Ever since the dawn of MTV and Friday Night Videos, the music video has significantly impacted musical tastes and pop culture. It might not be as extreme as when the Buggles declared that "Video Killed the Radio Star", but there is no arguing that the music video certainly could make or break a song's popularity. So this regular Flashback Video feature will serve to remember some of the music videos from the great '80s decade that made an impact on me in one way or another.
This issue we will cover "Turn to You" by The Go-Go's. This was the second single released from the band's third album, Talk Show, in June 1984. This would be the second to last single The Go-Go's released before breaking up. "Turn to You" was written by Charlotte Caffey and Jane Wiedlin and is reportedly about Caffey's one-time boyfriend, baseball player Bob Welch. The song peaked at just #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 that summer. It is not as memorable of a song as some of their other big hits, but I remember the music video just as much or more than many of those more popular hits.
The music video for "Turn to You" was co-directed by Mary Lambert and Chris Gabrin. Gabrin had worked on several music videos previously including Madness, Elvis Costello, The Cure as well as Culture Club hits "Time (Clock of the Heart)" and "Church of the Poison Mind". This was Lambert's first music video that she directed, but then she went on to direct some major hits including Madonna "Borderline", Madonna "Like a Virgin", Sheila E "The Glamorous Life", Madonna "Material Girl", Eurythmics "Would I Lie to You?", Rod Stewart "Love Touch", Janet Jackson "Nasty", Janet Jackson "Control", Sting "We'll Be Together", Madonna "La Isla Bonita", Madonna "Like a Prayer" and Bobby Brown "Rock Wit'cha" among others. She then switched over to mostly film and television after directing the 1989 film Pet Sematary.
In the video, the girls play dual gender-bending roles. On one side, they all play male band members performing a formal teen dance (possibly set in the '60s) except for drummer Gina Schock who is clearly is still a female wearing a colorful dress. Then on the other side, they all play females attending the dance again except for Schock who plays a male guest. The video features the band performing the song while the guests dance and interact.
"Turn to You" is notable for also starring a young Rob Lowe who had really just been known for 1983 films The Outsiders and Class around this time. Over the course of the video, Lowe really makes the rounds. He is first seen at the start of the video pulling out a flask and spiking the punch of Kathy Valentine. Lowe is then shown later rocking out with an air guitar before taking a smitten Belinda Carlisle off to dance. Charlotte Caffey cuts in on that dance stealing Lowe away, but is then cut in by Gina Schock dressed as a male. Lowe finds Carlisle again later, but is quickly joined by Valentine who interrupts their make-out session. In the end, Lowe drives away with Schock as the female drummer. You can watch it all transpire in the music video for "Turn to You" by The Go-Go's...
The Go-Go's released one more single, "Yes or No", after this before breaking up. It is a shame because, even though they released some solo material and Belnda Carlisle had significant solo success, I am sure there was some more great music (and music videos) to be made by the girls together back then.
Hope you enjoyed another trip back to the '80s thanks to Flashback Video!