‘Look Ma, No Mike!’ N°9 – Vintage 80s Music Videos

1 . John Mellencamp – Hand To Hold On To

John Mellencamp’s “Hand to Hold On To,” a track from his chart-topping 1982 album *American Fool*, captures the raw essence of heartland rock with a lyrical focus on the universal human need for connection.

The song channels Mellencamp’s signature raspy vocals and earthy melodies, wrapping its themes in a no-frills guitar-driven arrangement that feels as straightforward as it is affecting.

Charting at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, the track garnered moderate international attention, though it never quite approached the ubiquity of album-mates like “Hurts So Good” or “Jack & Diane.”

What sets “Hand to Hold On To” apart is its understated appeal—its lyrics are neither overly sentimental nor excessively poetic, yet they resonate with a quiet honesty that complements Mellencamp’s growing self-assurance during this era.

This was the moment he began shedding his “Cougar” moniker and embracing his identity as an artist rooted in Midwestern working-class authenticity, rather than affected rock theatrics.

The production, helmed by Mellencamp and Don Gehman, keeps its focus on simplicity, a choice that underscores its thematic sincerity without veering into indulgence.

While the track lacks an iconic music video or flashy accolades, its charm lies in its unpretentious, everyman quality—a quiet nod to the power of the ordinary moments in life.

Featured on the 1982 album “American Fool”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

2 . Then Jerico – Let Her Fall

“Let Her Fall” by Then Jerico emerges from the fringes of 1987’s pop-rock scene, marked by a blend of new wave melancholia and strident rock energy.

Delving into themes of heartbreak and liberation, the track treads the fine line between emotional fragility and defiant resilience, a signature of the band’s early work.

It anchors itself in soaring guitar lines and frontman Mark Shaw’s emotive delivery, a voice seemingly caught between yearning and release.

As a prelude to their later commercial success with “The Big Area,” this single captures a band still refining its sonic identity while leaning into the dramatic tendencies of the era’s production.

The accompanying music video—moodily shot and steeped in neon-lit artistry—further underscores its plaintive narrative, though its cinematic ambitions occasionally verge on overwrought melodrama.

Charting at a modest 65 on the UK Singles Chart, its lukewarm reception might suggest the track lacked immediate impact, but hindsight reveals it as a stepping stone in the band’s discography, offering glimpses of the cultural current they sought to ride.

While “Let Her Fall” may not stand as their most enduring work, it encapsulates the tension of a group striving for pop-rock relevance against the backdrop of a crowded late-’80s music landscape.

Featured on the 1987 album “First (The Sound of Music)”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

3 . New Musik – Living By Numbers

“Living by Numbers” by New Musik encapsulates the uneasy marriage of technology and humanity in the early 1980s, offering a synth-pop anthem with a backbone of existential cynicism.

The track reflects a growing unease with a society increasingly obsessed with data and dehumanization, hammering its point home through the recurring refrain, “They don’t want your name, just your number.”

Released as part of “From A to B,” the song’s sonic construction leans heavily on crisp synths and calculated repetition, an ironic nod to the mechanized world it critiques.

Its accompanying music video, drenched in futuristic minimalism, firmly situates the track within the broader cultural moment, where technology started to invade both workspaces and living rooms.

It’s no coincidence that Casio found a marketing match with the song, plastering it across ads for digital calculators and reinforcing its identity as a time capsule of computerized hope and dread.

Despite its commentary on conformity, the track surges with infectious energy, delivering its weighty message via a melody that’s impossible to ignore.

The infinite loop at the track’s end is not a mere novelty; it’s a harrowing metaphor for the cyclical monotony of modernity, later borrowed by bands like Heaven 17.

Performed on “Top of the Pops” during the crest of its popularity, the song cemented its place in the British pop lexicon, both as a charting success and as a cultural critique too clever to be fully swallowed by its bouncy surface.

Featured on the 1980 album “From A to B “.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

4 . Red Box – Heart Of The Sun

Released in January 1987, “Heart Of The Sun” by Red Box stands as an intriguing artifact of mid-’80s art-pop, nestled within their album “The Circle and the Square.”

The track fuses an accordion lead with a rich choral arrangement, a peculiar yet charming combination. Among the voices is Anthony Head, years before his turn as the Watcher in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

While its predecessors, “Lean on Me (Ah-Li-Ayo)” and “For America,” enjoyed broader acclaim, this single peaked at a modest No. 71 in the UK and remained chart-bound for all of three weeks. A commercial underperformer perhaps, but still a piece of work with creative layers worthy of closer attention.

The production is ambitious, rife with melodic ambition and rhythmic precision, reflecting themes that teeter on love and spirituality. Unfortunately, it arrived amid growing tensions with WEA/Sire, whose push for a more Americanized sound seemingly clashed with the band’s identity.

A limited-edition release included their hit “For America,” and the band made promotional rounds, yet the song never quite found the traction to break through. A shame, as its visual-accompaniment video was artistic in its own right, amplifying the track’s uplifting mood with a careful balance of charm and cinematic flair.

Featured on the 1986 album “The Circle & the Square”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

5 . Hugh Cornwell – Facts + Figures

Hugh Cornwell’s “Facts and Figures” feels like stepping into a minimalist noir film backed by a late ’70s synthesizer score.

The track sees Cornwell navigating themes of observation and modern detachment, a natural evolution for someone who once led The Stranglers through their punk-infused, cerebral soundscapes.

While the lyrics might seem clinical, bordering on aloof, they hint at the disconnection of an era enamored with progress yet steeped in isolation.

The arrangement is sparse but deliberate, with a pulsing bassline that sets the stage for Cornwell’s wry vocals, suggesting an artist more interested in dissecting than embellishing.

The accompanying video, stark in its simplicity, accentuates the song’s introspective nature, sticking to a less-is-more aesthetic without veering into gimmickry.

No flashy cuts or forced narratives here—just enough visual tension to match the song’s measured tempo.

Contextually, it’s a piece reflective of post-punk’s pivot towards the intellectual, where raw energy gave way to a more calculated, albeit cynical, storytelling.

If there’s a critique, it’s that the track might leave some listeners yearning for a climactic payoff that never quite arrives, another nod to Cornwell’s subversion of standard expectations.

Ultimately, “Facts and Figures” doesn’t aim to be anthemic but succeeds in quietly threading the needle between wit and melancholy, offering a glimpse of what happens when punk’s sardonic edge matures into something more observational.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

6 . Philip Lynott – King’s Call (w/ Mark Knopfler)

“King’s Call” by Philip Lynott, bolstered by Mark Knopfler’s distinct touch, is both a lament and an homage wrapped in a package of subdued melancholy.

Emerging from “Solo in Soho,” Lynott’s attempt at a solo foothold, the song feels distinctly personal, a wistful nod to Elvis Presley that shapes the emotional core of the record.

Knopfler’s minimalist guitar lines weave through Lynott’s reflective vocal delivery, adding to the track’s hazy, almost conversational tone, rather than trying to make it a grandiose affair.

Thematically drenched in nostalgia, the lyrics recount moments tied to the King of Rock and Roll but resist veering into overt sentimentalism.

Musically, its arrangement leans into a laid-back groove, a stark departure from Lynott’s Thin Lizzy-era bravado, embracing subtler instrumentation and quieter dynamics.

While the song did not carve out a lasting commercial footprint, its unperturbed nature and subdued collaboration remain endearing quirks in Lynott’s catalog.

Featured on the 1980 album “Solo in Soho”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

7 . Van Halen – Jump

“Jump,” an energetic and infectious anthem from Van Halen’s album “1984,” brings together magnetism and contradictions in a way that only the gods of arena rock could muster.

Propelled by Eddie Van Halen’s shimmering keyboard riff, a bold departure from the band’s guitar-heavy signature, the track manages to sneak a fist-pumping optimism into what is, bizarrely, a song inspired by a man contemplating a leap from a building.

The lyrics, crafted by David Lee Roth, serve up a glib directive to “go ahead and jump,” blending insensitivity with a cheeky playfulness that only Roth could pull off without alienating the listener.

Recorded in their self-built 5150 Studios, the song reveals Eddie’s obsession with experimentation, layering Oberheim OBX-A synthesizers over a spliced-together guitar solo so clean it almost feels like a digital fabrication.

It’s dazzling, it’s irreverent, and it unapologetically screams 1984 in every blaring note.

The track’s chart-topping success—five weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100—cemented its place as Van Halen’s biggest hit, though its playful synth-heavy direction irked purist fans hoping for more guitar heroics.

Then there’s the music video: equal parts absurdity and charisma, showcasing Diamond Dave’s wild kicks and ego on the loose, while the rest of the band exudes a too-cool-to-care aura that launched infinite karaoke sing-alongs in barrooms worldwide.

And yet, despite its almost-jokey tone, “Jump” solidified the band’s ability to push boundaries and deliver a hard rock song that doesn’t actually feel hard—or even rock in the traditional sense.

Eddie even recycled the ending riff during the 1983 Us Festival, slyly teasing it as a closing act for “Dance the Night Away,” proving his music-minded genius was always one step ahead.

The song’s enduring placement on lists like Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” reflects its staying power, even if it leaves you wondering: Is this brilliance, audacity, or just a fluke congealed in the perfect cultural moment?

Featured on the 1983 album “1984 “.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

8 . Private Lives – Living In A World [Turned Upside Down]

“Living In A World (Turned Upside Down)” by Private Lives encapsulates a slice of the 1980s, wrapped in synth-heavy melodies and an unmistakably glossy production style.

Released in 1984, the track captures the era’s penchant for brooding introspection masked by a deceptively catchy rhythm.

The drum patterns hit with a bold but processed crispness, a hallmark of studio aesthetics from the time, while its lyrics reflect disarray and upheaval, themes universally resonant and yet very much tethered to the cheeky self-seriousness of its decade.

Despite charting modestly at No. 53 on the UK Top 75, the song holds a curious charm as a product of its time, lacking the larger-than-life persona that often defines the more enduring ‘80s hits.

The accompanying video leans into urban imagery, but its unpolished energy betrays an artistic ambition that may have surpassed its resources.

Private Lives toured with Big Country but admitted their sonic identity—a smoother, synth-pop-driven narrative—clashed with the headliner’s rugged riffs, further underlining their perennial place as a somewhat mismatched outfit in a shifting musical landscape.

If nothing else, the track serves as a time capsule, marking a fleeting, if understated, moment in British pop history. Influential? Hardly. Intriguing? Absolutely.

Featured on the 1984 album “Prejudice And Pride”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Wikipedia

9 . Edie Brickell & New Bohemians – What I Am

“What I Am” by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians emerges from the late ‘80s as a curious blend of folk-rock introspection and breezy nonchalance.

Released in 1988 as part of the album “Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars,” it rides a distinct wave of mellow grooves underscored by a fretless bass and a quirky guitar solo processed through an envelope filter.

Its laid-back vibe might tempt you to dismiss it as an exercise in chill, but Brickell’s lyrics carry a subtle irritation with rigid ideologies, a direct nod to her college world religions class.

The song resists easy categorization, holding a mirror up to broad philosophical questions without trying too hard to impress.

Clever but never pretentious, it sidesteps overproduction, planting itself firmly in simplicity.

Despite its unassuming structure and relaxed cadence, it punched above its weight, earning a top-10 Billboard spot, dominating Canada, and nestling snugly into Australian and New Zealand charts.

It’s the kind of track praised for its casual profundity yet doesn’t shout about its significance.

Apart from Tin Tin Out and Emma Bunton’s 1999 cover—a polished but hollow rendition—it hasn’t aged badly, maintaining the casually rebellious spirit of its era.

Whether it truly qualifies as a “one-hit wonder” probably depends on how you define relevance.

In its original form, the song’s deceptively loose energy disguises sharp songwriting that has just enough depth to stick with you without trying too hard to linger.

Featured on the 1988 album “Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

10 . The Bolshoi – Away

“Away” by The Bolshoi emerges from the shadows of 1986, a brooding piece wrapped in the post-punk era’s signature mix of melancholy and defiance.

The track makes its home in the album “Friends,” its November 21 release marking a moment when the band leaned into Trevor Tanner’s introspective lyricism.

The song’s themes orbit around desire and detachment, its verses brimming with a quiet desperation that walks the line between yearning and acceptance.

Instrumentation swirls with dynamic intensity, the interplay of Tanner’s impassioned guitar work and Paul Clark’s ethereal keyboards giving the track a powerful emotional undertow.

Meanwhile, Nick Chown’s bass anchors the song while Jan Kalicki’s drumming infuses precision into an otherwise psychedelic haze.

Neither chart-topping nor a radio darling, “Away” rides on its palpable mood, building a niche recognition among darkwave enthusiasts and post-punk purists.

The accompanying music video mirrors the song’s inner world: stark visuals, dim lighting, and a sense of static unease, all in sync with the track’s introspection.

With no obvious commercial sheen, it’s less a mass-market product and more a reflection of its time—a moody snapshot of the gothic rock-meets-post-punk hybrid soundscape.

The Bolshoi, with their understated theatricality, crafted “Away” not to be a loud anthem, but an understated echo of the alienation defining much of the decade’s underground music scene.

Featured on the 1986 album “Friends”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Facebook

11 . The Daintees – Trouble Town (w/ Martin Stephenson)

For a track that hails from the mid-’80s folk-rock scene, Martin Stephenson and the Daintees’ “Trouble Town” manages to be both earnest and unassuming.

The song, lifted from their 1984 album *Boat to Bolivia*, offers a contemplative look at struggle and resilience that feels refreshingly unvarnished.

There’s no excess here—no towering anthemic crescendos or self-important sermonizing—but rather a subtle marriage of heartfelt lyrics and breezy instrumentation.

The production, like its accompanying low-budget video, embraces simplicity, wisely pushing raw storytelling to the forefront.

By the time it brushed the UK Singles Chart at number 74, the song had already positioned itself as a quiet emblem of the era’s underdog ethos.

Though accolades and TV appearances don’t pad its résumé, “Trouble Town” thrives in its modest scope—blending folk warmth, rock edges, and pop accessibility with an almost casual charm.

It’s a snapshot of a time when sincerity didn’t have to roar to be heard, and for that reason, it still resonates decades later.

More by the same : Official Site

12 . Robin Gibb – Another Lonely Night In New York

Robin Gibb’s “Another Lonely Night in New York” spins a tale of wistful melancholy with an urban backdrop, delivering an introspective narrative that feels both personal and cinematic.

The song, released in 1983, bears the emotive vocal signature Gibb brought to his solo efforts, a texture that balances fragility and strength without teetering into melodrama.

Its opening bars momentarily flirt with familiarity, conjuring faint echoes of Foreigner’s “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” but the track quickly carves out a trajectory uniquely its own.

The production, helmed by Robin and Maurice Gibb, alongside the technical contributions of Dennis Bryon, imbues the arrangement with a polish typical of its era—glossy yet sincere.

Lyrically, it’s an understated meditation on solitude, shaped by the contradictions of dwelling in a crowded metropolis while feeling invisible.

Commercially modest in some territories and largely dormant in others, the song finds longevity not through metrics but via its unshakable sincerity and understated charm.

The accompanying music video mirrors the song’s thematic core, amplifying the feelings of isolation with a soft, cinematic aesthetic that avoids overwrought dramatization.

Although it never aimed for bombast, its quiet poignancy rewards attentive listeners who appreciate moments of vulnerability in an otherwise fast-moving pop landscape.

Featured on the 1983 album “How Old Are You? “.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Wikipedia