Hey Y'all,
I was wondering if there was one video from the 80's that had some sort of significance for you, like helped you through a rough time, changed your views, or changed you as a person, etc..
Name the video, artist and reason why?

Ouch! Some soulsearching is needed for this.

I could say it was the first music video I ever saw because it forever changed how I pictured the music in my mind. The video was PopMuzic by M. But that is bull. I was still young enough that you somewhat could take it for granted all these cool techy things were happening.

Do They Know Its Christmas by BandAid. We had been doing Aid fundraising for sometime and that wasn't really sinking in. Remember year of the Boatpeople? Well we had one of those children live and our community and thought well he's here he's happy - can't be that bad. Shallow adolescence. :rolleyes: You saw images in the newspaper and it was surreal. However when you take your favorite musicians that can look into your soul (seemingly) and see your song they must be onto something. It made me think about myself in a global perspective, global injustice... It got me hooked on my journey to becoming a Sociologist :)

Thanks Trixter.

I'd have to go with Phil Collins "Another Day in Paradise". It was so haunting, and it made me feel sad for all of the homeless that really didn't have anywhere to go. That's when I started to volunteer down at the Mission downtown.

Do They Know It's Christmas was a very touching video. It was so great to see so many of my favorite bands and singers getting together for a good cause.

The most influential videos that changed my views on the world and myself are by the King & Queen of Pop! First off, Michael Jackson's "Man In The Mirror" made me do just that, take a look at myself and what I thought of the current situation on world famine, war, racism, etc...the videos images were very profound and stirring! I fight racism at every corner, hell HUMAN RIGHTS!! This is something I'm passionate about, white, black, gay, straight, male, female, we are all human beings first and foremost. The other video comes from someone I've admired for taking a stance in Human Rights, Madonna! The video is "Express Yourself". Self-expression, not settling for less! Everyday this message resonates inside my head. I try, though difficult at times (a lot of times :) ) to have respect for my fellow man. I have to say, I am all the better for it!

'Trixter graciously steps off of his soapbox' :)

I've always loved the video to U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name", the video that they recorded during an impromptu concert on a hotel rooftop in LA. In the video, all of these people of different races, creeds and ages and religions gather together in the street, excited at the opportunity to see one of the greatest bands in the world. It's a "real" video, and doesn't need any other adornments to liven it up.

80sTrivia: Official Stalker of DD86 & jen* :D

Modonna's
Papa Don't preach.
When that song came out I was going through the same thing. While i was telling her I was pregnagt that song was playing on the radio.

I would have to say Depeche Mode "Never let me down" That sone and video just came out at a very difficult time in my life.....and anytime I still see the video it hit's me hard.

I would say that video for me was "This Notes For You" by Neil Young. Not his best song, but the video was great. I was so into the pop world and all the glam. Here came a song making fun of all the big 80s icons and selling your songs for commercials. At the time we had Whitney Houston, Elton John, Michael Jackson and so many more selling soda. We had Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood selling beer. Like Neil said in the song "Makes you look like a joke." Just my opinion, but it changed the way I looked at 80s icons.

I'd go for Depeche Mode - but "Behind The Wheel" which is brilliant, it's shot in black and white by Anton Corbijn (who did photography for Frankie Goes to Hollywood, amongst others) and is basically simple, proof that you don't have to mime your video all the way through.

I have to go with Lou Reed's video of "New York". It was a cool vid, and it really introduced me to a great songwriter. I ain't sayin' that that particular video had an influence on me except for that fact that alot of Lou Reeds other songs did. And if it were not for that video....I would have never known who he was.

Er, Lionel Richie's - Penny Lover because I was engaged in some serious lip wrestling with an EXTREMELY special female during that video and to this DAY whenever I see it I can still smell her perfume.

Reason To Live- by KISS. More so the song itself than the video. I was going through a very hard time around the time that song came out and was contemplating suicide at age 15. That song changed my mind. Its the reason I love KISS as much as I do..:)

The videos that had the most "impact" for me in the 1980s-

1. "Mexican Radio"-Wall of Voodoo. Besides being
great song, the video followed the 'story
line'...great example of Stan Ridgway's noir-
like work. Plus,who can forget his face coming
up through the pot of beans?

2. "Saved By Zero"-The Fixx. Art versus commerce
video at a time when people were really into
grabbing cash.

3. "The Stand"-The Alarm. Simple video in a room
with the band standing in front of a white
screen with the lyrics scrawled on it(stolen
later by Love and Rockets).

4. "White Wedding"-Billy Idol putting the ring
on the bride roughly..the way I should have
with my ex wife.

5. "Overkill"-Men At Work's finest one. Being
a teenager at the time this came out, I
could relate to the alienation. Plus, the
ending shot of Colin Hay looking out at
the sunset from his roof is a classic.

6. "Sex(I'm A...)" by Berlin. Two words for this
one: Terri Nunn.

7. "Games Without Frontiers"-Peter Gabriel. Odd
visuals, children dressed up for a dinner
party, and Gabriel actually appears menacing.

8. "The One Thing"-INXS. Cheaply made,but effective. Any band that lets a cat crawl across
its banquet table is all right by me.

9. "Dancing With Myself"-Billy Idol. Just for the classic shot of the man swinging a small sledgehammer at his wife.

10."I Ran"- The video is laughably bad,which is why I love it.

I'd have to agree with several of these: Band Aid, Madonna's
Papa Don't preach


Some that really had an impact was:

Second Wind (You're only Human) by Billy Joel

Sweet Dreams are made of this by Eurythmics (First video I ever saw, and I was like wow!!!! This is strange and intriguing, I must have more. lol)





One that should have made an impression (but didn't) was:
Our love's in Jeopardy by Greg Kihn
(He ran away from his wedding - I shoulda ran away from my first wedding.) lol

ok i'm sure i have a few hundred i could come up with but for the non-novel version (lol) i'd have to say

Close my eyes forever - ozzy & lita ford - this song just always hit an emotion with me because alot of times i could really relate to the words of the song ..

I saw red - warrant - broke up with a few girlfriends while that song was still playing on the radio and on t.v...

It's not love - dokken - just the fact of mick brown playing drums on the back of a semi-trailer rolling down the street was an awesome thing in itself( being that i'm also a drummer ,and grew up listening to him play on the dokken albums ) .. last year i got the chance to meet mick brown when they were on tour and actually asked him about the making of that video. he said plainly it just rocked man '

Seventeen - winger - dated a girl that was seventeen the time that the song aired . the song fit her personality almost to a " T "

Losing my religion - R.E.M. - flet alot like loosing my cool when i was younger,but some how kept it all together...

Tears are falling - kiss - just loved the song it was and still is a great rock song

Winds of change - the scorpions - just felt totally moved by the video. i saw the scorpions live last year too and when they played this song all the lighters went up in the air ,and the arena just bellowed from the whole crowd singing the song back at the band . whooa what an experience that night was ...

great topic by the way ,

sam(otacon28)

Phil Collins "Another Day in Paradise also, It makes you think of other peoples misfortune. When I first heard that song, it made me cry. Who knows why may be something happen that day, and i was fed up? But to this day, I this song still makes me sad.

The video for Atmosphere by Joy Division because it was made after the death of Ian Curtis, and so it's been done in such a way that it's both a tribute to him, whilst at the same time it's like a farewell requiem.
Filmed in Black & White it retains the Art school ideal and design flair, that Peter Saville and the Factory label became renowned for, with a twist of well timed humour that helps prevent it being too sad a video, even though it's connected with such a sad loss.

I was 17 at the time of his death and was living in an area called Greater Manchester, which is probally why it touched me more I suppose. :(

A- Ha "Take on Me"

When I saw the video to that song, it was the first time I really listened to the lyrics of it. And it was a time of my friend's move up from college to University- they were leaving the city and there were sad goodbyes, I'd also fallen out with a dearly loved friend by then and they'd turned into ma completely different person. My life was hectic and stressful.

The video is the most beautiful and emotionally engaging piece of animation I've ever seen. It presented the search for escapism, for contemplative and relaxed life amidst rough machoism- the lyrics seemed certainly to capture that separatew paths and coming of age period that most teenagers feel- especially the line "My fears stumbling away, slowly learning that life is okay!" so it caught the mood of the time, and uplifted it a bit.

One that comes to mind right away is BILLY JOEL'S "SECOND WIND" (ONLY HUMAN )

I was going through a time in my life where ............well, let's just say that that song and the video changed alot of things.

Wow, there are alot of videos from the 80's that are significant to me, but I'd have to say "Madonna - Like A Prayer" is in my top 10. I like how the video was in your face with powerful images. Madonna rocked in my book before that, but she blew me away when I saw that video :)

Here's a few more:

George Michael - Faith: Nice Tooshie!! :mwaha:
Cyndi Lauper - True Colors: I love the song and video :)
Michael Jackson - Thriller: Need I say more!
Metallica - One: Very powerful video

The very first video I saw was Lucky Star by Madonna. I did not have MTV (we were a *no cable* family :eek:) and I watched the Friday Night Videos show every week. Man, what a video... I was hooked!

The very first video I saw was Lucky Star by Madonna. I did not have MTV (we were a *no cable* family :eek:) and I watched the Friday Night Videos show every week. Man, what a video... I was hooked!

Yeah! Where I live we had "All Hit Videos" it would be on every Saturday Night, it was awesome! :)

The very first video I saw was Lucky Star by Madonna. I did not have MTV (we were a *no cable* family :eek:) and I watched the Friday Night Videos show every week. Man, what a video... I was hooked!


Me too TeachX, we didn't get cable until like my junior year maybe? I waited up (it seemed *real* late when it came on) for Friday Night Video too. I was so excited about it. lol I guess I *still* like watching music videos, but I am more selective with what I watch.

There is a fairly recent video, from 2003, froma group called The Starting Line, and the song is called "The Best of me". If you've ever seen it, it cracks me up everytime. It's loosely based on that magical moment in Say Anything when John Cusack holds up his boom box trying to get the girl to come out.

The video for Atmosphere by Joy Division because it was made after the death of Ian Curtis, and so it's been done in such a way that it's both a tribute to him, whilst at the same time it's like a farewell requiem.
Filmed in Black & White it retains the Art school ideal and design flair, that Peter Saville and the Factory label became renowned for, with a twist of well timed humour that helps prevent it being too sad a video, even though it's connected with such a sad loss.

I was 17 at the time of his death and was living in an area called Greater Manchester, which is probally why it touched me more I suppose. :(
Blast! I saw this thread, thought 'i'll put Atmosphere', read through the posts and there it was. I agree for all the same reasons, the whole Peter Saville designed record sleeves (the cover of 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' and 'Closer' are on my living room wall. A truly great video!

18 and life by skid row(cause it was cool)

youth gone wild by skid row(cause its what it is all about)

i'll be there for you by bon jovi(cause it was played to death)

i want out by helloween(that was freakin awsome)

and def leppard video was awsome cause i was a big def lep fan

peace sells by megadeth(cause it was a big finger to the world, and you know what finger)

any iron maiden video just gets me all pumped up to go play guitar

after the rain by nelson (because it reminds me of growing up)

those are just the warm ups
i could go for days

Blast! I saw this thread, thought 'i'll put Atmosphere', read through the posts and there it was. I agree for all the same reasons, the whole Peter Saville designed record sleeves (the cover of 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' and 'Closer' are on my living room wall. A truly great video!

I've only just found this thread again but I've already mentioned you've got great taste in music, and it would appear the same is true about your taste in video's and artwork. Love will tear us apart also just happens to be my second favourite song after Atmosphere.
:clap: Respect

As I don't own a TV or Video any more I don't see many music videos either, but I do have both the Atmosphere and Love will tear us apart videos saved on my computer. :thumb:

the video for 'There Was A Time' by One to One. It made me realize that music videos don't have to be super flashy to look cool as this particular video took place in an elevator shaft

Talking Heads' "Once in a Lifetime," because I now find myself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife, and I regularly ask myself, "Well, how did I get here?"

"Stand" by R.E.M. basically it means to me keep focus in your life no matter how bumpy the road becomes.

Stick Around, Julian Lennon.
One Of His Better Songs In My Opinion.
A Recent Chapter In My Life Made Me Remeber Of That Particular Video/song.
Funny How That Works...

Can't happen here - Rainbow Loved the intensity of it.

Vital Signs - Rush Just an excellent video

Cherry Pie - Warrant If you've seen it, you needn't ask.

Talk Talk "It's my life" as a first stab as I get my head round as many as I can remember :dizzy:

Allthough I have seen a lot of vids before that, the one the really got to me first
was the 1984 video for the ULTRAVOX song, Dancing with tears in my eyes.
The video describes the emotions of two lovers just before the forthcoming
Holocaust.
It's a very vivid and sentimental video, shot during Cold War, bringing out
very strong emotions.
For the same reasons I feel very attached to HUMAN LEAGUE's Life on your own.
Notice that Dancing with tears in my eyes is the most popular ULTRAVOX song
in Greek radio stations ever (and by far).

If you want to visit a page relevant to the video
http://www.ultravox.org.uk/evgallery05.html

Allthough I have seen a lot of vids before that, the one the really got to me first
was the 1984 video for the ULTRAVOX song, Dancing with tears in my eyes.
The video describes the emotions of two lovers just before the forthcoming
Holocaust.
It's a very vivid and sentimental video, shot during Cold War, bringing out
very strong emotions.

That was a very emotional video. I sometimes feel a litle sad everytime I see it :cry:

It's weird, Ultravox had a few hits here in Canada, yet that video is the only one that I've ever seen from them :confused:

DIO ~ Rock & Roll Children

I knew how they felt when I was that age...

"Change" by Jon Waite. That song and video definitely sent me a message. I was trying to be someone I wasn't. I was surrounding myself with people who didn't care about me as a person and I pushed away the people who knew me best and loved me for the Jenny I was. I am thankful that I have true friends and family who waited patiently and forgave me.

"I Wanna Rock" - Twisted Sister

Pretty much summed it up for me. Especially the adult screaming "What do you wanna do with your life?"

The reply "I Wanna Rock!!!!!

"Change" by Jon Waite. That song and video definitely sent me a message. I was trying to be someone I wasn't. I was surrounding myself with people who didn't care about me as a person and I pushed away the people who knew me best and loved me for the Jenny I was. I am thankful that I have true friends and family who waited patiently and forgave me.

Yeah that was a great song and video. One of my favorites. :thumb:

Time After Time - Cindy Lauper - It is just such a sweet song and video. Everytime I see it, it reminds me of the people I left behind in Colombia.

True Colors - Cindy Lauper - Beautiful Video and the song is just too sweet.

This is the Time - Billy Joel - I just get to think about my ex when I hear this song. But we didn't last.

and others mention here already... ;)

Wow, there were so many. But the most influential would have to be Art of Noise`s "Beat Box" which showed all the cool punk rockers hanging out in London. It blew me away and made me realise there was an exciting world out there beyond the house where I grew up.