Ken's 80s MTV Youtube Video Thread

[Ken Cheng]

I was a child and a teen of the 1980s, meaning that I remember the early days of MTV when music videos were a new thing (and MTV actually spent most of its airtime playing actual music videos rather than stupid reality shows). It was a classic era for music video, with memorable videos from superstars such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Duran Duran, Bruce Springsteen, and many others (especially New Wave groups).

Thanks to the magic of Youtube, many of these long lost videos of the past are once again available for public viewing. In this thread, I'm going to be introducing you younger members to the videos I grew up with in the 1980s. For those closer to my own age group, it's a nice trip down Memory Lane.

First video tonight is one of the first videos I ever watched on FRIDAY NIGHT VIDEOS back in 1984 (my parents didn't get cable until a year later, so no MTV for me until 1985 when I was in 7th Grade). The song (and video) is "They Don't Know" by Tracey Ullman, a British pop star of the 1980s who later went on to greater fame as an actress and comedienne. This was one of Tracey's big hits back in the spring of 1984, featuring a cameo at the end of the video by a true rock legend. It's cheesey compared to the videos of today, but still lots of fun. Enjoy!

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Tracey Ullman, "They Don't Know," 1984

[Suet Seung]

I was going to make a similar thread about TVB and HK singers, actors, and other cool and interesting video clips. from the past two decades. Darn it, can't claim originality of idea now.

[Ken Cheng]

VJ Ken here again...

1980s music videos tended to tell stories. Each music video was like a short, four or five minute movie with a beginning, middle, and end. Quite a few were humorous. Some were plain weird. Others were romantic.

One of the more memorable love songs of the 1980s was "Time After Time"
by Cyndi Lauper. Having first hit the airwaves with upbeat dance songs such as "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," Cyndi surprised everyone with this tender love ballad, which went on to become a 1980s classic still played widely on adult contemporary radio today. This song was a hit in the spring of 1984 and saw considerable MTV airplay.

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Cyndi Lauper, "Time After Time," 1984

[Ken Cheng]

I was going to make a similar thread about TVB and HK singers, actors, and other cool and interesting video clips. from the past two decades. Darn it, can't claim originality of idea now.

Got to move fast to keep up with VJ Ken.

Yes, I've got another hat to wear now: Ken Cheng - English teacher, wuxia enthusiast, fanfic writer, and now classic rock VJ.

[Ken Cheng]

The early 1980s was dominated by a form of rock music known as "New Wave," which was a more radio-friendly reinterpretation of the punk rock that emerged in the U. S. and Britain during the late 1970s. Punk rock was too hardcore for the tastes of most pop fans, but New Wave took its most interesting quirks and removed most of its menace to create a new kind of pop. Early New Wave bands included Blondie, Devo, and one of my favorites, the Romantics.

Formed in Detroit in the late 1970s, the Romantics had their first hit with the single "What I Like About You" in 1980. Their biggest hit, however, was "Talking In Your Sleep," which reached the # 3 position on the U.S. Billboard charts in the spring of 1983 and spawned one of early MTV's sexiest music videos.

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The Romantics, "Talking In Your Sleep," 1983

[Ken Cheng]

I was going to make a similar thread about TVB and HK singers, actors, and other cool and interesting video clips. from the past two decades. Darn it, can't claim originality of idea now.

You can still do the Hong Kong hits while I handle the Western hits.

You'll be HK VJ; I'll be U.S./U.K. VJ.

[Suet Seung]

You can still do the Hong Kong hits while I handle the Western hits.

You'll be HK VJ; I'll be U.S./U.K. VJ.

Well, I'm not exactly a pro like you are since most of them I'm still discovering, as I go. Unlike you, I wasn't a teenager during the 80s. So feel free to prompt me of the famous singers of HK during the 80s, if I forget to list any. Give me a couple of minutes to round them up.

[Ken Cheng]

Well, I'm not exactly a pro like you are since most of them I'm still discovering, as I go. Unlike you, I wasn't a teenager during the 80s. So feel free to prompt me of the famous singers of HK during the 80s, if I forget to list any. Give me a couple of minutes to round them up.

OK. See if you can find us anything by Michelle Pau Tsui Mei, best known for having sung the theme song for TVB's THE FOUNDATION in 1983.

[Ken Cheng]

Many 1980s videos were weird and just plain fun, and few were weirder or more fun than Men At Work's 1982 hit "Down Under," which both played tribute to and lampooned the band's Australian homeland to hilarious effect.

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Men At Work, "Down Under," 1982

[Ken Cheng]

As music video was still in its infancy during the 1980s, the cinematographers often needed to experiment with creative ways of presenting the music. This video, for the Alan Parsons Project's 1984 hit "Don't Answer Me," made innovative use of animation for a music video...very uncommon at the time.

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The Alan Parsons Project, "Don't Answer Me," 1984

[Ken Cheng]

Rap music, now so ubiquitous on pop radio and in people's iPods, first became popular in the U.S. during the early 1980s. Possibly the first rap song that was widely heard by many people was "Rapture," by Blondie. Although rap music was invented by and associated primarily with African-American musicians, the first performer to have a major hit with a rap recording was, ironically, a white New Wave group!

Personally, I think Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry's visual appeal had something to do with it.

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Blondie, "Rapture," 1981

[Ken Cheng]

All right...that's enough classic music video for one night.

I'll be updating this thread with more classic videos periodically. Stay tuned for more.

[Canuck21]

VJ Ken here again...

1980s music videos tended to tell stories. Each music video was like a short, four or five minute movie with a beginning, middle, and end. Quite a few were humorous. Some were plain weird. Others were romantic.

One of the more memorable love songs of the 1980s was "Time After Time"
by Cyndi Lauper. Having first hit the airwaves with upbeat dance songs such as "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," Cyndi surprised everyone with this tender love ballad, which went on to become a 1980s classic still played widely on adult contemporary radio today. This song was a hit in the spring of 1984 and saw considerable MTV airplay.

Ah Cyndi Lauper, I still love her. I only ever owned one LP and it was "She's So Unusual".

[Canuck21]

First video tonight is one of the first videos I ever watched on FRIDAY NIGHT VIDEOS back in 1984 (my parents didn't get cable until a year later, so no MTV for me until 1985 when I was in 7th Grade). The song (and video) is "They Don't Know" by Tracey Ullman, a British pop star of the 1980s who later went on to greater fame as an actress and comedienne. This was one of Tracey's big hits back in the spring of 1984, featuring a cameo at the end of the video by a true rock legend. It's cheesey compared to the videos of today, but still lots of fun. Enjoy!

I had no idea that Tracy Ullman was a singer before she was an actress.

[jay_z]

One song that I listened to quite a bit when I was little is Tracy Chapman's Fast Car, 1988. Easily listening song, yet so powerful. You can feel her pain from the song.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cbnpdik78Uo

Another song is Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer, 1987. This song subconsciously makes you crank the volume up, pump your fist up the air, and sing along. This version is special. It was recorded at Live8 concert. What happened to 1-minute solo guitar?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=29k6EQ-SLzk


I love Youtube!

[Ken Cheng]

I had no idea that Tracy Ullman was a singer before she was an actress.

Oh, yes. Many people remember first seeing her debuting THE SIMPSONS on her comedy show back in the late 1980s, but several years before that, she'd been a pop singer in Britain. She had a few good hits, but soon gave up pop music for comedy.

[Ken Cheng]

Ah Cyndi Lauper, I still love her. I only ever owned one LP and it was "She's So Unusual".

That was her best album: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," "Time After Time," and "She-Bop" were all on that album.

[Canuck21]

Ok, as an '80s person, I have to contribute to this thread.

When I was in high school, I was a huge fan of Rick Astley. I thought that he was the cutest thing in the world and of course I also loved his pop songs. When people first heard him, they thought that he was black because of his deep voice. To this day, I still have my Rick Astley scrapbook .

Never Gonna Give You Up - Some people might know this song if they've been Rick Roll'd
Together Forever - His most catchy song
She Wants To Dance With Me - Say what you want about the guy, but one thing you can't dispute is that he's a good singer and that he has a nice voice
Hold Me In Your Arms - His best song IMO

[Suet Seung]

Oh, I know the Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up song. But I never knew it was him that sung it.

Anyone who've seen Top Gun with Tom Cruise will know this song by Berlin. Berlin's song "Take My Breath Away" (1986) which won the 1987 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Academy Award for Original Song too.
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http://youtube.com/watch?v=aHIxhLzeFg4

One of my favorites of the 80s is Soft Cell's "Tainted Love", can never get tired of that song.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=IOIW190_Zhs

I was thinking of Three Dog Night's "One" song but it's from the 60s! Darn!

[Suet Seung]

Well, You can't have the 80s without the Diva of the 80s herself, Madonna.

Posting some of my long time favorites.

Take A Bow
http://youtube.com/watch?v=T1asAYQT4mA

Cherish
http://youtube.com/watch?v=U5gJxkTB124

Secret (Yeah, this is my attempt to sneak in a 1994 song, I just like it so much.)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lOqYI-xjv6Q