‘Music For The Dancers’ N°107 – Vintage 80s Music Videos
Eddy Grant, Kool Moe Dee, Gino Latino, Sabrina, Village People, Madonna, Wham!, Heavy D & The Boyz, Sheila E., Monie Love, Joe Smooth, Belouis Some
They are the performers of twelve vintage dance tunes that were ranked in various charts, this week (05/52) BUT … in the EIghties 80s.
Here, they are reunited in one glorious playlist. Enjoy!
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For TWENTY FOUR more ‘Music For The Dancers’ – Vintage 80s Music Videos – week 05/52 – click here and here
AUDIO ONLY
Tracklist
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![]() 1 . Eddy Grant – Gimme Hope Jo’AnnaEddy Grant’s 1988 track “Gimme Hope Jo’anna” is a reggae anthem with a deceptively upbeat groove masking its sharp critique of apartheid in South Africa. The title, a playful reference to Johannesburg, personifies the city as a symbol of the oppressive regime, while the lyrics deliver a blunt indictment of systematic inequality and control. The song’s infectious rhythm and call-and-response style create an almost celebratory tone, yet the weight of its political defiance is unmistakable. Grant balances irreverence with striking clarity, as he calls out the complicity of power while envisioning a more just future. Banned by South Africa’s government, “Gimme Hope Jo’anna” nonetheless resonated widely, gaining traction as an informal anthem against institutionalized racism. Its success on European charts reflects the universal appeal of its message and its sly ability to pair sociopolitical unrest with a tune destined for radio rotation. Even decades later, the track feels remarkably current, a reminder of how music can challenge and energize movements for change. Featured on the 1988 album “File Under Rock”.
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![]() 2 . Kool Moe Dee – How Ya Like Me Now“How Ya Like Me Now” by Kool Moe Dee is an assertive rap statement wrapped in sharp lyricism and a charged backstory. Released in 1987, this track blends bravado with biting criticism, its target being none other than LL Cool J, a rival whose signature red Kangol hat is metaphorically flattened on the album cover. The production brings together Teddy Riley’s emerging New Jack Swing influence with funk-infused samples, most notably pulling from James Brown’s “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.” The result is a deliberate and confident rhythm that underscores Kool Moe Dee’s lyrical takedowns. This isn’t just a diss track; it’s a declaration of artistic and cultural dominance, delivered at a time when hip-hop feuds played out both on wax and in public consciousness. From its placement on VH1’s “100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop” list to the music video’s aesthetic, the song remains a time capsule of late-80s rap energy. Its chart success, edging into both U.S. and U.K. lists, speaks more to the era’s growing hunger for artistry in hip hop than to commercial dominance. The track showcases Kool Moe Dee’s finesse, calculated flows, and the cerebral approach that cements him as one of the pioneers of lyrical dexterity. Featured on the 1987 album “How Ya Like Me Now”.
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![]() 3 . Gino Latino – Welcome“Welcome” by Gino Latino operates as a quintessential snapshot of late 1980s Italian dance music, blending house rhythms with an unapologetic flair for sampling. This track finds itself borrowing elements from Duran Duran’s “Decadance (Extended Mix),” a nod to the era’s rampant experimentation with intertextuality in music. Gino Latino, the lesser-known alias of Jovanotti, ventures into dance production, privileging grooves and loops over the lyrical narratives that defined much of his later work. Somewhere between homage and reinvention, the track’s “Land of Oz Excursion Mix” extends its appeal, layering additional textures that cement its place among club favorites during its time. The music video follows the genre’s mid-revival formula—a blur of hypnotic visuals and a kinetic energy that screams ‘80s nightlife. Neither an era-defining masterpiece nor a mere derivative experiment, “Welcome” walks the fine line between legacy and disposable pop-culture artifact. What it lacks in novelty, it compensates for with the sheer audacity of its beats, firmly rooting itself in the carefree mania of vintage house. Its cultural resonance may be modest, but the track captures a specific moment when genre boundaries blurred, and the dance floor became the ultimate stage.
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![]() 4 . Sabrina – Boys – Summertime LoveReleased in May 1987, “Boys (Summertime Love)” by Sabrina epitomizes the shimmering allure of Italo disco, a genre unapologetically drenched in synthetic beats and breezy melodies. The track is an energetic burst of flirtation, its lyrics teetering between playful innocence and calculated provocation. Produced by Claudio Cecchetto, the song managed to burst through the crowded European charts, perching at No. 1 in France and Switzerland, while staking impressive top-five positions across much of Europe. Its UK Singles Chart peak at No. 3 in June 1988 confirms its cross-border appeal, though skeptics may say the track veers slightly into disposable pop territory. Of course, one cannot discuss “Boys” without its music video—an unabashed parade of summer voyeurism filmed at the Florida hotel in Jesolo, Italy. For better or worse, Sabrina splashing in a swimming pool became etched into the collective pop psyche and fueled endless discussions about censorship after the BBC slapped black bars on the video while airing it on “Top of the Pops.” While it achieved gold certifications across France, Germany, and the UK, possibly due as much to its novelty factor as its sonic qualities, opinions on its artistic merit remain sharply divided. Its subsequent remixes in 1995 and 2003 touch on nostalgia but fail to recapture the spark of its first wave of success, blending into a sea of forgettable dance tracks. The song sits somewhere between cultural artifact and guilty indulgence, its historical significance undeniable, even if its charm feels as transient as a midsummer fling. Featured on the 1987 album “Sabrina “.
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![]() 5 . Village People – Sex Over the Phone“Sex Over the Phone,” a 1985 track from Village People’s ninth album, thrives on its provocative premise and sharp Hi-NRG beat. The lyrics focus unabashedly on phone sex, blending humor with a dash of scandal, a combination that didn’t sit well with the BBC, leading to its ban from the airwaves. Ray Stephens, the group’s then-new lead singer, delivers the vocals with just enough cheekiness to match the song’s playful tone. Musically, the track leans heavily on the synthesizer-driven production typical of the mid-80s, anchored by Jacques Morali’s polished touch. The song clocks in at 4:22, with extended club edits, embracing the dancefloor audience of its time. Its reception was a mixed bag—charting modestly in the UK, Finland, and West Germany, yet finding unexpected longevity as a cult favorite, especially with its now-iconic, campy music video fueling its online revival. The album, in contrast, ventured into social commentary, addressing the emerging fears around AIDS and promoting safer practices, adding unexpected weight to its otherwise frivolous image. A song that tests the boundary between tongue-in-cheek satire and outright raunch, it remains a curious relic from an era unafraid to blur the line. Featured on the 1985 album “Sex Over the Phone”.
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![]() 6 . Madonna – HolidayMadonna’s “Holiday” is a buoyant 1983 pop anthem, radiating unapologetic optimism and carefree vibes while sidestepping any saccharine excess. Originally penned by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens-Crowder for their own band but later dismissed, the track found its rightful owner in Madonna, then an ambitious newcomer unafraid to seize an opportunity. Crafted under the aegis of John “Jellybean” Benitez at Sigma Sound Studios, the recording retained much of its demo’s DNA but added spunk through Fred Zarr’s playful piano solo and a blend of computerized claps, cowbell bursts, and a sunny sprawl of synthetic strings. Without a conventional music video, which feels like a glaring omission now, the song relied on relentless TV performances and nightclub circuits to gain traction, each appearance reinforcing the charisma of Madonna’s kinetic stage presence. The track’s elastic guitar rhythm and unshakable hook plugged itself into the charts, scaling to number 16 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and reigning triumphantly atop the Dance Club Songs chart, where its vibrant core felt most at home. The U.K. rollout twice rebooted its commercial ascent, achieving a top-five placard by 1991, showcasing its persistent appeal across eras and audiences alike. “Holiday” thrived from repetition but escaped staleness, cleverly folded into Madonna’s evolving catalogue via nearly every tour, most recently her blockbuster Celebration Tour in 2023-2024. While not without flaws—its jubilance treads precariously close to the predictable—its simplicity manages to transcend, making it an enduring slice of early ’80s pop that manages to be unmistakably Madonna and universally relatable. Whether punctuating movie soundtracks or inspiring no shortage of tributes, covers, and samples, “Holiday” lingers as a time capsule of liberation you can feel in your feet. Featured on the 1983 album “Madonna“.
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![]() 7 . Wham! – Wham Rap! [Enjoy What You Do?]“Wham Rap (Enjoy What You Do?)” is a synth-pop clash of working-class anthems and carefree rebellion, an audacious debut that doubles as a manifesto for dodging the 9-to-5 grind. With spoken verses delivered by George Michael against toe-tapping beats, the track exudes a cheeky defiance of societal norms, reveling in its celebration of living for fun rather than obligation. It’s a pulsating time capsule of 1982, popping with drum machine snaps, shimmering synths, and youthful bravado, all infused with a distinct British cheekiness that reflects the Thatcher-era struggle between ambition and burnout. Michael’s delivery alternates between playful provocation and earnest declaration, forming an ideal foil to Andrew Ridgeley’s subtle yet essential backing, their chemistry radiating a casual charm beneath the polished production gloss. The accompanying video flaunts a low-budget flair with flashy costumes, exaggerated swagger, and a blocky dance routine, perfectly encapsulating an era when image and attitude often outpaced technical refinement. Despite its initial stumble on the charts, the song’s 1983 reissue proved its lasting appeal, catching a wider audience and cementing its place as an unapologetic piece of early ‘80s pop bravado. It offers a perfect snapshot of Wham!’s beginnings: not yet the global phenomenon they would become but already brimming with the energetic irreverence that would define their meteoric rise. Featured on the 1983 album “Fantastic”.
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![]() 8 . Heavy D & The Boyz – Mr. Big Stuff“Mr. Big Stuff” by Heavy D & The Boyz reimagines Jean Knight’s 1971 classic with a hip-hop twist, keeping its swagger intact while infusing it with late ‘80s urban beats. From their debut album *Living Large,* released in 1987, this track struts its way into a space of humor, self-assured energy, and undeniable bounce. The production lineup reads like a hip-hop hall of fame: Andre Harrell, DJ Eddie F, Teddy Riley, Marley Marl, and Heavy D himself—all blending to craft a sound that’s both nostalgic and fresh for its time. While it didn’t smash charts—peaking modestly at No. 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100—it found its home in clubs and stereo systems, exuding charisma rather than chasing pop dominance. The music video, featuring Heavy D’s playful charm, adds to its appeal, underscoring the artist’s natural star power without over-reliance on gimmicks. You won’t find groundbreaking lyrical depth here, but that’s not the point; the track leans on personality, rhythm, and a touch of braggadocio. The album as a whole gained critical acclaim, even snagging a spot in *The Source*’s Top 100 Rap Albums, a testament to its lasting influence despite “Mr. Big Stuff’s” somewhat understated commercial reception. This song slides confidently into Heavy D & The Boyz’s legacy, not as an anthem of chart dominance, but as a vibrant piece of their early, genre-defining artistry. Featured on the 1987 album “Living Large”.
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![]() 9 . Sheila E. – A Love BizarreReleased in 1985, “A Love Bizarre” is a shimmering collaboration between Sheila E. and Prince that fuses funky grooves with the distinct polish of mid-’80s R&B. The track exudes an infectious swagger, driven by Sheila E.’s brisk percussion and Prince’s unmistakable presence both on guitar and backing vocals. There’s a playful give-and-take between the two artists, with their chemistry anchoring the song amid sleek production and the synthetic punctuation of the LinnDrum machine. The lyrics bask in ambiguity, blending sensuality with elliptical musings, while the melody playfully insists on dwelling in its own hypnotic loop for nine glorious minutes. Commercially, it found its groove with audiences in both the U.S. and Europe, proving funk could still cross boundaries in an era increasingly obsessed with synthesizers and drum machines. Its prominent feature in the film *Krush Groove* might explain its visual exuberance, with Sheila E.’s vibrant performance stealing the spotlight. For all its technical polish, there’s a raw charisma in the track, partly from its long jam-like structure that nods to live funk improvisation rather than settling for radio-friendly brevity. Sheila E.’s dynamic vocal delivery and percussion prowess align seamlessly with Prince’s multi-instrumentalist genius, creating a track that thrives on duality as much as harmony. Though deeply entrenched in the sonic tropes of the decade, “A Love Bizarre” lingers as an emblem of the genre-fluid creativity often missing from modern collaborations. If the song preaches anything, it’s that sometimes, the love of the bizarre is what makes it all worth revisiting decades later. Featured on the 1985 album “Romance 1600”.
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![]() 10 . Monie Love – I Can Do This“I Can Do This” presents Monie Love at the cusp of her trajectory, crafting a vibrant entry to the UK hip-hop scene. The track leans heavily on the infectious groove of The Whispers’ “And the Beat Goes On,” a choice that propels the beat-driven energy while rooting it in a familiar sonic legacy. Monie’s flow is agile yet deliberate, her lyrical cadence signaling both assurance and a hunger to claim her ground in a genre often dominated by male voices. The production feels raw, a reflection of its era but with a clarity that sets it apart from the hazy baseline of late-’80s rap. Her early affiliation with Jus Bad Productions and the guiding hand of figures like DJ Tim Westwood and Afrika Baby Bambaataa add dimension to her narrative, though it is her presence that commands attention here. The video, an unapologetic celebration of her individuality, captures her in motion, exuding a self-certainty that sidesteps arrogance. “I Can Do This” doesn’t try to revolutionize the genre but rather carves a space that feels authentically hers, the kind of soundscape that sticks. The track forecasts the range she would later showcase, offering listeners an early glimpse of a voice determined to stand distinct amidst the clamor, without compromising its core. Featured on the 1990 album “Down to Earth”.
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![]() 11 . Joe Smooth – Promised LandJoe Smooth’s “Promised Land” is the kind of track that strikes a paradoxical balance: it feels timeless, yet undeniably of its moment. Released in 1987 under DJ International Records, it carves its niche as a house classic while borrowing liberally from Motown’s golden age—a mix of futurism and reverence for the past. With Anthony Thomas lending his vocals, supported by Joe Smooth and Don Connely, the track emphasizes melody, harmony, and a lyrical overtone of hope, all while staying true to house music’s pulsating rhythm. The structure might seem conventional—verse-chorus-verse—but Smooth’s execution elevates it with subtleties like a 16-bar instrumental breakout, where piano and strings flirt with a dancefloor sensibility. The chorus relies on a strikingly simple, two-chord progression, imbuing it with an uplifting, almost hypnotic quality—its pleas for unity and a better tomorrow are both comforting and urgent. Flash forward to 1989, and the song’s relevancy is affirmed by its chart performance in the UK, bolstered by The Style Council’s cover, which managed to outpace Smooth’s original on paper but arguably lacked its depth. Unsurprisingly, its longevity has not waned; from appearing in *Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas* to making a perennial appearance on best-of deep house lists, the song remains a lodestar for the genre. By 2024, its reimagined version, helmed by Lee Foss and Smooth himself, attempts an update with a touch of disco nostalgia, but purists may argue that nothing can replicate the stripped-down vigor of its original form. “Promised Land” is powerful not for its complexity, but for its clarity—a clear articulation of a yearning for belonging, dressed in the language of house music and still speaking volumes decades later. |
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![]() 12 . Belouis Some – ImaginationReleased in 1985, “Imagination” by Belouis Some is an unabashedly provocative slice of synth-pop that manages to lodge itself in the brain despite—or perhaps because of—its brazen eccentricity. The track’s production, courtesy of Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero, layers pulsating electronic textures with a vocal delivery equal parts plaintive and theatrical. Its flirtation with the avant-garde is tethered to a driving pop sensibility, giving the song an undeniable catchiness despite its off-kilter undercurrents. Lyrically, the song meanders through abstract evocations of longing, mingling desire with an air of mystery, a formula that catapulted it into the upper tiers of the UK charts on its second release in 1986. The accompanying music video created a stir, its inclusion of nudity sparking debates about artistic boundaries in an era still flush with MTV-driven shock tactics. Despite its contentious visuals, “Imagination” resonates as a time capsule of the ’80s, reflecting the decade’s indulgence in both sonic innovation and visual extravagance. Its cultural footprint was pressed further through a 1995 remix by The Beloved, which softened its edges but failed to recreate its earlier success. Live, the song found a curious dual life, whether mixing with festival giants at Knebworth or cementing its identity as a performance staple for Some. While “Imagination” might not have rewritten the rulebook on pop, its fusion of synth-driven audacity and art-house ambition secures it a peculiar but significant corner in the annals of 1980s music. Featured on the 1985 album “Some People”.
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