Fun Fact: In The Pick of Destiny movie, the word 'f*ck' and its derivatives are said 106 times

Tribute has the same vibe as "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." What a great insight into divine and infernal inspiration.

The phrase I heard is; "Perfect is the enemy of Done" Thanks kindly for all your work

“Perfect is good. Done is better.” A good mantra for creatives. Another favorite of mine: “Strive for perfection. Tolerate excellence.” - John Sexton, American photographer

All jokes aside, it is cool to see you back.

“There shined a shiny demon” is one of my favourite bad lines in music. It’s perfectly dumb, yet feels so good! Excellent work as always mate!

I was at a talk Stephen King did promoting "Lisey's Story", and he said something that I will never forget: "Amateurs wait for inspiration. The rest of us get up and go to work."

"Greatness is lost in the act of creating" that line really sticks with me. I hate that this is the reality of life, but it's definitely true

This timing is above and beyond, because in exactly one month from now, first of May, I'll see this band play a concert for my first time. And what a Tribute this is!(but watching it on Nebula)

If this is about Tenacious D I will be so damn happy😭

11:30 If you are really getting in to it you can see this message is also expresed in the song itself: Jack and Kyle didn't plan out how they are going to write this magnifisent masterpice, they just played the first thing that came to their head and it just so happened to be the best song in the world.

"Greatness is a fleeting and terrifying thing." What an incredible line.

I’m commenting on my girlfriends account but my old best friend did an essay on this exact topic back in high school, you reminded me of him today so thank you. We loved tenacious d.

I watched this on Nebula but came over here so I could comment on how much I enjoyed the video. Thanks for all your work!

3 minutes into the video and I actually thought you’d just talk about making the best video essay ever, without actually getting to the point! But I love that you’re actually talking about the D!

An artist I admire a lot, Jake Parker, once said "finished, not perfect", and since the day I heard it for the first time, I printed that quote and put it on the wall in front of my desk, surrounded by the art of other artists that inspire me.

FLEE-GOO-GEE-GOO absolutely is a direct reference to an important moment in rock and heavy metal history - the 1970 song Hocus Pocus by Focus, which uses the same kind of vocal stylings in lieu of actual lyrics. The song is a pivotal proto-metal track, and has been covered by greats like Iron Maiden and Helloween, as well as Vandals and Marillion, and has even been featured in the movie Baby Driver.

this sounds a hell of a lot like something somebody would say, who made a deal with the devil to achieve great video essays, but now has to discourage other people from going for greatness...

It’s so interesting that somethings this creative and well-made isn’t immediately recognized as being such. It’s how the best art is.

I'm glad you're doing better mentally for yourself homie. Love your content and knowing huge expectations can only lead to disappointment is a great lesson. Proud of you writing the book :)

An unexpected surprise and it is great to hear you making new content. Feel free to drop more when the mood strikes.

As usual, your video has gifted a gem that truly resonates with me: "Perfect is good, Done is better". Even the economy of just six words embodies the sentiment being expressed.

Thanks for mentioning the Zep tribute from the show! That version and the show are all too often overlooked. The show was 100% a genius work of art. I wish the movie had the same level of writing. They should have brought in Davis Cross and Bob Odenkirk for a higher elevation of writing and depth, like the show! Missed opportunity!!

Great to hear u enjoyed makin this video and ive always been a fan since i found ur channel. Made me think of lotta things a lotta different ways over the years thanks for all ur content

you almost made me cry, man! If it's not the greatest, sure is a great tribute essay

I’ll definitely buy the book, these are some of my favourite videos on RU-vid. You have a fantastic talent for this, keep it up.

The whole time u were making your intro I was feeling reminded of that song, s-tier segue into the video’s main topic

Tribute just got a little boost in views i bet. I still listen to it regularly. As a musician myself i have always considered it a masterpiece in its' own right.

This video was insightful and enlightening. It clarified thoughts I've always had about greatness and reminded me of a quote, which I'll approximate here: "You are not responsible for completing the work, but nor are you free to abandon it." I'd love to see you come back, but either way, don't abandon the work of illuminating music as a crucial and vital aspect of human existence.

Amazing. I'm in a Tenacious D cover band in Halifax called Denacious T and we spread the word of The D. I will now assign this video as homework to our followers

So glad to hear from others who recognized the excellence of this song.

I've never pre ordered a book before but I love your art and your thoughts so much I had to. I'm excited for the release day when I can crack it open and see what awaits. I've been following your work here on youtube for a long time I genuinely enjoy every faucet of your thought provoking work. Congrats on finishing your book. Publishing a book is something I always wanted to do as well. This video has inspired me to start work on my story again. I Thank you for that. And thank you for analyzing a song from one of my favorite bands and giving it a touch of profound meaning. That makes the song that much more special.

As a New Zealander I hope you had the best time here! Nonetheless a great video and glad that you’re back! 🇳🇿

Gday from Australia, Noah good to have you back. Sounds like a spark was reignited, all can say is enjoy the process and the work will be good.

You are a genius. The title of the best video essay definetly belongs to you. I'm happy to see you post again!

Opens RU-vid and sees new Polyphonic video. *Literally squeals with excitement* Back or not, thank you for checking in. You do you, and we'll all be here ready for these beautiful video essays, if and when you create them. Oh, and congrats on the book!

Thank you for all that you do! You've been instrumental to me in my quest for knowing more and more about rock music. It is saying something, when English is actually my second language. At any rate, good to see you back and I look forward to seeing more of the beauty I am sure you'll create. Will surely order the book, congratulations for that!! Much love from India!

i'm a graphic designer. recently i've had this idea for a piece that could potentially be my most creative, and groundbreaking (for me atleast) the fear that i won't be able to bring what i have in my head onto the screen has been keeping me from attempting to design it. what i think is my greatest idea could become my most mediocre work. but "perfect is good, but done is better" has now fired in me the notion to get cracking and bring the idea to life the way it deserves to be. thanks!

The profundity you encapsulate in even the most innocent of Tenacious D jokes.... I'm impressed. Cheers!

Good to see you back. Hopefully you'll be inspired to get back into regular posting. But as a former musician, I can definitely relate to burning out creatively, so I get where you're coming from.

Opening with iconography of an E30 BMW... right on!

This is not the greatest comment in the world, this is just a tribute. 😈

I had a smile on my face the entire time of this essay. It was not the greatest smile in the world, but it was a solid tribute.

At the very beginning I was waiting for the word "tribute", really happy that the D is a big part of the "The Greatest Video Essay in the World". By the way -- great subject (you nailed it).

the way you tell stories is amazing

I also love the quote (and I forget who originally said it so apologies) “inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us sit down and do the work” in a similar vein it has helped me understand my value as a maker even when inspiration isn’t hitting and feeling like a fraud when it seems like people are just plucking good ideas out of thin air

We are witnessing an artist going to the next level in his work.

This video was so great, and I can't wait to read that interesting book of yours. Keep up the great work in whatever you do. If you're back to RU-vid I'll be really happy, but even if not, as long as you're having fun doing whatever you're doing, I'm really happy for you

I have felt SO many chills, sir. You weren't chasing for greatness here, you said. And I can promise you that, in fact, this video is, actually, one of the GREATEST I have ever watched in my life. Because this little but BIG travel through concepts very hard to explain in words for anyone... Even you made that, me, here in an Spanish little town located in North Africa, felt SO complete and lucky because before watching this, I have lived one of the creative proccess more weird, even crazy but powerful, but, I had no other way in my mind: I had to write a poem in half an hour of something that, really, felt it was going to be absolutely impossible. Not in half an hour, sure. That is why, now that I had it ended and waiting to be read for the person, the first one, which opinion will mean my poem has some greatness or it is something for what I should be killed or... I don't know what it is, but now it's done. THANK YOU for making sense and showing me how we feel, how we try to catch something that... You are so right. Congratulations, because you created something that will help to all creators. And that, sir, is even beyond GREATNESS.

Thank you for this reminder. I think a lot of us creatives struggle with fear of failure, or we compare ourselves to our favorite artists and think we can never be that good, so why bother? But I always remind myself that all those influential songs, books, etc that live in the public conscious started off as a simple idea. And if their great works started off as a simple idea, so can ours.

Weird, last night I thought about this song and watched the video for the first time in 15 years. The next day, this video comes out.

Poly I just wanna say thank you for doing all that you do, as an aspiring Musican with dreams that seem a lot bigger than his skills at times, your work inspires me and helps me feel seen as an artist who also spends a lot of time thinking about how to create and how people I look up to did their own art.

@Polyphonic So happy you have uploaded this. It’s extremely great. Love from NZ 👍🏼🤘🏼 One thing I found really funny is that while watching the video, when Kyle started playing “Stairway To Heaven”, RU-vid instantly interrupted and gave me an advertisement. Lmao.

Loved this, needed it actually!

Bro, I'm just greatful for your content!

Congrats on the book! I'm excited for it.

And when the world needed him the most he returned.

OH MY GOD IVE WAITED MY WHOLE FOR THIS ESSAY

Over easter, a family member told me I might like this one video essayist. Showed me the channel on her phone. One glance.. real name for channel name, face and body are half the thumbnails.. They were long game reviews.. n-no.. th-thats not.. sigh.. Only editors get editors. Thank you pseudium. PS: a different video essayist recently made a video that had shit takes and was labelled as 'reddit bait'. I'm glad your channel doesn't make an ass of itself to attract a lower hanging fruit of eyeballs and still consider themself art. Thou are art. Genuine art.

Welcome back Noah! I'm very excited to read your book.

LOVE having you back. Hope you're well.

Congrats on the book! Ordered and excited to read it!

As a New Zealander... Thanks for coming. Hope you had a good time. Did cool stuff and didn't get fleeced as a tourist traps.

This felt amazing and so inspiring to watch. Thank you :)

I hope there will be an audiobook version that you narrate :D

So glad to see you back this soon! Hope your doing well!

I have had that feeling before. So many great tunes that have rolled through my head that dissapeared minutes later. And awesome to hear you wrote a book! I like your essays enough I might actually pick it up and read it!

I thought you had retired! Good to see you back, good luck with the book.

The king is back

Your work is simply beautiful, mate.

Man is back❤.

Love how this video talks about how creativity is not always about something negative AND can be very hard. I often feel like you do with the feeling totally "IN" to being creative and then "OUT" and not interested. I'll keep going though and I suspect you will too. Thank you

Book pre-ordered. Can't wait!

AMAZING! I need to get this book...

very inspiring and profound for a project of my own.

Excellent essay, as always. Question: will there be an audiobook edition of your book forthcoming?

Brilliant description of the creative process. Gots to write it down, or record it... in that moment... that moment is always fleeting. Edit after watching summation: As a very small fledgling video essayist in an entirely different genre, I have quickly come to somewhat embrace the philosophy of "excellence is the enemy of pretty damned good."

Thank you! This is an epic video essay 🤘⚡️

In Spanish the saying goes lo perfecto es enemigo de lo mejor (what is perfect is an enemy of what is best). Great video as usual

This was simply great! Also, nice off-beat video of yours. enjoyed it! :)

YOU WROTE A BOOK MY DUDE, IM SO PROUD ❤🎉, DEFINITELY GETTING MY COPY

Crazy to hear you were in my small hometown of queenstown I hope you had a great time!

The movie Whiplash actually has a similar message to this. Its director's intent was for it to be a cautionary tale, subtly showing why one shouldn't be motivated by perfection.

That opening... slow clap. 🙌

Thank you for this dude.

Missed you so much 😭 Excited to read your book!

Tremendous! Glad to see a new vid. :)

“Cradle the inspiration. It’ll leave you writhing on the floor”

This is all round brilliant, both the video and news about the book. Really made a gloomy day MUCH better 🙂

It reminds me to the romantic idea of the Absolute, something that is beyond our grasp and we won't ever be able to reach, but it is there and makes you strive to reach it.

The book does sound cool - It would be cool to get an audio version of it too :D

Great video. I'm so mad at the state of copyright, it is so stupid to disallow someone to use a song to tell a history.

The image at 1:20 reminded me of a short story by Marios Hakkas: «a skull full of flowers».

I needed this

I'm glad to see this from you. Excellent as always and I'm glad you enjoyed yourself making it. If you pop back up in a month or so, I'll be delighted and welcoming. If you don't, I'll be happy knowing you're continuing to take time for yourself and may be back to more regular production at some point. Or not! :)

Good vibes from this vid I sense your return to fun. Just be you we are all very happy with what you do..

Thank you, this really resonated with me.

If I didn‘t have discovered Tenacious D last week I wouldn‘t have understood the joke in the thumbnail. This is an amazing video! But maybe not the greatest!