‘Vous Avez Dit Bizarre’ N°527 – Vintage 80s Videos

1 . The Specials – War Crimes

“War Crimes” by The Specials, tucked inside their 1984 album *In the Studio*, emerges as a searing reflection on the complexities of armed conflict and political fallout.

In this iteration of the band, renamed The Special AKA after significant lineup changes, songwriter Jerry Dammers anchors the track with a sharp critique of global crises, particularly events like the Lebanon War, which loomed large in the collective consciousness of the era.

The reggae-inflected rhythms drive the song’s somber narrative, blending an almost hypnotic cadence with Dammers’ incisive—and sometimes uncomfortable—lyrical observations.

Co-produced by Dammers and Elvis Costello, the track reflects a sonic shift away from the group’s earlier ska-driven identity, delving into a more experimental and introspective palette.

Though “War Crimes” didn’t ascend the charts, the broader album found some success, housing the politically charged anthem “Nelson Mandela.”

At its core, the track wrestles with the chilling normalization of violence, underscoring the unchecked toll of human suffering hidden behind headlines and political rhetoric.

It’s less a song in the traditional sense and more a statement—direct, uneasy, and unflinchingly relevant for its time.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

2 . Red Box – For America

Released in 1986, “For America” by Red Box is a sharp reflection of geopolitical discontent wrapped in an accessible pop form.

This single, penned by frontman Simon Toulson-Clarke and produced by David Motion, doesn’t shy away from addressing U.S. foreign policy during the Reagan era, all while balancing its message with a chorus that’s deceptively catchy.

The lyrics, brimming with layered critique, contrast neatly with the upbeat, world-music-inspired instrumentation that the band’s debut album, *The Circle & the Square*, leaned heavily on.

The track climbed to number 10 on the UK Singles Chart, a position supplemented largely by its visually compelling music video, which saw heavy rotation and undoubtedly aided its international chart performance.

While the production embraces a multi-layered aesthetic and eclectic percussion, the intentionality of the song’s message never feels lost, even as it blends global and pop influences effortlessly.

Thematically, “For America” stands as an engaging contradiction: hopeful yet cynical, polished yet piercingly raw in its societal observations.

It managed to resonate across Europe, though it didn’t collect any major accolades or certifications, standing instead as a bold cultural snapshot of its time.

“For America” is neither an anthem nor a protest song, but perhaps something more compelling—a pointed meditation disguised as a radio-friendly tune.

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

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

3 . Altered Images – Happy Birthday

Altered Images’ 1981 single “Happy Birthday” managed to encapsulate the jittery charm of early ’80s new wave with a flair that never takes itself too seriously.

Behind its seemingly innocent title lies a piece that leans on Clare Grogan’s idiosyncratic vocal delivery, equal parts coy and mischievous, weaving through rhythmic guitar lines that feel impossibly bright without crossing into saccharine territory.

Co-written with the razor-sharp production chops of Martin Rushent, the track balances a veneer of playful quirk with a sophistication that snuck beneath the radar of its bubblegum exterior.

It’s fascinating that a song so ostensibly tied to celebrations doesn’t actually nod to traditional birthday clichés; its lyrics have more in common with abstract joy than overt sentimentality.

Yet its infectious structure ensured its ubiquity on UK airwaves, peaking at No. 2 on the charts and earning Altered Images their momentary throne on pop TV staples like “Top of the Pops.”

You can almost imagine it bouncing around the early days of MTV, where its offbeat energy added a needed dose of spontaneity to the polished extravagance of the decade’s nascent music-video culture.

If anything, “Happy Birthday” feels more like a time capsule of youthful exuberance than a mere chart hit, a reminder that the early ’80s weren’t just about big hair and bigger stadiums—they were also about cracking a smile.

Featured on the 1981 album “Happy Birthday”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Facebook

4 . Men Without Hats – I Got The Message

Plucked from the neon backbone of 1982, “I Got the Message” by Men Without Hats hums with synth-driven precision and a sense of angular cool that defined the early new wave era.

It’s nestled within their debut album, *Rhythm of Youth*, the same LP that gifted the world the infinitely more iconic “The Safety Dance,” but this track doesn’t exactly play second fiddle—it carves out its own sly spot on the record.

The melody is intricate yet accessible, a lattice of electronic elements pieced together with methodical charm, while Ivan Doroschuk’s unmistakable vocals provide the track with a brittle, detached charisma.

Though the song lacked the cultural earthquake-scale impact to barge into charts or dominate airwaves, it stands as a quintessential exhibit of early ’80s synth-pop ambition, possessing an icy elegance that hasn’t thawed over decades of retrospective listens.

MTV gave it enough rotation to cement the band as more than a one-hit curiosity, even if it’s now more niche-lore than mainstream staple.

Both thematically and musically, the song doubles down on artificiality—not in the pejorative sense, but in the way it celebrates its own structured, rigidly sequenced identity, a fitting reflection of its era’s fascination with new technology and the edges of human expression in a digitized context.

In the galaxy of early ’80s synth-pop, “I Got the Message” isn’t a blinding pulsar, but it’s definitely a steady glimmer worth a wanderer’s fleeting glance.

Featured on the 1982 album “Rhythm of Youth”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

5 . Erasure – The Circus

Erasure’s “The Circus” carries an air of contradiction: a melancholic reflection wrapped in an upbeat synthpop package.

Released as the title track of their 1987 album, it sharply veers from the romantic optimism of earlier hits and isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty with themes of technological alienation and working-class struggle.

Andy Bell’s longing vocals are paired with Vince Clarke’s distinctive production, weaving in an accordion riff that feels at once playful and haunting—a sonic nod to its titular circus.

Little wonder listeners found the track stirring, especially in a decade haunted by economic uncertainty.

The unusual instrumentation, combined with a shadowy tone, underpins the song’s narrative of resilience amid monotony.

Unlike its more commercially palatable siblings on the album—including “Sometimes,” a shimmering sugar-high of a single—“The Circus” occupies a gloomier but deeply compelling space.

Its path to success wasn’t conventional; failing to chart in the UK as a single, its Gladiator Mix found modest footing in the U.S. dance charts, hinting at its club-friendly reinvention abroad.

With multiple remixes offering distinct atmospheres, the track showcased Erasure’s experimental leanings, balancing accessibility with artistic risk.

All this while the album itself climbed to No. 6 on UK charts, cementing its place as both a mainstream success and a document of 80s societal tensions.

A slow-burning oddity among the duo’s catalogue, the song remains a striking entry, if not a universally beloved one.

Featured on the 1987 album “The Circus”.

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

6 . Marc Almond – The House Is Haunted

Marc Almond’s rendition of “The House Is Haunted” stands as an intriguing piece within his 1985 compilation album “Stories of Johnny,” blending the ghostly whispers of 1934 with his signature theatrical flair.

Originally performed by Ethel Waters, the song receives a moody facelift, filtered through the lens of Almond’s cabaret-infused sensibilities and his penchant for dramatics.

This track doesn’t turn heads for chart performance or standalone acclaim—it dwells quietly in the shadows of its host album, which itself reached a modest No. 22 on the UK Albums Chart.

Like much of Almond’s output, this rendition carries a certain gothic camp that feels both nostalgic and exaggerated, leaving listeners to wonder if it yearns for authenticity or revels in artifice.

Credit must go to producer Mike Hedges, whose collaborations with The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees lend a faintly gothic edge to an already eerie composition, though his influence feels understated here compared to Almond’s overwrought delivery.

The album, dotted with bittersweet tales of longing and loneliness, positions itself as a study in heartbreak and nostalgia, but “The House Is Haunted” veers more toward playful morbidity than emotional resonance.

The visual components, spearheaded by photographer Peter Ashworth, align neatly with the album’s themes, layering the music with stark imagery framed in shades of melodrama and 1980s excess.

While the track doesn’t demand excessive scrutiny, it quietly underscores Almond’s ability to resuscitate older compositions with a modern twist, though—as is often the case with his covers—one can’t help but wonder if the song is performing itself or simply masquerading in costume.

Featured on the 1985 album “Stories of Johnny”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

7 . U2 – In God’s Country ac

U2’s “In God’s Country,” from their seminal 1987 album *The Joshua Tree*, stands as a probing commentary on American ideals cloaked in an expansive desert soundscape.

The track reflects the band’s fixation with the Southwestern U.S., merging vivid biblical imagery and critiques of political stagnation with a yearning for new visionaries, hinted at through Bono’s evocative line, “We need new dreams tonight.”

Raised on the sonic sheen of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois’ nuanced production, the guitars shimmer with a reverb-laden desert glow, lending the song both immediacy and atmosphere.

Adam Clayton aptly characterized the barren yet inspiring desert imagery as a “blank canvas,” while the layered production techniques reshape simplicity into a resonant anthem of resilience and introspection.

Live renditions on *The Joshua Tree* tours expanded the track’s staying power, where its spiritual undertones combined with U2’s stadium-filling energy, further embedding it in the band’s storied repertoire.

Despite peaking modestly on U.S. charts, the track’s role alongside *The Joshua Tree’s* Grammy-laden legacy elevated its cultural significance, not least because its Americana themes spring from an outsider’s lens, critiquing while marveling at a land of contradictions.

Bono’s lyrics weave together biblical references like Cain and Jubal, adding thoughtful depth to what could have otherwise been surface commentary on freedom and history’s burdens.

Both a critical look at—and an homage to—American culture, “In God’s Country” reverberates with the tension of hope and critique, resonating more broadly than its chart position might suggest.

Over decades, it has retained its emotional weight—a track less about solutions and more about pointing toward a horizon where those mythical “new dreams” might yet be found.

Featured on the 1987 album “The Joshua Tree“.

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

8 . Megadeth – Wake Up Dead

“Wake Up Dead” isn’t your typical thrash metal anthem—if there were ever such a thing—and that’s part of its charm.

Yanking listeners straight into chaos, the track punches through with Dave Mustaine’s sharp guitar tones and a rhythm section that seems to spiral out of control while remaining, somehow, meticulous in its execution.

At three minutes and forty seconds, it’s a lesson in tension and release, skipping the shackles of conventional verse-chorus structure to play more like a stream-of-consciousness confessional filtered through distortion pedals.

Lyrically, it’s personal to the point of discomfort: Mustaine channels paranoia, guilt, and fear into a brief but vivid narrative about infidelity and its potential fatal repercussions.

Musically, it’s a labyrinth of tempo changes, power chords, and virtuosic guitar interplay—Chris Poland’s solos rise and weave like a looming specter over the frantic rhythm.

Released in 1986 as part of *”Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?”*, this was a track that hinted to the masses that thrash could be artistic without becoming pretentious.

Thanks to heavy rotation on MTV’s *Headbangers Ball*, the song found an audience eager for something aggressive but layered, quickly becoming a highlight of the band’s live setlist.

Interestingly, the visuals of the music video mirrored the rawness of the song itself: no grand narratives, just the band locked in frenetic motion—sweaty, chaotic, and determined to shred their way into your consciousness.

Yet reception to its lyrics—where Mustaine lays bare the emotional wreckage of sneaking home mid-cheat—highlights the line Megadeth often walks between raw honesty and moments of moral queasiness.

Still, whether it’s the blistering instrumental work or the unrelenting tone of its story, the track remains etched in the annals of thrash metal’s formative years, offering a snapshot of the genre’s unfiltered ambition and occasional abrasiveness.

Featured on the 1986 album “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?“.

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

9 . The Housemartins – Build

The Housemartins’ “Build” stands as a melodious reflection on the complexities of modern society wrapped in the guise of an easy-listening pop track.

Released in 1987, its restrained arrangement—with lilting piano chords and Paul Heaton’s plaintive vocal delivery—deceptively contrasts its biting commentary about urban development and misplaced societal priorities.

The lyrics, crafted by Heaton and Stan Cullimore, intertwine wistfulness and critique, depicting how progress often overlooks the human cost beneath the surface of shiny new facades.

Paul Heaton’s poignant lines are underscored by 1980s British alternative pop’s characteristic light dreariness, offering both significance and hummable charm.

Its release on the band’s second album, *The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death*, further solidified their knack for pairing socially aware themes with upbeat instrumentation.

Coming after their anthemic a cappella hit “Caravan of Love,” “Build” carved out its role not through soaring commercial heights but as an enduring piece in their live repertoire.

The accompanying music video, directed by Steve Lowe, extends the song’s commentary, injecting visual elements that mirror its layered narrative.

Though the track climbed to only number 15 on the UK Singles Chart, it retained an understated energy that echoed through the band’s brief yet impactful career.

Featuring the now-famous Norman Cook (later Fatboy Slim) on bass, the band’s lineup brought a spirited underpinning to a piece that oscillates between poignant introspection and gentle optimism about a collective future.

With sharp but subtle wit, “Build” marks the Housemartins’ ability to craft socially conscious vignettes within the framework of catchy pop, hinting at the ambitions and tensions that swirled around their mid-1980s output.

Featured on the 1987 album “The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Wikipedia

10 . Wah! – The Story Of The Blues [Part 1]

“The Story of the Blues [Part 1]” by Wah! represents Pete Wylie’s inventive approach to merging post-punk grit with the melodic catchiness of new wave.

Released in late 1982 from the album “Nah = Poo – The Art of Bluff,” it emerged as a standout hit, climbing to No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart in early 1983, the band’s commercial pinnacle.

The track is brimming with rich instrumentation, its mood heightened by a brass section courtesy of The Cook Da Books Horns, which provides an unexpected but fitting counterbalance to Wylie’s raspy delivery.

Adding to its character, it closes with a spoken-word segment that toes the line between self-aware poignancy and ironic self-deprecation, hallmarks of Wylie’s artistic ethos.

True to the chaos of its creator’s career, Wah! was one of many interchangeable names for Wylie’s projects, reflecting his penchant for reinvention and blurred identities.

The song found itself included in retrospective collections like “The Handy Wah! Whole” and “The Best of Wah!,” solidifying its place in British post-punk lore.

The minimalist music video, with a stripped-back performance by Wylie, draws attention to the song’s introspective themes, weaving nostalgia and heartbreak with an undercurrent of resilience.

Its performance on *Top of the Pops* encapsulated the era’s blend of raw emotion and stylized presentation, leaving behind a faint echo of a time when pop experimentation could still climb the charts.

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

11 . Dee C Lee – See The Day

Dee C. Lee’s “See The Day” captures the introspective mood of mid-80s pop with a wistful melody that feels tailor-made for winter airplay.

Relying on her years of experience as a backing vocalist for The Style Council and Wham!, Lee steps into the spotlight with a vocal performance rich in elegance and restraint, though not without a touch of theatricality.

The production, helmed by Gus Dudgeon, who previously worked with Elton John, opts for a spacious sound that leaves room for Lee’s voice to shine rather than drowning it in excessive arrangements as many contemporaries did.

The track’s success wasn’t just limited to the UK, where it climbed to an impressive No. 3; it found a broader international audience, resonating as far as Ireland, Australia, and Germany.

The B-side, “The Paris Match,” suggests a familial nod to The Style Council, where Lee made her mark before venturing solo, adding a layer of intimate cross-pollination to her solo efforts.

Girls Aloud’s 2005 cover, though commercially viable, diluted the original’s understated charms with formulaic production that critics labeled uninspired.

The accompanying video, showcasing clichéd seasonal imagery, felt more requisite than authentic, making Girls Aloud’s “See The Day” an obligatory holiday release rather than a natural successor to Lee’s gem.

While the cover reinvented the song for a younger audience, it lacked the melancholic depth and narrative maturity of Lee’s rendition, leaving the original firmly at the heart of its era.

Featured on the 1985 album “Shrine”.

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

12 . The Stone Roses – Sally Cinnamon

“Sally Cinnamon” stands as a beacon of The Stone Roses’ early experimentation and foundational sound.

Released in 1987, it emerged as a non-album single under FM Revolver Records, later gaining prominence in compilation albums like “Turns Into Stone” and “The Complete Stone Roses.”

The track exemplifies Ian Brown’s understated, almost laconic vocal delivery paired with John Squire’s jangly, syrupy guitar lines—earthy yet melodic, hinting at the sonic blueprint the band would refine in the years to come.

The storytelling takes an unexpected turn: through the discovery of a love letter in a jacket pocket, emotional ambiguity unfolds, hinting at a nontraditional love triangle and leaving the listener to unpack the dynamic between love, revelation, and heartbreak.

Despite its initial commercial obscurity, its cult status rose posthumously, re-released during the band’s breakthrough era in 1989.

The accompanying low-budget music video, produced without their approval, caused friction that culminated in the infamous vandalism of their former label’s offices—a moment immortalized in the band’s lore.

Echoes of “Sally Cinnamon” can be traced in the work of later Manchester acts, inspiring a generation while staking a claim as a piece tethered to ’80s indie ethos rather than the pop charts.

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