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 "Wrap It Up" by The Fabulous Thunderbirds. This was the second single released from their 1986 album Tuff Enuff. It became the band's second mainstream hit after the album's title track made it all the way to #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Wrap It Up" only surprisingly peaked at #50, but I do remember it receiving quite a bit of radio airplay in addition to the music video being in heavy rotation on MTV that summer.
The music video for "Wrap It Up" was directed by D.J. Webster who had previously done videos for hit songs Til Tuseday "Voices Carry" and Miami Sound Machine "Bad Boy" as well as working with Stevie Ray Vaughan's band Double Trouble as well as The Alan Parsons Project in the '80s. He went on to direct the 1990 film Dark Side of the Moon and then several of Amy Grant's early '90s music videos in addition to En Vogue "Don't Go".
In the music video for "Wrap It Up", lead singer Kim Wilson and the band perform at a high-class party with scenes of them by a backyard pool, in front of classic cars, at a food truck and inside the mansion as they try to impress the wealthy, sexy women at the party. Here is the music video for "Wrap It Up" by The Fabulous Thunderbirds...
As I said, I remember hearing "Tuff Enuff" and "Wrap It Up" fairly regularly that summer of 1986. I am glad the band had some commercial success in the mid-80s. I remember seeing them in concert shortly after this and The Fabulous Thunderbirds were a great live band to see as well.
Hope you enjoyed another trip back to the '80s thanks to Flashback Video!