It has been 1 YEAR since I started really writing consistently on my Blog. I had written other posts before but this time I opened the door to write and there was no turning back. I kept doing it.
FINALLY….
WRITING…
IT IS A PART OF ME…
I had wanted to write my story for so long but either I didn’t feel well, was too busy with work or health stuff or just wasn’t ready. I had considered doing a podcast and talking about what I go through but that never really went anywhere…AT LEAST YET. If there’s anything I’ve learned, I just don’t know what’s next and when it comes to being creative, it really can lead anywhere.
SO TODAY SINCE IT’S MID-MONTH AND I CAN’T REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE I REALLY STARTED WRITING MY BLOG ACTIVELY, HAPPY 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY “NAHLEEN.COM”!
You have rocked my world. You meaning the Blog, my Followers, my readers, my commenters, the people who stop on by and I find out later, the people who find me by mistake, the ’80s when I get into picking apart the silly videos of my favorite music era, the pictures that show my Moments of Peace, my whining, my hoping, my pushing forward, my observations, my life, you name it. It is coming out and well, there’s so much more to say.
Right now I want to say THANK YOU.
I am truly grateful for this Blog. It has helped me so much in expressing myself and reaching out to virtually the entire world.
Rad! I’m totally back with my ’80s Blog! That is so wicked cool!
Since it’s been awhile, I’m only going to start out slow again. I’ll be featuring just one this time. Feel free to post more if you’d like.
SO WHO’S IT GONNA BE???
1. Like a Surgeon By: Weird Al Yankovic
OK so who doesn’t LOVE Weird Al Yankovic? I know I do. How can we ever forget this masterpiece? We ALLLL knew he was mocking Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and it became a classic ’80s hit! Must be awesome to make a career out of mocking other famous singers, their music and videos. I remember going to see him in concert in my 20s at the Hampton Beach Casino in New Hampshire with a group of friends just for fun. I thought, sure why not. HILARIOUS AND AWESOME! The guy is a true genius and an absolutely talented performer. Talk about knowing how to entertain. I had sooooo much fun at that concert and I was so surprised and pleasantly taken off guard by how great his show was. I highly recommend seeing one of his concerts if you ever get the chance.
So we start off with nice red Ked-like sneakers. Oh there he is. The funny looking guy with lots of curly hair, dorky mustache and glasses. Doesn’t even look like a surgeon really even though he supposedly has a doctor’s white coat on and a stethoscope. Nicely made “I.C.U.” sign probably made by a Production Assistant because all ICU signs look that way. I love how all kinds of doctors are being called all at once. And this “surgeon” just looks annoyed that he had to attend to someone who sounds like he died. Poor guy. No one’s attending to him but Weird Al. Great. And he looks pretty dead. Nice “dead” make up. What the heck? He doesn’t know what to do? So he bangs the machine to get it to work? Awesome. Sure that will make the guy undead. HA! So then he bangs on the guy and the machine stops the alarm…WHAT THE?! Oh if only it were that easy. He got the guy living again. So then we hear the beat of his heart with the beat of the song as it starts…
I LOVE IT! Even his voice has a high pitch a bit like Madonna’s. Nice. RANDOM! Why is there a lion walking through???? EEEWWWW! That guy’s washing his foot in the sink! And now someone’s washing pans too???? So silly. Love it. AAACCKKK! Scary knives! What if that’s what surgeons really use???? Now there’s a blow torch? HELP! SCARY! Why does he look like a Muppet with that face mask on? And now the lion again? Yeah it’s so normal to see lions in hospitals. Absolutely. Always. Um. He’s not taking a saw to me…Fakest looking heart ever. And we even hear the heart’s sloppy slimy noise as it slips out of his grasp. And this is his first time? Is that what he’s singing? OH NO! What the? A yucky looking sandwich in the operating room he’s gonna eat? Great. Now someone’s blowing on an eye. No germs there. And the guy’s AWAKE??!!! Scary drill! Cracking up! There’s a bullseye on his chest. I’ve always wondered how surgeons really do it. This must be the way.
I don’t know that I ever really listened to the words of this song. Very funny. Ha! There’s a fake Madonna in the corner. Nice. Love the most fake looking brain EVER. And the patient’s reading a paper. Riiiight. Who wants to bet it’d be an IPad now or something? And he’s TAKING NUMBERS like a deli. Ha ha! This is too much. WHAT THE?! Why is there a football player in the operating room???? ACK! Look at what he’s taking out of this guy’s body? Maybe that’s the issue with all of our bodies. We have all these items in our bodies. Would make a lot of sense. Love how creative this is. A LIVE BUNNY?! Poor bunny! Great line, “My patients die before they can pay”…so he takes money out of his body. Nice. Good point. Nice video effects…love those ’80s effects. And now he’s playing all sexy. This is too much. Sooo funny and so silly. And of course his waving arms whack someone he’s walking by. And of course I laughed. Oldest joke in the book and I still laughed. Is it me or is it just wrong to see Weird Al be “all sexy-like”???? Kinda gets me all creepy crawly…NICE. The beep is back in the song as it’s ending. Nice little detail.
OK now this is too much. Now we’re not even in the hospital and we’re in some studio against all white, he’s wearing some black netted thing and dancing with two others trying to be all sexy. OH dear. I’m scared to keep watching… And of course the “guy” I’m guessing flatlines again…
Silly silly Weird Al. Love that guy. Love that he’s still working too.
Anyone wanna post some fun ’80s of their own? I’d love to see them! So happy to be back!
OK. Who doesn’t remember this one? How could you forget? MTV not only played it constantly, but then VH1 did. All ages would find themselves singing along with the little diddy. Perhaps you even bebopped around to it. For some reason, my biggest memory of this is my mother going around the house singing, “And you can call me Al”…Nice pink room right off. Oh hey look! It’s Chevy Chase! That was the other part. Wow! Paul Simon and Chevy Chase together! I mean, what were the odds?? Such a basic set and it didn’t matter this time. And there’s a saxophone and trumpet. Wonder if they’ll play them? Ha! Let’s all laugh. They’re trying to come in the doorway at the same time and it’s funny because Paul Simon is so much shorter than Chevy Chase. And of course I still find myself chuckling because Chevy Chase is singing Paul Simon’s part. Yep, I fell for it. What is with Chevy’s hair flips? OK it is kinda funny…Paul walking by the doorway with a big red drum. Nice jacket Chevy. Paul looked so thrilled to sing backup. Chevy’s having too much fun. Where’d Paul go? That little toy instrument Paul’s playing reminds me of my first instrument I got as a kid that I think was supposed to be a Sesame Street toy or something and I got to learn how to play “Three Blind Mice” and I think even Grover taught me. Love Grover. Anyway, silly boys playing saxophone and trumpet and dancing while supposedly playing. And then there was all this “talk” about them being (GASP!) High…on life…yeah…that’s it. Wow. Chevy is like a foot taller than Paul. I can’t believe I still chuckle over Paul trying to get the big red drum in the doorway while wearing his guitar and getting it caught. Silly. Ha! I don’t think I realized how funny Paul Simon is in this. With twiddling thumbs and everything.
2. I Want Candy By: Bow Wow Wow
What kind of a name is that? Bow Wow Wow. Silly don’tcha think? And sure. I want candy. Don’t you? Oh wait, what are they talking about? Nice ’80s graphics right at the start. Ha! Hello blue/green screen! Wow, the saturation is awful isn’t it? And yes, guy, your sunglasses are so cool with the reflection. Actually, I always wanted a pair like that. We were so cool in the ’80s weren’t we? This is kinda trippy isn’t it? Nice mohawk. Of course there are candy canes in the sand. I know that’s where I always find them. What is that she’s wearing? She has cool hair. Yep. That’s really the sun rising over the ocean. Uh huh. I could never bury myself in the sand like that. Scary! Who knows what’s in there? Ha! She’s wearing hightops in the sand. Nice! Random shot of her licking an ice cream cone. I don’t get it. That drummer guy is bugging me. I don’t know why. Yeah! Let’s all have fun! Yep. That’s a big candy cane. I don’t know. That water looks pretty radioactive to me…
3. Sister Christian By: Night Ranger
I remember singing this song a lot with my sister growing up. And I apparently had no idea about what I was singing. Oh how often that’s happened to me lately. It just had a cool beat and it was oh so deep. Is someone tapping a tin can in the beginning? OK. There’s a bunch of gals in the shot in graduation garb. I get the “Sister” part. What is with the white gloves they’re wearing? Are we supposed to get the idea they’re all so innocent? Hmm. Not sure I believe that. What is with graduation caps? They are so awkward! I remember wearing mine and it didn’t get easier to wear when I graduated college. Just sayin’. Of course there is a red curtain behind them. Are curtains on a stage ever any other color on camera? Nice slow motion of them all walking with their diplomas down the stares as their hair bounces. I wonder–did my hair ever bounce when it was long like that and I went down the stairs? I thought it was about the blonde. Of course it is. Those blondes are always getting into trouble. And the big buildup…ready? Feels like I should start headbanging or something but it is SO not the song. Hit those drums! And we see the band. Nice big hair they all have. What the?! They all have music stands? Did they just learn the music??? Ah yes. Let’s go back in time and give a deep blue effect. Is she Rapunzel? Is she going to open the window and grow really long hair to reach down through the window so her Prince can come? Wow. The band has some pretty rad outfits on. What is with the purple filter now? Colorful video. Uh oh. I sense some trouble coming…Let’s show all the rainbows of filters we can use. Now it’s orange. Hmm. So she decides to break free and go with the rest of the gals to hang out in a cool car with guys from a band who are much older than they are???? Tsk tsk. Bad message…
4. Kokomo By: The Beach Boys
And here’s another that we all just DIDN’T get enough of. It was only played into the ground and out the other side by radios and MTV…over and over again. And come on Beach Boys. That’s all you could come up with? Geez. Looks pretty there. And who can forget, “Bermuda, Bahama, Come on pretty mama”…Hmm. And they all wear light colored clothing of course. They’re cool like that. Nice half unbuttoned shirt there…and green cap…And well, who didn’t love the movie, “Cocktail”? I mean, it had Tom Cruise in it and he was cute then. It didn’t matter what was going on in it. I have special memories of watching this movie with my best friend and absolutely losing our minds with utter silliness as we drank soda (seriously ONLY SODA) out of our orange plastic New Kids On the Block cups. We were so inspired by it all that we even made a poem…about New Kids…I still have it somewhere. Not sure how much of Cocktail we watched…Actually, it’s one of my favorite memories growing up. And then remember being like, “Oh my Gawd! Is that John Stamos on the drums?”. I mean, how cool was that? Now that was random to see. OH John Stamos…You were so cute back then…And another Beach Boy is wearing a red cap. What is with the caps? Do you think there are enough scantily clad ladies in bikinis in that audience?
5. No One Is To Blame By: Howard Jones
I thought this song was oh so deep when I was a young gal. But is NO ONE ever really to blame or is that an excuse??? Deep thoughts…What is that the drumsticks are hitting? Is that a giant tambourine? Oh look. It’s like we get to see the mechanics of a song in a way. Look at those gears go. Another dude with cool hair! I can tell. Is it orange? Oh and he’s already thinking so deeply. See that? Nice dissolves between shots at least in the beginning and now I just feel confused and dizzy…I think they all thought it was cool but my poor eyes. Oh yeah. His hair IS orange and it’s really big on top of his head. Neat. A cello. Let’s all sing, “And you want her” (echo: want her) “And she wants you” (echo: wants you)…allllll the way through the song. Kinda cool to see the lyrics on screen pass through but still, it is all just too busy! What is that contraption he’s sitting at? Is it me or was it just creepy when these ’80s singers would sing directly to the camera??? And I mean, RIGHT INTO IT. Who wants to bet he worked really hard to get his hair that way?
Phew! We have Internet back today! We didn’t yesterday. I was getting worried I might not be able to do an ’80s Blog this week and that would be sad. Quality Problems. So without further ado…
1. Jessie’s Girl By: Rick Springfield
OK now. This is probably the most well known ’80s song LIKE EVER. I mean, it’s Rick Springfield. And at some point or another we all either wanted to be Jessie’s Girl or that we had Jessie’s Girl right? He seems a bit obsessed don’tcha think? Nice. Writing on a “brick wall”. Of course they’re using spray paint. Love that this is OBVIOUSLY in a studio. Hello fake couple. And then Rick just happens to show up in the corner and start stalking them OF COURSE. As usual with the ’80s he’s a stalker. Gotta love his feathered hair. I think he’s supposed to be looking straight at the camera lens but if you’ll notice, he’s looking a bit off to the side. Um, we’re over here! Nice suit. What’s the the crazy shadow behind him? Geez. Lower the lights people! Nice creased pants and short sleeve black shirt unbuttoned a bit. Trying to be sexy are we? Ha! Love the star filter effect! Too funny. You know, Jessie’s girl doesn’t seem that great. Boring. Nice shiny jacket with shoulder pads? Hee hee. Nice white tennis shoes with the suit. What the? He’s not scared of the woman behind him in the bathroom mirror? And I know we all play our guitars in the bathroom too. Smash that mirror! That’ll show her. So does he wish he had Jessie’s Girl? I’m not sure we’re clear about that.
2. Holding Back the Years By: Simply Red
This song brings back lots of memories as an early teen. I had the lovely opportunity to stay at the beach with a branch of my family (at least 2 summers in a row) and I hung out quite a bit with a cousin of mine chasing boys and causing trouble. This is one of those songs that brings me right back. I think I appreciate this song a lot more now than I did back then. If I remember right I liked to mock the lead singer and his hair. Pretty architecture in the first shot. Oh wait, is that a cemetery? Well, now I’m not so sure. Nice scenery. Ha! He has cassette tapes piled up. Ancient for sure. Wow. His red curly hair is everywhere! I’m thinking he’s having deep thoughts here. Um, anyone else disturbed about what he’s holding in his hand and the placement of it? Why do I feel like that was a mistake? Where’s he going? Why’s he leaving? Oh no, the little boy fell. Daddy issues? Whoa. She has big hair. Random. Nice effect with the huge empty checkerboard floor (yet another one) and the little table with Mom and son. Will someone please push his hair out of his eyes? Oh the childhood years. Feeling really depressed now. Are they playing in the cemetery? Not my ideal place to play but OK. Wait, I’m unclear here. Who’s making out with that woman? Again, not an ideal place to make out. But who am I to say? Cool train. Do you think anyone hears him singing on the train? He seems kinda loud to me.
3. Morning Train (9 to 5) By: Sheena Easton
And of course we start on train tracks. Get it? And then there’s this song right? We probably all know this song too. Very catchy beat whether we want to catch on or not. Who HATES those kinds of alarm clocks? Um, no thanks. Don’t need to jump across the room when it goes off. Nice green body suit thing. Is it me or does she look really funny on that bike? Nice hair. And she doesn’t look too stable on that bike either…what on earth? I was wondering what was in that basket. A green flag?? For the train? What’s going on? Holy eye makeup. And he doesn’t really care…Such strange camera angles. So much of it is her looking down at the camera. Gets me a little motion sick. You? Right. She’s pulling the gears. Sure she is. Oh and of course she’s cleaning it too. Uh huh. Sure. What is with her and that pole? OH sure. And she’s riding in the front of the train. That’s realistic. Is it me or is that song really long?
4. Life In a Northern Town By: Dream Academy
Oh I used to think this song was so deep. Hearing it does get me kinda nostalgic. Where is this? Seems like it might be in a northern town huh? Oh whoops, don’t fall there guy! Be careful going down that steep hill. Nice wind sound by the way. Why are they carrying instruments? I’d hate to damage one of those by falling…That doesn’t look like lemonade. Looks cold and damp there. Cool building. Whoa. He looked like he was gonna run over those two poor children. Geez. We can’t see you. There’s underwear hanging in your face. Oh there you are. Wait, there’s a woman in the group? I don’t think I realized that. And what is with that very ODD video effect above their heads? Seems like he’s walking A LOT. Ha! Remember those bouncy balls we used to sit on? Ha! Nice cameo picture shot of the Beatles with Paul McCartney especially. I love that every time they sing, “Hey!” they throw their arms up in the air. OK. What’s the significance of the balloons? What am I missing? Hee hee. Love how there’s clearly a light in his face to show him on camera as it seems to be getting dark there. His face has a glowing golden hue. Notice they all have that golden hue on their faces now.
5. Too Shy By: Kajagoogoo
What the heck kind of name is that? Who’s “googooing”??? So weird. Oh the ’80s. They were unique. Did this group even have another hit? I have no idea. I don’t remember much about this song as a kid except that now I hear it quite a bit. It’s lookin’ like some nice hair there. Can’t really tell yet. I’m likin’ all the outfits…That gal has nice big hair. Are they supposed to be at a dance club? Nice crazy blonde hair with dark hair too. And is that a skimpy yellow tank top and green pants he’s wearing? I bet he thinks he’s cool. Yes, she’s tired. We get it. So now we’ve gone back in time? Welcome back home boys from where? You know, I’m liking all the outfits in the band. Very colorful. He’s gotta be wearing a wig. Wait, so now we’re supposed to be in the present? When’d that happen? Will somebody please fix her tucked in shirt in the back? It’s all uneven. OK. Well that happened.
And that’s that. Hope you had fun. Got any you wanna share? Would love to see them!
This has got to be one of the most well known ’80s songs EVER. What the heck? What’s with the one strapped leotard/swimsuit on that guy??? And did he just jump into the shot? Yes, of course. Banging bottles with drumsticks makes that specific drum sound. Uh huh. What’s up with the guy’s hair in the truck? Of course. Kick that truck! ACK! Look at all those people hidden away in the van. Weirdness already. I think I’d be nervous too if I met up with a strange lady in the desert who had a table set up to eat and invited me over. Scary mustache! And you know, we all sit on tree branches playing our flutes. Duh! Oh now we’re inside? Dude that guy in the awful fake blonde wig is tall–or faked to look as such of course. It took me forever to figure out he was saying “Vegemite Sandwich”. It doesn’t sound so good to me. Hilarious! Their overly theatrical actions are cracking me up! And you can’t help but love their outfits. Wait. Now they’re back in the desert? What on earth? 3 of them are digging with invisible shovels to the beat and 2 others are dancing? What’s going on? And now they’re hopping around like kangaroos…Yes, I’m sure they’re really in Bombay…Nice basic studio set. Well, I’m not sure if I’ll ever be the same again.
2. I Can’t Wait By: Nu Shooz
They were kinda cool. Liked the beat. I mean, she couldn’t wait. Can any of us ever wait for anything? OK. Thanks for sharing your pic of your dog with us all. Tools falling into the shot in slow motion. Alrighty. And a banana too??? Can’t tell what that is opening and closing in the scene as we zoom into the dog on the floor. Yep. Someone making this video knows special effects. Bet that dog is just thrilled to be wearing sunglasses. Oh I had no idea there was a woman in this scene at all it was so dark. Ha! She’s looking at slides…nice plastic cactus in the background. Sure. A whole fish fits in there. Not sure what this all has to do with the song but OK. Nice shoulder pads, of course. And gotta love those puffy bangs. Had bunches of them myself. They were hard work. So she can’t wait till they’re all alone so she can do what with all those tools EXACTLY????? I really think the producer wanted to show how much cooler their video was over all the others. SOOOO RANDOM!! And she looks bored. And now that I’m dizzy and nauseous from falling for it and watching that thing go back and forth across the screen…Well that happened.
3. (You’ve Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) By: The Beastie Boys
Oh dear. They’re all sitting there lookin’ like “nerds”. This should be good. Lovin’ the pulled up pants. Wag that finger Mom. You tell ’em! Of course. Bring soda and pie. And duh, “bad” people will show up! Easiest door (if it even was one) to kick in ever. And the cool dudes enter. I mean, if there was ever anything I needed to learn back then, it was that I gotta fight for my right to party. I mean, seriously. It was SUCH A DRAG not to. Except it’s too bad I wasn’t much of a party girl. When I look back I was so BORING! Very funny that all the people at the party are kinda dressed the same and almost hush hush. Ew. He just spit all that soda in her face. Yeah sure I’d make out with you if you forced me down on the couch. Funny that we don’t even see her face at all. As if he’s really kissing her anyway. Great. Now there’s a fire. What the heck? Now some other dude is making out with her? Geez. Hmm. Yelling into a phone receiver (ancient with a cord and everything) is gonna do what now? And now long haired dudes. I think I’d be pretty scared if the punch bowl was steaming like that. And it’s always important to write “BATHROOM” in marker on the outside of the door in your own apartment. I always thought it’d be cool to throw cream pies at people…as long as I don’t have to clean it up. It’s so funny. I always thought these Boys were so much older when I was a kid. Now they look like babies. I’m getting so old. Ha! A pie in the Mom’s face! I love it!
4. What’s Love Got To Do With It By: Tina Turner
And we’re in black and white. I never knew what to think of her as a youngster. I knew her songs. I thought she was a cool lady but WHAT WAS WITH HER HAIR? As I’ve gotten older and learned about her I like her more and more. I have quite a bit of respect for what she’s been through. Show those nice legs. She always did have good legs to show off. Now that I think about it, it was always hair and legs with her. Hello big hair. Have you all seen her in the past few years? She’s still hot stuff out there on the stage! Ha! The light reflects through her hair really cool! Funny that the shot has to fit all of her hair in it. Did we really have to see that suck face? Awkward. And is she naked? We’re only seeing bare shoulders. Like the spiral staircase. Neat car. Seems like they’re trying to put interesting things in each shot for us to look at. I applaud the effort. As a young gal I didn’t understand why she questioned love. I mean, it was all about that wasn’t it? I was such a romantic I guess. Did the car run into that lamp post? It’s awfully close to it. Let’s all be serious in each shot when we’re not Tina. Nice lighting design in this video. Loving the hair and mustache styles. Question: How many ’80s videos have checkerboard floors? That is quite a hat. Hope she doesn’t hurt someone with it. I know with my wide brimmed hat it gets in the way of EVERYTHING. Awesome. That was so obviously a set at the end!
5. Missing You By: John Waite
I know. Who? But I think once you hear the song you’ll know it. It was played enough. I always wondered if he missed the person or not. As a kid it confused me big time. Of course now I do believe it was denial. Any way you look at it, he’s OBSESSED. Hee hee. Look at those cars. MOST BASIC SET EVER. Black floor and white walls. He’s sitting by himself and smoking. Nice hair. That dangly earring is very distracting. And another basic set with a bed and a lot of light supposedly coming through the windows. So she’s unhappy? It’s just not clear. Nice sleeveless white shirt. Did someone hurt his nose? And another ’80s stalker…There were a lot of them back then. Kinda creepy with him singing at the camera. Makes me wanna look away. And loving the shoulder pads of course. Nice phone booth. Slam that phone down! You know, it’s just not the same anymore with cordless and cell phones. You just can’t slam them down in the receiver like you used to. Those were the days. Nope. He’s not missin’ her. He’s just saying it constantly. Cool blue jacket. Poor lady is tryin’ to make the eyes at him and he could care less. I’m insulted. We’re supposed to not like her because she’s chubby huh? Uncool for sure. Is that hanging light supposed to be hypnotizing me? Easiest shattering of a payphone ever! Um hello! She’s knocking on the door! So the question still remains, is he missing her or not??? Geez. Get to the point!
1. Don’t You (Forget About Me) (Movie: Breakfast Club) By: Simple Minds
LOVE the Breakfast Club! One of my favorite movies EVER!!! And with an all star cast it helps even more. And yes, this song is WAYYYY overplayed and still is now. And enter random guy I’m guessing is the lead singer. I have no idea what they look like. And now he’s doing theatrical dancing. OK then. Nice outfit nice hair nice lighting with a huge shadow. What’s with all the TVs showing random people? Why do we care about them? Oh and there’s the band in the back shadow. Does he think he’s cool with his long arm swishes? Nice plaid jacket. WHAT THE?! Why is there a rocking horse on screen and on set? HELP! Now there’s a random scary clown face! I think I may wanna forget about you if you keep this up. What is all of that stuff scattered at his feet? Careful. Don’t trip. Whoa. Just noticed his pants are pulled WAY up. Too funny. He may be the WORST LIP SYNCER EVER! Look at him at the juke box not even keeping up with the “hey hey hey”…Oh phew. NOW we see scenes from the Breakfast Club on the TV screen. Was wondering if we’d ever see any of that. And now I’m getting seasick. Why is the room messier? Keep on doing those weird claps. Well now, that was a weird trip…
2. Looking For a New Love By: Jody Watley
She was kinda cool way back when. I remember this song really well. As a young gal I liked her attitude. She was telling HIM how it was. So there. OK. Wet feet. Guy checking watch. Shot of her. OH and then an old red phone. Awesome. Hmmm. Where’s the audio? Is there something wrong with my volume? No. There is something there. Am I supposed to hear it? Excuse me. What is she doing with her hands down his back? Shall I cover my eyes? HEY there’s the music! That was really awkward. Cool spiral staircase. I think this song was overplayed too. I think when and if I ever danced to this song (probably in my bedroom behind closed doors and holding a brush as a mic) I tried to walk like she does to the beat. That seemed cool. I was rad. Creepy big shadow hand reaching for her unspeakables. Who made this? Nice hair. Oh OK. Now she’s singing. Was wondering…Awesome outfit. Now that I watch this I’m not sure what I liked about her voice. Those guys look like they feel silly. You tell HIM honey. That’s right. Cool hat. What is with these creepy shadow hands trying to grab her?! Why are there random leaves flying at her? It’s as if they were trying some new video effects and didn’t care if they fit the song or not. Hee hee! He’s tied up. Get it? Nice arrow pointing to her cleavage. Those fireworks look dangerous! OK. What just happened?
3. Money For Nothing By: Dire Straits
My specific memory of this growing up was listening to it on the radio in my parents’ car and it was New Year’s Eve and they were doing one of those BEST OF Countdowns and I think this was Number One. Wish I could remember the year. Anyway, I think we all liked the song and my Dad turned it up. I don’t know why I thought it was so neat that we all liked the song. Remember how revolutionary this song was with its computer graphics? Still looks really great! And yes, we ALL thought MTV was cool back then. If only it still played music videos ONLY. Cool. Digital and analog mesh together! Gee, did they see the future or what? That was so long ago. Awesome animated guitar played by a human hand. All kinds of things are animated in a human world. Nice! You gotta admit, there is something so cool about a computer animated guy watching humans on TV. Oh yeah. I forgot all about that. Is that Sting singing back up at times? I just like his headband. We do love our stuff. Great point in this song. Look at what’s become of us with all this technology? I wouldn’t be able to do this Blog right now without it. Goodness. That lady is quite scantily clad. I like the dog.
4. One Night In Bangkok By: Murray Head
Ha! I loved the beat of this song! The ’80s were awesome! I thought they were so cool. Fun song. Nice special effects with the checkerboard. Aaaahhh! Isn’t she gonna close her eye so that white square doesn’t go into it? Love all of this smoke in this overly dramatic scene. I have no idea what’s happening! Oh sure. Yep he’s singing. Oh and look. They’re playing chess on a checkerboard floor. Get it? She has quite a lot of make up on huh? I feel disconnected in some way. I think the whole video is. Oh my goodness. Is that the band? Awesome. I had no idea that’s what they looked like. Neat shot looking up through the chessboard. Funny how I really have no idea what the words are in this song. Goodness. Sooooo many stereotypes in this. Insults galore! And now we have a lit chessboard. Nice! Aren’t we all dancing on a chessboard? Isn’t life just a game anyway? How deep are we??? Those women aren’t wearing pants!
5. Smooth Operator By: Sade
We all know this song don’t we? How can we not? It was played enough. I’ll admit, I actually like Sade now more than I did way back when. I like how soothing her voice can be. When I was in college and working on television production shoots we’d sing, “Boom Operator” instead and now that’s all I sing instead of the actual words. Oh the things that stick with you. Lots of extras were hired for this video looks like. And we’re in some sort of club. I think I know where this is going…I bet that guy is a SMOOTH OPERATOR. What? Spoilers??? Oh and there she is. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her without her hair pulled back like that. Cool set. Lots of red. Whoa. Her head’s shining at me. I wonder if this is a real place. Kinda looks like it. Is she the only one wearing white? Is that because she’s innocent or something? I love how she sings, “Ask”. Ha! Look at that old film projector! Love it. Wait, what’s all this? Ohhhh. The SMOOTH OPERATOR was caught in the act…Uh oh. There’s a gun. What??? He has another woman? Oh and look at Sade. Her hair’s down a bit. He’s wearing quite a short robe there. So she hired a PI? Is that what’s happening? I’m confused. Is Sade supposed to be upset there? She doesn’t look it. Oh and he’s married? To who? Which one? Yep. That’s an ice bucket. Are those supposed to be tears going down her cheeks? Perhaps she should just keep singing and not acting.
Did you have fun? Got any ’80s memories to share? Would love to see them!!!
Well now isn’t this already interesting. Black and white and everyone’s in cool costumes! Just jump right in! I think it was a fantasy of mine as a young gal to live a glamorous life. I thought, sure I don’t need a man BUT what about all those Prince Charmings we keep seeing in all the Disney Fairy Tales? I was so confused. Always loved the beat of this. Fun to bebop to. Wow, she has some big hair on top of her head there. And is she playing the drums while singing? Interesting. Awesome shoulder pads. I think they’re as tall as her hair. Help! She just winked at me. Holy eye makeup! Now that is a big bulky fur coat. And that other woman looks like she’s gonna fall out of that dress. Geezum! Oh nice. The whole band is stepping and moving to the same beat. Of course they are. What is with that fake fire behind those windows on the street? Throw those drum sticks! Awesome that her band is color coordinated. I think I’m kinda stunned by her outfit actually. Message: boys are trouble. ARE THEY EVER!
2. Shattered Dreams By: Johnny Hates Jazz
Another DEEP favorite of mine. Sooooo melodramatic. Those shattered dreams are devastating I tell you! I think this is another one hit wonder. First thing I see is a sign on a doorknob that says, “Do Not Disturb”. Does that mean I can’t disturb the song? I don’t get it. Black and white. I’m sure they all thought they were cool to be retro and dramatic. Nice shot of the drop of water falling from a finger. Wonder how long they had to wait for that perfect drop. Aaaaahhhh! The big face is gonna attack the singer! Who knew the singer was kinda cute? Oh no! Now he’s standing on her breasts! Shouldn’t someone alert her? Will someone please take that wisp of hair out of his eye? It’s driving me crazy! OK his outfit is just awesome. Soooo ’80s. Why do I feel like he really doesn’t care about what he’s singing? I mean, fella, these are SHATTERED DREAMS! This is SERIOUS. And she’s not scared that he’s now in her hand? This woman is so oblivious. Alright alright. We get that you’re a tiny stalker and so is your whole band. Geez. What is with all the dripping water references? What am I missing? Will someone please give her a napkin to wipe her chin? OK. Well at least she’s freaking out! OK then. This is a very serious and sad song and the video alludes to it. Well, my mood’s been kinda squashed. Don’t think the video really fit what the line, “You said you’d die for me” really meant…
3. Voices Carry By: ‘Til Tuesday
Love the sound of this song. Pretty funky. And she rocks. Love her hair. Awkward actor talking in the beginning. Glad he read his lines right then. Yeah, what’s with the hair? How dare she have cool hair? And she’s supposed to be with that guy? He is totally uncool. Most boring set ever. This is one of the songs I used to like to belt out as a teenager. Best red outfit ever. Nice hat. And he’s with her? Anyone believe that he’d ever be with her? Seems like he thinks he’s too cool for her. Nice frilly black gloves. Neat silhouette of her against the window shade…or is that wax paper? Would’ve been a good idea to at least get a flashback of what she looked like before she supposedly “redid” her look. Look at her storm off down the road. Deep thoughts by lame guy as he watches her. Worst actor EVER! So wait, is her obviously fake black wig supposed to be what she looked like before? I’m confused. Will someone please tell her he’s not that great? Yep. That’s a Carnegie Hall sign. Thanks for sharing. Soooo empowering as a young lady (hmm, was I ever a lady–but anyway) watching her sing really loud in the audience!!! My favorite! She finally told him! Random snotty woman shot. Next time I’m in a quite snooty audience I’m gonna stand up and belt out a song too. Looks like so much fun!
4. I’m Gonna Be (500 miles) By: The Proclaimers
I never saw Benny and Joon but I hear it was cute. Come on let’s all sing along! You know you wanna! OK. There they are singing with a green screen in the background and we see the movie playing. This isn’t that well done. Interesting that it was accepted as OK. I forget. Were these guys twins? Gotta love the glasses and their accents. Gee do you think the radio stations played this into the ground enough? Of course now I’m not gonna be able to get this out of my head for the next week. Johnny Depp’s so cute isn’t he? They look so stiff standing there and singing. Did anyone hear an echo? Sing it! Da da da da! Da da da da! So I’m just wondering, is this 500 miles all at one time or could we maybe take breaks? I mean, that could get really tiring. Just sayin’. They have big lips.
5. I Feel For You By: Chaka Kahn
Guy sounds like he has a hairball. So who sings this? I can’t seem to tell right away in the song. Perhaps Chaka Kahn? Who’s the guy singing in the beginning? Random UnCredited Guy maybe? Are those records? I almost forgot what they looked like. She’s always had Big Hair huh? Seems like it even recently when I’ve seen her she does. Look at that! They all have awesome ’80s clothes on! Oh the puffiness. She’s a bad lip syncer too. Is it me or does she sound like she’s singing in a tunnel or something? I’ve always thought that. Weird. You know there’s nothing as sexy as singing in front of a fence in a studio. Some pretty flexible dancers in this. Pretty funny that the dancers were all shot separately from her. Definitely don’t miss those shoulder pads. Nice yellow cape-like jackets. This song is really long and it doesn’t even have that many lyrics! Where have all the checkered outfits gone?
Hi all. I don’t know about you but I need to have some fun. Jumping right in!
1. The Promise By: When In Rome
And again we ask, WHO? This is probably one of my favorite ’80s songs of all time. I love the rhythm, the beat and the overall sound of it. I can’t help it. Don’t remember what I really thought of it when I was younger except that I must’ve liked it because I know most of the lyrics. Oh and of course we start with a shot on a woman. Gee how many ’80s videos start with a shot on a mysterious woman? Don’t think I ever heard the beginning of the song before. Interesting. So there’s a piano in her belly? Confused. OK is it just me or did that hair flick look like a woman’s hair and then throw you off when you saw it was a guy???? Yessss. We all know now you have long hair. Geez. Odd. Her hair is very much like his. I don’t think that camera/picture has stopped moving once. Getting a bit motion sick. And then we see random bald guy who sings as back up…just barely. You know. They’re just hangin’ out in a white room singin’ songs. Fancy lighting through the window. Yes. The pouty woman he pines after or THEY pine after. Can’t tell. It’s so funny seeing how high up their pants are. Oh and then there’s another guy who never looks at the camera who appears to play piano. Alrighty then. OK so the bald guy is not random really and also has a lead in the song. I don’t know that I knew there were 2 lead voices in this song. And let’s not forget the doggie. What the heck?! Is that a very noticeable hole in his jeans in an unspeakable area? Get some new jeans!
2. Owner of a Lonely Heart By: Yes
Another song I vaguely remember from my youth except that I know most of the lyrics and remember thinking that if I had a crush on a boy and that boy didn’t return my crush then I was THE owner of a lonely heart. Me and my depth. And we start on the band. Don’t think I realized they looked like that. Don’t know what I was expecting…Yep they think they’re cool for sure. And the guy sings and looks completely AWKWARD and not nearly as cool as the rest. Hello orange sweaty face. Someone dry him off! And another bad lip syncer…He could at least look like he’s singing and not keep swinging away from the microphone. Why do they all look bored? WHAT THE?! This is new. There’s talking in the middle? This oughta be good. A bird, a snake, a lizard, a cat—ARE THEY SHAPESHIFTERS? What does this have to do with the SONG? AND THEN they go back to the song and START OVER? I guess they wanted to be epic, to be different. And now a fake black and white movie. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S GOING ON. Anyone else? There sure are lots of people being herded around looking unhappy. Guess I’m getting the idea. But then what on earth was the beginning? Ew. There are all these shots of yucky things–that is EXCEPT the poor black cat who keeps getting thrown on him. Poor kitty. And now we’re not in black and white. So weird. OK NOW THAT WAS A TRIP. I’m troubled.
3. Heaven Is a Place On Earth By: Belinda Carlisle
Ah yes. A former member of the Go-Go’s is on her own. How’d she do? Pretty well if I recall. She was okay. Watching her now she sure was pretty sure of herself and woowee did she overdo it or what? Look at those pretty light globe thingies. Such a sugary voice. Who else is troubled that they’re singing about heaven and yet everything else is black and they’re wearing black masks? Does it feel like heaven to you? Oh excuse me. AND they have white socks. Weird. Goodness. She looks like she’s trying be so sexy. And that clothing is quite low cut. Sappy sappy sappy. Anyone wanna bet how often she was blinded by that stream of light in her eyes? Whoa. Now they’re spinning. Apparently we’re on an amusement park ride. She likes to show her shoulders. I sure hope no one gets ahold of our earth and swings it around while they’re exercising. We’ll all fall off! Oh yeah and I keep forgetting to mention that random guy who is swinging around with her. YES he is kissing her neck and she is way too happy about it. And look at that. She has hair wings! Wow that brings me wayyyyy back.
4. Broken Wings By: Mr. Mister
Wasn’t this song played on Silver Spoons or something? I tell ya. This guy cared. Who doesn’t know this song? I wonder how many times it’s been played on the radio. One of THE ’80s classics. And we’re in black and white in a cool car. I can tell this is gonna be really deep. OF COURSE we see a bird flying. Get it? Wings? Bird? Just singin’ and strummin’ his guitar by the window with a weird long blazer and cowboy boots. You know. The norm. And now the band with the keyboard player wearing an awesome outfit with his sleeves rolled up. Always so ’80s cool. He needs ME so? He looks so intensely at the camera. Creepy. So reflective. Looks like quite a road trip he’s taking. Hey that other guy in his band has cool hair! Kinda funky. And he finds a lone purse just hangin’ out…as THE BIRD leads the way. Get it? And yes I’ll admit that I wanted a boy to sing this to me at a dance or something. Yes, I wanted boys to sing a whole concert to me at some point in my youth. Do I now? That’s negotiable. Might freak me out more than anything. Throw that map! See if anyone cares! He looks like he needs a hug. A big bird in a church. OK. He has really white teeth. Long song.
5. Like a Virgin By: Madonna
LOVED Madonna as a young gal. She was my idol. I knew all of her songs by heart. And…I had no idea what this song was really about AT ALL. Oh the innocence of childhood. Hmm. Do we think she was a virgin in this video? Look at that big hair! And those clothes. All the females wanted to be just like her. Is she really in Italy in this video? I don’t even know. And we see cat paws. Nice neon green shirt! Such a pretty lion. Nice heavy eye liner. And she wears white because she’s so pure. This is a crazy catchy song. Look at all those ruffles and frills on her dress. Surprised we can see her. Always so dramatic even from the beginning. Quite the production even on this video. She has good balance in the water. I would’ve fallen over by now. Nice blue spandex. Hope all that jewelry isn’t weighing her down too much. Ha ha! So funny to have a shot of the lion’s tongue moving back and forth 3 times to the exact beat of the song. Never noticed that before. I wonder if that pretty nice kitty walked that close to her for real or not. Hard to tell. THAT IS AN AWFUL LION MASK!!! Hilarious!
Well now. That was quite a trip down ’80s lane. ‘Til next time!
The ’80s are back this week! I know you missed them! It’s time for some fun.
1. Every Rose Has Its Thorn By: Poison
Every Hair Band needed their power ballads. This song keeps coming up on my ’80s station I listen to (yes I’m an ’80s music geek–obviously) so I figure it’s time I post it here. Oh those Junior High dances I tell ya. If only the boy I had a crush on would dance with me. You know, barely touching each other. So romantic. What is with the blue tint of the black and white filter? Can we say DRAMATIC?! And yeah OK he’s sexy here in this first dolly shot as the camera rolls around the bed where we see the unhappy big haired woman. And still no music yet. My goodness. Get to it! And of course there’s a storm outside. Duh. HELLO! He was almost naked there when he got up. That camera was right there! I think I should be embarrassed. I love the leaves on the studio floor. That’s awesome. Very natural. And as with every other Hair Band we have to see the band jammin’ it up in rehearsal and in front of a crowd. You know, these guys needed some good hair conditioning treatment. I mean, look at those messes. Can’t help it though. This song holds a special place in my nostalgic heart because we all know “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” now don’t we?
2. Words By: Missing Persons
I know. Who? If you listen you’ll know the song I think. I have found myself bebopping to it over the years. I don’t know of any other song by them but that’s okay. Seems to happen a lot. OH yeah. Look at that COOL white filter over the picture. This is going to rock. Holy moly! She is hardly wearing anything on top! And that hair is awesome! And that caked on make up is something else too. Oh hey, looks like all of them are wearing a ton of make up. Oh my! And now we see she’s really not wearing much at all! Well alrighty then. What is that around her waist anyway? And what is she saying/”singing”? Do you think there’s a enough white????? Well, looks like they saved a bunch of money since they’re basically in a studio and that’s it. And is that guy behind her wearing stirrup tights??
3. You Might Think By: The Cars
How can there be an ’80s Blog without mentioning The Cars. I mean really. So here they are. Probably my favorite song from them. We saw the lead singer in Boston while crossing the street and he is so darn tall! And I’m pretty sure he was wearing sunglasses–of course. Cool video effect in his sunglasses. Well of course there’s a woman in lingerie. And we all sleep in fake bedrooms made from green screen effects. Uh huh. And as per the usual in the ’80s we have another creepy stalker whose head pops up out of nowhere and who spies on her in a bathtub. Apparently ’80s=STALKERs. I’d be scared too if I saw those big sunglasses like that. And then the band shows up on her bath sponge?? This is too much! And then of course in her medicine cabinet. I’m scared to look in mine now. You never know who might be in there. HELP! He’s showing up everywhere! And now his huge face is in the window! And now he’s a giant?! And then he drops her? Nice guy. Geez. And she likes all the crazy things he does in the end. HMMMMM….
4. Flashdance By: Irene Cara
This is my father’s ultimate favorite song. It always has to be blasted when he listens to it. I had no choice but to love it growing up. I also surprised him by playing this song at my wedding as our “Father/Daughter” dance and he had NO IDEA. Of course, then I paid for it because he had me running all over the dance floor with him for ALL OF IT! But it was totally worth it to see the look on his face. Oh and then there’s the movie. I remember being so inspired by it. This woman was GOING FOR IT!!!! She rocked! And yes I did want to dance like her but that wasn’t possible… It’s great to see shots of the movie. Think I’m gonna have to watch it soon. Brings me way back. And you know, I don’t think I really understood the meaning of the song for quite a long time and now I get it. Admit it. You’re currently moving along to the music as you watch/listen right now. OH and look at that. She got the guy in the end…I think. How sweet.
5. The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades By: Timbuk 3
I know. Again, who? Well, we all know the song if not the group name. I guess it’s a “shades” kinda list today. OK, who couldn’t help but go around in school singing this song and even putting on their cool “shades”? If you say you didn’t I don’t know that I believe you. That’s what I remember doing with my friends. We were cool like that. Our futures were so bright… What is with the donkey (is that what it is?) in what looks like the desert lugging an old TV around? Is that what’s happening? Oh now these are neat graphics for the time. And the animation too! Interesting statement about nuclear science and nuclear power I didn’t even realize…Those black and white lips are scaring me. I’m gettin’ the idea these 2 thought they were so cool. Anyone else? Nice boombox.
Gotta love the ’80s! So full of creativity! ‘Til next time!!
OMG! It has been over a week since my last Blog post. I guess I needed that break. And I’m jumpin’ back in with the ’80s because I need more fun in my life!
1. Heart of Rock n’ Roll By: Huey Lewis and the News
He is one of my all time favorites! I currently play his CD quite a bit. He helps get me going to face my day. He was one of my favorites as a kid and I learned all the words to his albums right away. They’re fun and quirky! And you gotta admit he’s a bit goofy. For the longest time when I was little I didn’t realize the first drum beats are supposed to be heartbeats, hence the first name of the song being “Heart”. Duh. Hey, I was a kid. Give me a break. He and his guys were so funny. Looks like they had lots of fun together. And there were so many words in this song and locations that I always was messing them up. Not even sure I know them all these days. Cool! The clubbers have the rockingest hair! Too silly to see them all looking stunned and out of place. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this video before. So does he think his music connects with the first rock and roll music like Elvis? HMMM…. Not so sure about that. OK they all have the same hair and it’s funny. What the heck? Old audience footage of crazy screaming girls. Hmm. Still not seeing the connection in regards to Huey and his group. Just sayin’. Love the hokey orangey/red blinking light inside his jacket. Ha! Scary eyes!
2. I Wanna Dance With Somebody By: Whitney Houston
Such a sad story and may she rest in peace. However, she sure did show some joy at least in the beginning of her career. Her energy oozed out of her music and made me want to dance with somebody too. I really liked her as a kid. I had her first album and she looked so pretty on the cover. Such a beautiful voice. And this song sure does make me wanna dance with somebody too. Got any ideas of who? Hello shoulder pads! Hello tons of makeup! So could SHE dance? Not seeing her do much of that in this video. What’s with all the different guys dancing? Is she auditioning them to see who she wants to dance with?? You know she’s not the best lip syncer in this video to her own song. Kinda funny to watch. Help! There are dressing room legs dancing! I remember I was so confused about how her hair kept changing. How could that happen? OK. Excuse me while I start dancing with somebody. Starting to bebop in my chair as I type this.
3. Separate Ways By: Journey
YES! Love this song. So powerful. I remember I thought it was so deep (still kinda do, ssshhhh, be nice). LOVED Journey when I was younger. So perfect for a confusing time as a teenager. ROCK IT! Such a great song to belt out. You gotta try it sometime. Look at those white heels walk fast. “Two, two, two”–so two? Such a weird camera angle. Why are we looking up at them? Anyone else with me here? So we’re supposed to think they’re better than us? Hmm. Not such a great style idea in my opinion. I’m sure they thought they were cool but still. Doesn’t work out right. And oh his hair. Do you think he really means all this? Should someone give him a hug? The guys singing behind him are cracking me up. The one on the right keeps singing off. Too funny. Such a big voice for such a little guy. He sure does like to sing words three times in a row a lot. And what is with the setting? Who designed this?? Whoa. She has big hair! Can we say Aquanet?!
4. Bette Davis Eyes By: Kim Carnes
So what else did she sing? Good question. BEST RASPY SINGING VOICE EVER! My memory of this song as a kid was “Who the heck is Bette Davis and why do I care?”. I chuckle to think about it. Hooray for Bette Davis! How many fans do you think it took to blow those curtains in that blank room? She’s wearing sunglasses. Ha! Oh and look at that shadow on the wall. Clever. But so boring with the black, white and grey and yet I’m sure it’s obviously connecting us to the black and white movies right? Didn’t we all go there right away? Still boring if you ask me. Horrible reflections of lights in her dark sunglasses. Ooops. Oh there are her eyes. Is it me or does she look AWKWARD and uncomfortable? Fling that blonde hair around! Weird reenactments. Can’t help it. She makes me want to clear my throat. What on earth is the drummer wearing? Such a loooong song. Goodness.
5. Still Standing By: Elton John
OK. I think we can all agree that this is so not his best song. However, you have to admit it’s VERY catchy and you can’t help but sing it a little bit. And I like to sing it and belt it out because hey, I’m still standing and it’s nice to note considering I have MS and lupus and it can be quite hard to stand. So there’s a current personal connection to this that I wanted to share. And of course he’s driving down the road in his flashy attire and there are groups of people dancing. Isn’t that what we all see all the time? It would be kinda cool if we did don’tcha think? Now that’s a lot of body paint. Cool human domino effect! Well done! Hey, that looks like Santa Monica! I want to have a piano on the sand by the ocean! Sure are lots of antics in this video. Ha! Love all the different sunglasses at the end!
Well that was tons of fun! Any ’80s memories you’d like to share? Would love to hear from ya!
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