There are music-videos which are pure art. But on the other hand you have videos which are very amateurish, or they are knowingly ridiculous.
1) Burning Down The House by Talking Heads (1983)
Never understand what the other four people who pretended to be the Talking Heads members were supposed to be. You see a kid pretending to be David Byrne (guitar, vocals), a fat guy pretending to be Jerry Harrison (guitar), a tall guy pretending to be Tina Waymouth (bass) and a granny pretending to be Chris Frantz (drums), and at the end of the video you see the four fake Talking Heads interrupting the original members when they were playing. And of course, David Byrne’s face “walking” on a street at the end of the video. I suppose this video was David Byrne’s idea, since the man himself has had many bizarre ideas during his career.
2) Catch My Fall by Billy Idol (1984)
So it’s basically Billy rolling on his bed, and spinning around his room drunk. Also this shower scene is way too tacky. Maybe it was an eye-candy for the ladies, who knows?
3) Cold Dresses by Al Corley (1984)
This was his second big hit in France (he is mostly known for his song Square Rooms), and it’s a nice and catchy Dance song indeed. But the music-video is totally irrelevant. First of all there are no dresses appearing in the music video, and the only thing you see is Al Corley himself, dancing wearing a coat, and also a semi-naked African guy dancing in a straw skirt. Also what were those office workers on the background are supposed to be?
4) I Do Wanna Know by REO Speedwagon (1984)
REO hit a hat-trick in horrendous music-videos with their album Wheels Are Turnin’, but this one tops the other two. (One Lonely Night & Can’t Fight This Feeling) A superb album on the other hand.
5) It’s A Mistake by Men At Work (1983)
If Down Under had a tacky music-video as it was, this one is twice tacky. The most horrendous scene would be, when a bunch of grannies were hitting the soldiers by using their umbrellas. Sure it’s an anti-war song…but man? Umbrellas? Really?
6) Land Of Confusion by Genesis (1986)
I would call it creepy actually with those dolls. It’s pretty scary for small kids.
7) Living On My Own by Freddie Mercury (1985)
This was actually shot during Freddie Mercury’s 39th birthday party, but everyone’s dressed like they went to some kitsch party, and even the decoration is super-kitsch. The most hilarious part is at 1:48 when Freddie starts singing Babababibibo,etc. and dancing around the bar with his friends. I can’t stop laughing when I see this part.
8. Out Of Touch by Hall & Oates (1984)
H&O had great songs, but unfortunately their music-videos were pretty poor and very half-baked. Out Of Touch wins the prize though. Daryl and John dance around a huge drum kit and at some point John starts doing cartwheels. Don’t get the whole concept of the video, but anyway. Honorable mention to the guy, who gets shocked when we see his bald head at the beginning of the video, when he takes off his cap.
9) Owner Of A Lonely Heart by Yes (1983)
How does this guy seems to be an "Owner Of A Lonely Heart?" The whole concept of the video, reminds me more about a guy who is being overstressed with his job than an "Owner Of A Lonely Heart".
10) Rockit by Herbie Hancock (1983)
I believe instrumentals don’t need music videos. It looks more like a very long TV ad, without advertising any product. But anyway, truth is the graphics were state of the art, by the time the video was shot.
11) Rock Me Tonight by Billy Squier (1984)
This is definitely the most embarrassing video ever recorded, and it was responsible for destroying Billy Squier’s career and putting him out of the spotlight. The second part of the video features Billy Squier performing with his band. If he kept this concept for the whole video, he would save his career…well, till the early 90s at least, when Grunge took over and finished many similar artists’ careers.
12) Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) by Journey (1983)
In their previous album Escape, Journey had no music-videos, and it went to sell millions of copies. In Frontiers they made four music-videos (Separate Ways, Faithfully, Chain Reaction and After The Fall). Well, I believe they didn’t need any music-videos since they proved with Escape, they could sell without the support of the videos. The Separate Ways video looks like it was done in half hour. It appears to be very amateurish. The lady starring in this video, was very pretty though.
13) She Bop by Cindy Lauper (1984)
Well, you can figure out what this song talks about, but the video looks like more some burger restaurant advertisement. (Or maybe a kitsch show taking place in that restaurant?)
14) Something Real (Inside Me / Inside You) by Mr. Mister (1987)
Although the song has a serious meaning, the music video doesn’t take itself seriously. It kinda makes you feel dizzy. I wonder if the whole concept was, Mr. Mister members pretending to be animals which are about to enter the slaughterhouse, or something like that.
15) True Faith by New Order (1987)
New Order’s music videos were never their forte. But what’s the meaning of this video anyway?
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