These aren't necessarily what I would call my favorite videos or songs from the 80's - instead these are videos that I clearly remember watching as a child. Enjoy!
10. whitney houston - i wanna dance with somebody At seven years old, I legit used to blast this song on my walkman on the bus. Yes, Whitney, I want to dance with a bunch of gay Ailey dancers wearing leather jackets too. (Foreshadowing, foreshadowing, foreshadowing)!
9. new kids on the block - hangin' tough I LOVED New Kids on the Block. I wanted to marry Donnie Wahlberg. Mmm, I am so happy that my perception of "sexy" has changed since I was six years old, (i.e. Mr. G+N does not sport half shirts, acid wash jeans that look like they've survived a bear attack nor a rat-tail). At the same tender age, I professed to my sister that "I WILL LOVE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK FOREVER!" She laughed at me. D'oh.
8. b52's - love shack This video may foreshadow my love of all things kitsch and big hair. BONUS TRIVIA - Did you know that a young RuPaul appears in this video? Look for the statuesque black woman with a huge fro wearing white tap pants.
7. michael jackson - bad This video says the same thing to me now as it did back then. Don't mess with fierce jazzers. P.S. Whether or not it would be life saving fierce jazz dance would probably be my self defense mechanism of choice if I were attacked in a parking garage...just sayin'.
6. paula abdul - opposites attract Tapdancing and a cartoon cat - what wouldn't I love about this as a child?
5. janet jackson - rhythm nation I can't bring Michael into the mix without paying tribute to the fabulous Ms. Jackson as well. I used to be able to do this choreography backwards and forwards...no joke. Obsessed.
4. van halen - jump AKA the song that is simply an excuse for David Lee Roth to show off his sweet jazzercise moves. As a toddler I had MAJOR ADORATION for David Lee Roth...again, thank goodness my taste in men have changed!
3. madonna - la isla bonita This song may not be the first to come to mind for most Madonna fans, but this video is the first recollection that I have of her. That red dress! I would spin in our yard for hours dreaming that I was wearing that dress! This song started a life-long love of Madonna.
2. peter gabriel - sledgehammer What a total acid trip of a video! I completely loved this as a kid. As freaky and weird as it is to watch today, to my younger self this was a happy marriage of everything that made Sesame Street and Pee-Wee's Playhouse great; a weird dude sporting a suit in a big chair, stop animation, dancing chickens and talking fruit.
So what is the #1 video that from the 80's that made an impression on me as a child?
*DRUM ROLL*
1. david lee roth - yankee rose I told you that I had a David Lee Roth obsession as a child! I have very clear vivid memories of shaking my bum at the tv in sync with David at 2 minutes 24 seconds. This video is ridiculous. Why I latched on to this as a child - who knows!?! The crazy convenient store intro - that has NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING ELSE IN THE VIDEO. Then Lee Roth enters on the scene looking like Rainbow Bright with a very bad hangover. So much bad, tight clothing going on here. I dare you to try not to laugh watching this video from start to finish.
So that's my list! What videos from the totally rad 80's made an impression on you?
P.S. Only a few more hours to comment for a chance win on my Ornament Giveaway post
5 comments:
this is totally unhelpful but i never saw a music video until my sophmore year in high school! (it was sophmore year that our lockers were on the fourth floor right? because for some reason this memory is tied to being in that hallway.)
is that crazy? i just wasn't interested. we were a jazz household. but, i do remember Garbage's video for 'Special' junior year i think (i was obsessed with Garbage when i discovered rock/pop/punk whatever)
I totally KNEW it was going to be Yankee Rose!!! LOL that made me laugh sistah! You're so funny. Feel better soon mmmmmmwahhhhh
Back in the eighties ( and I DO NOT exaggerate)I worked in a classroom and actually taught a sad young boy named (drumroll please) Christ. Yes, I *am* old enough to have taught Christ when he was in first grade. That to prove the point that when I was a small child there were no videos,we barely had t.v.. That said, My mom had a record with this woman singing about having a party -with chicken. That has a tendency to stick with you over the years.
here's proof of that!
http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/l/letshaveaparty.shtml
thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Ah yes, the 80's. I was the mother of young ones during that decade. We didn't have a TV for many of those years and certainly no cable, so I rarely got to see music videos. (I remember my daughters enjoying He-Man and She-Ra.) We had a turntable and cassette player so we listened to albums. I loved Blondie and still listen to that music. But my all time fav was and is The Nylons. An a cappella group the did covers and original tunes. Good times! Thanks for pompting this turn down memory lane.
LOVE the new blog look, btw!
Oh so many great vids! So much bouncy dancing to be had there! I dodn't know if I have time now to come up with my "all times", (apart from Boy George of course) but I do have a distinct memory of being slightly enamoured with Billy Idol. White Wedding, Mony Mony, and I remember my Dad being very unimpressed in my taste in men ;)
Lucky for me my taste matured too ;)
P.S. Hey! Very Cool new blog design!
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