Blast from the Past: Classic MTV Videos, Part II

Last week, after MTV's Video Music Awards, I noted that there was a time when MTV actually played music, and that they really set the tone for pop culture in the 1980s.  Not a profound thought, I know. But those videos were a lot of fun. I said at the time that the post probably deserved a sequel, so here you go. . .








1. "Strip" by Adam Ant - Punk rock and "new wave" became mainstream by the time of the MTV generation, and by the time this song came out, even Adam Ant was too. He was still something of a rebel, but not by much.
2. "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John - There was a time when the world still didn't know that Elton John was gay. This video should have given them a clue.
3. "Hurts so Good" by John Cougar - I love I remember being surprised that John Cougar (later Mellencamp) had an earring. Wow, things have changed a lot since 1982.
4. "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top - ZZ Top had always been more a staple of AOR, but in the 80s, even they got in on the video music craze.
5. "You Might Think" by The Cars - The Cars was another group that pre-dated MTV, but they made the transition well, logging several video hits. This one was always a favorite.
6. "Open Your Heart" by Madonna- As a long-time Madonna fan, I even shocked myself for leaving her out of my first batch. Here's one of her best videos.
7. "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell - I used a Michael Jackson video in Part I, and he makes a minor (background vocals) appearance here, in a novelty hit by one-hit-wonder, Rockwell.
8. "Crazy in the Night" by Kim Carnes - The really big 80s hit for Kim Carnes was of course Bette Davis Eyes. But it was overplayed so much back then, I'm still sick of it. The Rockwell song reminded me of this Carnes hit, one I always liked better anyway.

That's it for Part II.  I'll take a break for next week's Blast from the Past, but I may revisit it again with a Part III.  There are a whole lot more great 80s tunes, and still lots of stars I've left out.  Happy Monday!