A still from the video for "Give" by Missing Persons
As we look back at Mirror80’s first year in the blogosphere, we’re revisiting some of our favorite posts. Today the focus is Friday Video Picks, those ’80s music videos that have captured our attention. We’ve blogged about many of them over the past year. Here are our five all-time favorites. Clicking on each song title below takes you directly to the original blog post featuring the video :
“Rip It Up” by Orange Juice
Our very first Friday Video Pick ever, “Rip It Up” is set aboard what appears to be a spaceship. But no need to worry about cabin fever! Band members also roam busy streets wearing stylish summery attire. If white pants weren’t already back in style, this video alone could resurrect them. Not to mention, lead singer Edwyn Collins delivers the lines of this piece with a vibrancy that is hard to match. Great song, great video, and a great way for us to start our Friday Video Pick series last August!
“Behind the Wheel” by Depeche Mode
This stunner directed by Anton Corbijn is a visual feast in black and white and a shining example of what happens when music video meets art film. Shot in Italy, the piece picks up where the video for “Never Let Me Down Again” left off. The car lead singer David Gahan drove in the afore-mentioned video is in need of a tow, leaving the lead singer with no mode of transportation. Luckily, a scooter-driving beauty is soon on the scene, and the video begins to unfold.
“Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush
Because they don’t make music videos like this anymore! Kate Bush is a woman of many talents, and singing is just one of them. In this avant-garde piece, she showcases her dancing as well as her singing. Bush and fellow dancer Michael Hervieu wear Japanese hakamas and let their impressive moves speak for themselves. There still manages to be room for a sequence involving a masked crowd of determined travelers sporting Bush’s outfit against the backdrop of a beam-lined hallway. See it for yourself…
“All the Things She Said” by Simple Minds
There’s just something about the flow of this video that perfectly syncs with the progress of the song. Polish filmmaker Zbigniew Rybczyński directs the piece, layering image after image until the screen is filled with multiple versions of each performer. From singer Jim Kerr’s exuberance to guitarist Charlie Burchill’s playful grin, the essence of each band member is perfectly captured by Rybczyński’s visuals. Let’s not forget Kerr’s stellar wardrobe. And the wild birds. Video perfection at its finest.
“Give” by Missing Persons
In many ways, this is the quintessential ’80s New Wave video. The song maintains its incredible energy from start to finish, the fashion and make-up sported by all band members are flawlessly over-the-top, and the set of this video celebrates all things neon and metallic. The style is hard to beat, as is the music. A crazy-cool guitar and aluminum foil earrings are highlights you can’t miss.
Leave a Reply