‘Music For The Dancers’ N°334 – Vintage 80s Music Videos

1 . UB40 – Rat In Mi Kitchen

“Rat in Mi Kitchen,” a single from UB40’s 1987 album of the same name, doubles as both a lively reggae tune and a sly political critique.

Written by band member Astro, though credited collectively to the group, the track rides on an infectiously upbeat rhythm at approximately 98 beats per minute.

Ali Campbell’s distinctive vocals spearhead the arrangement, flanked by bright horn sections and a steady reggae groove that make the song undeniably catchy but deceptively simple.

Peaking at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart during its seven-week run from January 11 to February 22, 1987, the track held its ground without scaling the dizzying peaks of UB40’s bigger hits.

Its lyrics, a not-so-subtle allegory, frame the discontent with Margaret Thatcher’s government as the titular rat causing havoc, a metaphor as agile as the rhythm yet as biting as the frustration it echoes.

While its political bent lends the song depth, the straightforward delivery risks losing some of the nuance amidst its singalong appeal—a critique as relevant now as it was then.

The accompanying music video brings a dose of chaotic charm, featuring live rats, a chef teetering on the edge, and the band performing in a cluttered kitchen—a modest production that mirrors the song’s scrappy yet vibrant energy.

As a staple of UB40’s live performances, “Rat in Mi Kitchen” continues to engage audiences across generations, melding accessible melodies with a pointed message.

Though it may not reach the heights of their most celebrated work, it’s a solid piece of reggae with an irreverent edge, embodying UB40’s knack for combining the personal with the political.

Featured on the 1986 album “Rat in the Kitchen”.

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

2 . Shakatak – Easier Said Than Done

“Easier Said Than Done,” released in 1981, finds Shakatak in the early days of their career, crafting a musical identity that thrives on ensemble vocals and jazz-funk precision. While this single doesn’t manage the UK Singles Chart top 10, its 17-week stay indicates a quiet resilience, the kind that nudges its way into a listener’s mind without fanfare.

The track’s refusal to spotlight a lead singer is both its charm and its limitation. The unison vocal approach introduces a textured, collective atmosphere, but it sidesteps the emotional immediacy a single voice can deliver. What you get instead is a sonic egalitarianism—a calculated decision that suits jazz-funk’s tightly woven aesthetic but mutes what could have been a deeper narrative pull.

The band’s original lineup—Bill Sharpe, Nigel Wright, Roger Odell, and Keith Winter—operates with the efficiency of craftsmen. The groove is undeniable, carving a space for Shakatak in a genre prone to overindulgence. Yet, the track feels more like the foundation of an idea than its full realization. Its significance lies in its potential, a prologue to the chart relevance they’d find with later works like “Night Birds” and “Down on the Street.”

As a marker of evolution, “Easier Said Than Done” is pivotal without being particularly daring. It doesn’t push boundaries but opens a door for Shakatak’s longevity, a four-decade career partly sustained by their consistent output on JVC Records and steady following abroad, particularly in Japan. For a debut chart entry, it’s an understated success—a practical introduction that hints at greater things to come.

Featured on the 1982 album “Night Birds”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

3 . Mai Tai – Female Intuition

“Female Intuition,” a 1986 single by the Dutch girl group Mai Tai, exhibits a sleek blend of chart-friendly pop sensibilities and danceable grooves that defined much of their music from this period.

Produced and arranged by the group’s founders, Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma, the track encapsulates a polished studio precision reflective of the duo’s meticulous craftsmanship while giving the three vocalists—Jetty Weels, Mildred Douglas, and Caroline de Windt—a glossy platform to glide over.

Released as part of their second album “1 Touch 2 Much,” the song achieved respectable chart positions, reaching number 12 in the Dutch Top 40 and climbing to number 15 in Belgium. Its U.S. peak at number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 highlights a moderate international crossover without quite cracking the higher tiers of global pop dominance.

The song’s distribution across various formats, each paired with different B-sides—including “You Control Me” stateside and a “Compressed Dancehall Remix” elsewhere—hints at an attempt to appeal to varying regional audiences with mixed results. While undeniably catchy, the track doesn’t stray far from the formulaic, nor does it fully capture the effervescence that propelled prior Mai Tai hits like “History.”

Still, its inclusion on compilation albums such as “The Very Best of Mai Tai” suggests that “Female Intuition” remains a notable entry in their discography, even if it doesn’t stand as their most distinctive or enduring work.

Featured on the 1986 album “1 Touch 2 Much”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Wikipedia

4 . Christopher Cross – All Right

“All Right,” Christopher Cross’s 1983 single from his album “Another Page,” strolls confidently into the smooth pop terrain that was his hallmark, offering both polish and precision but stopping short of stirring the soul.

Opening with Michael Omartian’s sparkling keyboards and Jeff Porcaro’s rippling drums, the track manages to encapsulate the pristine studio production of the era. The presence of Michael McDonald’s background vocals adds a layer of warmth, though his contributions feel predictable rather than revelatory. Steve Lukather’s electric guitar solo delivers an edge, albeit one that feels almost too calculated to truly ignite the song’s mid-tempo groove.

Chart positions—#12 on the Billboard Hot 100, #3 on the US Adult Contemporary chart—suggest its blend of accessibility and craftsmanship resonated with a wide audience. Its international appeal, charting as high as #4 in Spain and #5 in Norway and Switzerland, acknowledges its melodic charm, even as it lacks the emotional depth of Cross’s signature hits like “Sailing.”

Historically, “All Right” finds a niche through unexpected associations, such as featuring in CBS Sports’ montage for the legendary 1983 NCAA basketball championship. Yet its use in NBA blooper reels and an Apple conference decades later does more to underline its functional cheerfulness than its cultural heft.

The chorus’ misinterpretation as “Olrrait Pingüino Rodríguez” in Latin America underscores its lightweight appeal—memorable more as a catchy tune than for lyrical prowess. While Peruvian percussion heavyweights Lenny Castro and Paulinho Da Costa offer touches of finesse, the song rarely transcends its studio precision.

Ultimately, “All Right” is a competent, polished artifact of early-’80s pop, buoyed by Cross’s unmistakable vocal timbre but weighed down by a certain risk-averse predictability that leaves one marveling less at its artistry and more at its efficiency.

Featured on the 1982 album “Another Page”.

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

5 . Freeez – IOU

“IOU” by Freeez captures a pivotal moment in early 1980s music, melding electro-funk with nascent sampling techniques in a way that feels both inventive and calculated.

Recorded in the storied Unique Recording Studios in New York City under the stewardship of Arthur Baker, the song’s slick production leans heavily on the emerging technologies of the time.

The Roland TR-808 drum machine anchors the track with its now-iconic beats, while the Micromoog-derived bassline injects a pulsing energy. Yet, it’s the sampled vocal “solo,” introduced via the E-mu Emulator and suggested by Jellybean Benitez, that gives the track its defining edge—despite risking a lapse into gimmickry.

The chorus, devised by Baker during an otherwise mundane cab ride through New York, boasts a hook that’s undeniably catchy, but perhaps too polished for its own good, lacking the raw spontaneity often associated with the genre.

The track received a final sheen at EARS studio in New Jersey, where Benitez’s contributions as both DJ and producer exemplify the increasing influence of club culture on mainstream hits.

It’s no surprise the song fared well commercially—landing at number two on the UK Singles Chart and dominating Billboard’s Dance/Disco Top 80—but its appeal seems tethered to its era.

Freeez’s frontman, John Rocca, adds a touch of improvisation with his ad-libs, reportedly recorded right before a transatlantic flight, though these flourishes feel somewhat overshadowed by the meticulous engineering.

Its inclusion in the “Beat Street” soundtrack further cements its cultural moment, yet its meticulousness occasionally undermines the visceral energy one expects from such a genre.

While “IOU” clearly embodies its time, its reliance on cutting-edge tools and meticulous studio work inadvertently betrays a slight sterility amid its undeniable craftsmanship.

Featured on the 1983 album “Gonna Get You”.

Review >> More by the same : Wikipedia

6 . Boom Boom Room – Here Comes The Man

“Here Comes the Man” by Boom Boom Room emerges as a brief yet intriguing blip on the mid-’80s musical radar.

Released under the Fun After All label (catalogue number FUN101), this single encapsulates the band’s fleeting presence in popular culture, notably peaking at an impressive number 8 on the South African singles chart in August 1986. While its reception in the Netherlands was limited to a tipparade entry, its brief flirtation with the UK Official Singles Chart saw it peaking at a modest number 74 across two separate chart runs: February 15 to March 15 and later from September 13 to September 27 of the same year.

The song’s modest success underscores the enigmatic nature of Boom Boom Room—a band shrouded in obscurity, with little documentation to trace its artistic trajectory or broader influence. Their record here is emblematic of an era when ephemeral hits could momentarily punctuate the airwaves before fading into obscurity.

While lyrically or musically unexamined here, what lingers is the structural reality of “Here Comes the Man”—a success confined to geographic and temporal pockets without enduring cultural imprint. Boom Boom Room remains uncharted territory outside this fleeting moment, further amplifying the ephemeral mystique surrounding the single’s brief life on the charts.

Featured on the 1987 album “Stretch”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Wikipedia

7 . Latin Quarter – Toulouse

“Toulouse” by Latin Quarter, featured on their 1985 debut album “Modern Times,” is a sharp and quietly poignant critique of industrialization and racial tensions in France.

The song juxtaposes the vibrant essence of North African markets with the repetitive drudgery of car factory work in Toulouse, creating a vivid dichotomy of human energy versus mechanical monotony.

Lyrically, Steve Skaith and Mike Jones—whose background as a history professor undeniably informs the song’s depth—convey alienation as both a personal and collective condition.

Lines detailing the “low pay and invisible emotional scars” of factory labor capture a systemic despair spiked by technology, particularly the emerging dominance of CNC-controlled robots, which leaves workers as shadows in their own industrial landscapes.

Musically, the song employs a blend of rock and new wave elements typical of “Modern Times,” reinforcing its narrative of change and dislocation.

The album critiques broader socio-political ills, from McCarthyism to imperialism, making “Toulouse” both a standalone statement and a piece in a larger mosaic of commentary.

While the album saw moderate chart success—top 20 in Germany and Sweden, and a less notable peak of Number 91 in the UK—”Toulouse” as a single does not carry the distinction of charting, a testament perhaps to its subtle, introspective nature rather than broad commercial appeal.

Latin Quarter’s affiliation with the left-wing political group Big Flame further grounds the song in an activist ethos, though the track never veers into didacticism.

Instead, it illustrates critique through contrast, presenting industrial France not as a villain but as an estranged entity, burdened by its own mechanized progress.

Featured on the 1985 album “Modern Times”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

8 . Simply Red – The Right Thing

“The Right Thing,” Simply Red’s lead single from their 1987 album “Men and Women,” doesn’t bother dressing itself in pretense. Mick Hucknall’s songwriting leans into blue-eyed soul and funk influences, a notable departure from the band’s debut, and the result lands with varying degrees of conviction.

Alex Sadkin’s production all but drenches the track in polish, ensuring every layer—Hucknall’s impassioned vocals, the slick rhythm section, and the punchy brass—melds into a sound both accessible and unmistakably late ‘80s. While the groove is undeniable, its calculated sheen can feel like a double-edged sword, evoking a cool detachment even as it insists otherwise.

Commercially, “The Right Thing” performed respectably, securing a spot at #11 on the UK Singles Chart and a modest #27 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its reach extended globally, cracking the top 20 in Australia (#17) and New Zealand (#9) and reaching #4 in both Belgium and the Netherlands. Those numbers suggest its palpable appeal, even if it occasionally sounds like it’s pandering more to trend than inspiration.

The Andy Morahan-directed music video, much like the song itself, leans heavily on a finely-tuned aesthetic but adds little to elevate the material. As for critical reception, dismissive commentary from *Smash Hits*’ Wayne Hussey casts the track as divisive at best, though its staying power within the band’s discography tells a different story.

Historically, the song marks Simply Red’s pivot into a more soul and funk-oriented identity. Hucknall, the last remaining original member at the time of the band’s 2010 hiatus, would continue steering this vision. Whether “The Right Thing” represents evolution or a calculated move toward broader commercial viability depends largely on your tolerance for its crisp, if slightly detached, delivery.

Featured on the 1987 album “Men and Women”.

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

9 . Elvis Costello & The Attractions – I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down

“I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down,” as reimagined by Elvis Costello & The Attractions for their 1980 album “Get Happy!!,” is equal parts homage and reinvention.

Originally a slow-burning ballad from Sam & Dave’s 1967 catalog, the song sheds its soulful intimacy in favor of a brisk Northern soul cadence under Costello’s direction.

Nick Lowe’s production amplifies this transformation, crafting a sound that’s lean, urgent, and undeniably danceable, even as the lyrics echo the emotional weight of the original.

The tempo shift feels less like a covers experiment and more like an intentional pivot, Costello translating raw heartbreak into the language of frenetic, sweat-drenched movement.

Released as a single on F-Beat Records after its thwarted 2 Tone debut, the track saw Costello hit number four on the UK Singles Chart, its energetic appeal sustaining an eight-week run.

In Ireland, it landed at number 14, marking its cross-border resonance.

The promotional rollout leaned into the playful dichotomy of the title, whether through a music video showing Costello’s awkward attempts at Motown-esque choreography or a “Top of the Pops” performance where he’s literally hoisted aloft on wires.

Such antics underline the song’s tonal paradox: a lament crammed into joyous motion.

This juxtaposition isn’t seamless.

Some might argue that the tear-stained core of the original gets obscured in Costello’s rush toward frantic catharsis, though his comedic delivery suggests he’s well aware of this tension.

Paired with “Girls Talk” as its B-side—a song Costello had handed to Dave Edmunds—the single showcases his knack for genre-blending, albeit with heightened detachment.

It’s a fascinating case study in adaptation but leaves open the debate of what is gained and what is left behind in the process.

Featured on the 1980 album “Get Happy!!“.

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

10 . Blondie – Call Me

“Call Me” by Blondie captures the frenetic glamour of its “American Gigolo” origins with an unrelenting swagger that stands as both its strength and its flaw.

Co-written by Debbie Harry and Giorgio Moroder—a pairing as quintessentially ’80s as shoulder pads and synths—the track marries throbbing instrumentation with Harry’s steely yet magnetic delivery.

The lyrics, dashed off in a matter of hours, draw from Harry’s impressionistic read of the film’s California coastal visuals, translating them into a high-octane anthem steeped in late-night decadence.

Released in February 1980, its meteoric chart dominance is undeniable, reigning for six consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and claiming the crown as the top-selling single of that year in the U.S., with similar glory in the UK and Canada.

Yet, the song’s success exists in tension with Blondie’s own internal combustibility; conceived during an era of band tumult, even Moroder’s deft production couldn’t smooth the group’s volatility long enough for a full-album collaboration.

Still, “Call Me” endures, ranking 57th on Billboard’s All Time Top 100—a testament not to innovation, but to the razor-sharp alignment of its cinematic origins with Blondie’s new wave sensibility.

Much like “Parallel Lines” or “Eat to the Beat” before it, this single oscillates between stylistic precision and overconfident gloss, its infectiousness difficult to disentangle from its calculated veneer.

Featured on the 1980 album “American Gigolo : Soundtrack”.

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

11 . Matt Bianco – Get Out Of Your Lazy Bed

Matt Bianco’s “Get Out of Your Lazy Bed” unfolds like a caffeine hit for the ears, a brisk wake-up call wrapped in a cocktail of sophisti-pop, jazz-funk, and Latin flair.

Off their 1984 debut album “Whose Side Are You On?,” this single is both infectious and purpose-built for motion, its perky rhythm daring you to stay seated.

Mark Reilly’s vocals balance urgency with a playfulness that matches the track’s lyrical prodding, while Danny White’s keyboard work keeps the tune striding along briskly, refusing to waver in its pep.

Production by Peter Collins ensures the track leans clean and accessible, its polish preventing it from ever feeling too fussy or dense.

Chart performance suggests listeners bought into its energetic charm—it peaked at a respectable number 15 on the UK Singles Chart and scaled lofty positions elsewhere, including number 2 in Norway.

The accompanying music video, with its stark black-and-white chequered floor and minimalist staging, feels like an efficient visual metaphor for the track’s punchy simplicity.

Used later as the theme tune for New Zealand’s children’s show “What Now,” the song carries a certain kitschy universality, proving that its upbeat call to action resonates well beyond its original era.

Though undeniably buoyant, some may find the track teetering on the edge of breezy repetition, its relentless cheerfulness flirting with the danger of wearing thin over time.

Nonetheless, “Get Out of Your Lazy Bed” functions as an emblem of Matt Bianco’s knack for crafting effervescent pop that’s ready to twirl across both radios and dance floors worldwide.

Featured on the 1984 album “Whose Side Are You On?”.

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

12 . Five Star – Stay Out Of My Life

“Stay Out of My Life” by Five Star showcases an intriguing snapshot of late-1980s British pop ambition, blending angsty lyrical pleas with a backdrop of polished R&B gloss.

Written by Denise Pearson, the group’s lead vocalist and primary creative force, the song sits comfortably within the shimmering framework of the group’s “Silk and Steel” era, which dominated the charts alongside their 1987 Brit Award for Best British Group win.

Charting at number nine on the UK Singles Chart, it offers a rhythmic predictability that, while emblematic of Five Star’s sound, borders on overstayed exuberance. Its structure—tight and carefully layered—leans more on professional sheen than raw inventiveness, echoing their Jackson 5-inspired lineage under the calculated management of Buster Pearson.

What’s most striking about the track isn’t its lyrical depth—whose titular declaration feels more like a stagey rebuttal than genuine emotional resonance—but the sheer polish of the production. Each synth pulse and vocal harmony feels built to reinforce their RCA-backed dominance rather than break new ground.

While compelling in its broad-pop appeal, “Stay Out of My Life” risks sounding like a brightest-moment leftover from the international success of “Luxury of Life” and prior singles. It’s a perfectly competent slice of choreographed angst, though its larger impact feels more like a testament to Five Star’s temporary ubiquity than a standalone artistic statement worth revisiting.

Featured on the 1986 album “Silk & Steel”.

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