Archive for November, 2006
Eleven More Videos I Loved Back in the Day
The sequel to Eleven Videos That Shaped My Life. Expect additional instalments if Tarney Spencer’s “No Time To Lose” or The Tubes’ “Primetime” ever show up on YouTube.
- Pat Benatar: I’m Gonna Follow You/Precious Time (1981)
Pat Benatar’s makeup and outfits were basically identical to those of my mom’s dancer friends did during the same time period so I thought she was a queen. “I’m Gonna Follow You” is like some sort of Linda Blair evil twin movie in video format. “Precious Time” is essentially the definition of what early MTV felt like: sexy, weird, and addictive. The stylized editing and the scenes in the fake desert with the hourglass timers are completely non sequitur and why the hell is Neil Geraldo dressed like a sheik? The brief shot of Pat leaning against the wall with a tear-streaked face haunted me. This is also a prime example of a song that I knew was adult without exactly knowing why.
Eleven Videos That Shaped My Life
- The Police: Don’t Stand So Close to Me (1980)
This is one of the first videos that I can remember seeing, pre-MTV, on a show called Video Jukebox which aired during the wee hours. I was at my dad’s house one weekend, and after this came on I remember feeling a bit odd and panicky. My dad asked me what was wrong and I told him that the video made me nervous. I couldn’t even explain why! I think I understood what the song was about without truly understanding it on a conscious level. The Police look cool yet act goofy in the video; this would set the tone for many of my crushes throughout grade school and junior high.
