Mike Oldfield, Nik Kershaw, Madonna, Pink Floyd, Adam & The Ants, Depeche Mode, Murray Head, Duran Duran, Pretenders, Alison Moyet, Sting, Black Lace
They are the performers of twelve vintage amusing, puzzling and sometimes shocking videos of songs that were ranked in various charts, this week (02/52) BUT … in the Eighties 80s.
Here, they are reunited in one glorious playlist. Enjoy!
For TWELVE more ‘Vous Avez Dit Bizarre’ – Vintage 80s Music Videos – week 02/52 – click here
Tracklist
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1 . Mike Oldfield – Blue PeterMike Oldfield’s “Blue Peter” is a sprightly instrumental piece that sailed onto the music scene in 1979, anchored by its association with the beloved British children’s TV show of the same name. The track radiates a nautical charm, perfectly in sync with the program’s iconic ship logo, and it was no coincidence that this composition swiftly became a soundtrack to youthful adventures and warm living-room memories. Produced in collaboration with David Bedford, whose orchestral fingerprints had already touched classics like “Tubular Bells,” the track exudes a lively simplicity, balancing Oldfield’s multi-instrumental expertise with an unpretentious vigor that taps into a collective sense of whimsy. The layering of jaunty melodies, intricate instrumentation, and a production that feels both intimate and precisely choreographed secured it a peak at No. 19 on the UK Singles Chart in 1980—a modest yet meaningful achievement for a piece tied to children’s programming. While it was later added as a bonus on reissues of “Platinum,” its standalone identity as a cheerful piece of maritime-inspired music gives it an enduring charm rooted in nostalgia. Oldfield even performed the track on the show, an act of virtuosity that blended publicity with genuine enthusiasm, showcasing his knack for elevating modest material into something resonant and warmly memorable. The music video, much like the song itself, is both playful and practical, interspersing shots of Oldfield’s nimble studio techniques with an energy that feels as unsinkable as the program it represents.
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2 . Nik Kershaw – The RiddleIn 1984, Nik Kershaw released “The Riddle,” a track shrouded in an aura of mystique that enraptured fans while giving them no clear path to understanding its meaning. The cryptic lyrics—which Kershaw has admitted were initially placeholders—nevertheless triggered a frenzy of interpretations, as listeners attempted to find coherence in what was never meant to hold it. Musically, the song feels like a quintessential ’80s synthpop expedition, with a pulsating rhythm and melodic hooks that remain as sharp as the angular suits of its decade. It climbed to No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, an achievement that speaks to its staying power despite—or because of—its lyrical opacity. The accompanying video only heightened the track’s enigmatic appeal, contrasting surreal visuals with the mechanical drive of its beats. Gigi D’Agostino’s 1999 dancefloor-ready remix proved “The Riddle” could transcend its era, lending the song an afterlife among glow sticks and strobe lights. Ultimately, its brilliance lies not in clarity or intention but in its ability to keep listeners second-guessing while they hum along. Featured on the 1984 album “The Riddle”.
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3 . Madonna – Open Your HeartMadonna’s “Open Your Heart” feels like the quintessential ‘80s pop anthem, dressed in shimmering synths with just enough emotional grit to anchor its otherwise glossy exterior. Originally destined for another singer, the track found a fiercer purpose in Madonna’s hands, who infused it with her trademark blend of yearning and defiance. The production, spearheaded by Stephen Bray, walks a delicate line between punchy beats and melodic softness, layering passion within its carefully controlled structure. There’s a tension here worth lingering on—the interplay between vulnerability and the overt control Madonna exerts over the narrative, as if she’s begging for connection while refusing to relinquish power. The music video, directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, pushes this duality further, placing Madonna in a provocative setting as a peep show dancer, offset by the innocence of young Felix Howard’s gaze. Onstage, the song’s evolution into concert setlists like the “Blond Ambition” tour reframed it as not just a hit, but an enduring piece of her identity—a showcase for reinvention. Its success on international charts, including a week at #1 on Billboard, is no surprise given its accessibility. But “Open Your Heart” isn’t just about commercial appeal; it’s a study in merging seductive aesthetics with genuine emotional candor, a skill Madonna mastered as the ‘80s drew to a close. Featured on the 1986 album “True Blue“.
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4 . Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall“Another Brick in the Wall” is less a song and more a statement, carved into the fabric of popular music with precision and defiance. Part 2, the most infamous slice of this three-part suite, became a chart beast in 1979, railing against rigid education systems with its militant disco beat and defiant lyrics. The children’s choir, plucked from Islington Green School, belts out the refrain like a poignant battle cry, a juxtaposition of innocence and rebellion that defined the track’s enduring grit. David Gilmour’s razor-sharp guitar solo slices through the groove, bridging rock rebellion with pop accessibility, while Bob Ezrin’s production turns bleak critique into radio gold. Released during a time of political unrest, the single carried weight beyond its chords, even earning itself a ban in apartheid-era South Africa, where its lyrics struck a little too close to the bone. Whether dominating the charts or accompanying Roger Waters’ ambitious renditions decades later, it’s a song that refuses to fade into history, rightfully cemented as a defining anthem of quiet defiance. Featured on the 1979 album “The Wall“.
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5 . Adam & The Ants – AntmusicReleased in 1980, “Antmusic” by Adam & The Ants serves as an energetic anthem to individuality wrapped in a vibrant new wave package. The track, produced with surgical precision by Chris Hughes, thrums with a percussive heartbeat borrowed from Burundi rhythms, a bold choice that infused their sound with raw, kinetic energy. The dual drummers create a relentless drive, propelling the song into an atmosphere of self-assured defiance—a fitting backdrop for Adam Ant’s magnetic vocals that rally you to move past conformity and join the “tribe” of sonic rebellion. The accompanying music video, directed by Steve Barron, amplifies this message, staging the band as jukebox-disrupting pied pipers stirring a big-haired crowd into their groove-laden mission. Commercially, the song surged to No. 2 on the UK charts, leaving listeners divided by its avant-garde ambition in the post-punk era. Still, its legacy is unshakable, securing “Antmusic” a permanent slot in nostalgic ads, movie soundtracks, and, of course, Adam Ant’s electrifying live sets. Featured on the 1980 album “Kings of the Wild Frontier”.
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6 . Depeche Mode – Behind the Wheel“Behind the Wheel” finds Depeche Mode merging synth precision with a brooding intensity that typifies their late-’80s output. This track, pulled from the “Music for the Masses” album, lays down pulsing electronic rhythms under lyrics that speak to submission and control — themes threading through much of Martin Gore’s songwriting. The instrumentation rides a careful balance between stark industrial edges and hypnotic layers of melody, a formula that resonated well enough to land it on dance charts in the U.S. while peaking modestly in the UK charts. Its accompanying Anton Corbijn-directed video channels a raw, European road narrative in black and white, serving as both a literal and metaphorical extension of the song’s wandering, restless undercurrent. Whether in its original form or the reworked “Route 66” mashup, the track is equally reflective of the band’s knack for reinvention and their enduring link to subcultural aesthetics. This is no throwaway single but a blueprint of the era’s electronic experimentation filtered through meticulously crafted pop sensibilities. Depeche Mode, as always, straddles the line between icy detachment and emotional accessibility, their control over their sound never wavering for a moment. Featured on the 1987 album “Music for the Masses “.
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7 . Murray Head – One Night in BangkokMurray Head’s “One Night in Bangkok,” birthed in 1984 from the concept album “Chess,” blurs the lines between pop music and rock opera. Penned by ABBA’s Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and lyricist Tim Rice, the song thrives on theatricality, a direct nod to its dramatic origins. The verses roll out as a wry, spoken-word commentary by Head while Anders Glenmark’s sung chorus injects a melodic counterpoint, punctuating the track’s sardonic tone. It’s a chessboard of contrasts, setting Bangkok’s exoticized chaos against the precision and cerebral sterility of the game itself, mirroring the Cold War era’s geopolitical tension that frames the musical’s narrative. The music video amplifies this dichotomy, with Head striding confidently through urban streets as larger-than-life chess imagery looms, embodying themes of power and strategy. Commercial traction wasn’t far behind, with the track climbing to No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and scaling charts internationally—an odd feat for a song whose lyrics casually dismiss Bangkok’s tourist spectacles. Musically, its new-wave production and synth riffs offer earworms aplenty without veering into overindulgence, anchoring the eccentricities of its lyrical content with radio-friendly polish. Decades later, its bold fusion of storytelling and genre still sparks curiosity, cementing its place as a relic of 80s pop experimentation rather than a mere chart-topping fad. Featured on the 1984 album “Chess”.
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8 . Duran Duran – The Wild Boys“The Wild Boys” by Duran Duran feels like an unapologetic, neon-soaked burst of controlled chaos, capturing the reckless abandon of the mid-’80s with a dystopian undercurrent that sidesteps conventional pop narratives. Produced by Nile Rodgers and loosely inspired by William S. Burroughs’ novel, this track doesn’t bother with direct storytelling—its themes revolve more around abstract rebellion and the thirst for defiance. The music roars with a frenetic energy, blending driving percussion, layered synths, and Simon Le Bon’s theatrical vocals, which oscillate between primal howls and chant-like refrains. Charting at No. 2 on both the UK Singles Chart and the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, it cemented itself as one of the band’s most commercially successful yet artistically experimental offerings. The accompanying video, directed by Russell Mulcahy, is a visual fever dream of mechanical windmills, dystopian warriors, and stark industrial landscapes, earning widespread MTV adoration and snagging a 1985 BRIT Award. Though originally conceived as the backbone of a film that never materialized, the song’s cinematic scope still lingers, delivering a bold, adrenaline-fueled anthem that manages to feel raw and overproduced all at once. Featured on the 1984 album “Arena”.
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9 . Pretenders – 2000 Miles“2000 Miles” by The Pretenders is a bittersweet reflection veiled in a holiday setting, tapping into themes of love and loss with subtle poignancy. Written by Chrissie Hynde, its origins are often linked to the memory of their former guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, whose passing left a mark on the band’s trajectory. Musically, the song leans on swelling guitars and Hynde’s plaintive vocals, echoing the style of ’60s ballads while painting a wintry scene that lingers in quiet introspection. Released as part of the 1983 album *Learning to Crawl*, the track reached No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart, demonstrating its commercial and emotional resonance. A music video filled with picturesque snowfall complemented its tone, but the track stands apart for avoiding stereotypical festive cheer in favor of understated melancholy. Over the decades, its adaptability has been proven through covers by artists like Coldplay, who’ve added their own textures without diluting its essence. With every listen, the yearning embedded in the song feels timeless, securing its place on wintertime playlists that crave something more than surface seasonal joy. Featured on the 1984 album “Learning to Crawl”.
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10 . Alison Moyet – Love LettersAlison Moyet’s rendition of “Love Letters” is an understated nod to the lingering allure of mid-20th-century balladry, reimagined through the emotional weight of her unmistakable voice. Originally penned in the 1940s by Victor Young and Edward Heyman, this cover shifts gears away from the syrupy croon of its post-war roots, instead leaning on Moyet’s characteristic blend of vulnerability and power. Included in her 1987 video compilation “Alf: The Videos,” the track wasn’t treated to a formal single release, though its restrained, heartfelt delivery perched it as an occasional addition to her live setlists. If anything, the song serves as a study in contrasts: Moyet, synonymous with the electronic-forward sheen of ’80s pop, interpreting a chestnut of yesteryear with a nostalgic yet unsentimental approach. The production, handled deftly by Pete Glenister on a subsequent 1990 release (“Hoodoo”), frames Moyet’s emotive vocals with a sepia-toned pop-soul arrangement that channels themes of longing and heartbreak without veering into excess. Though it flirted with moderate UK chart success—briefly peaking at #21—this track remains more of a curious footnote in her catalog than a centerpiece, appreciated for its willingness to refashion rather than merely replicate. Part of the charm lies in how Moyet bends time: mixing a sepulchral yearning with a modern accessibility that doesn’t feel weighed down by the song’s extensive history. Is it unflinchingly original? Not exactly. But that’s hardly the point—it’s a recording that reverberates with sincerity, delivered by an artist who knows exactly where to let the simplicity shine and where to let her voice take command.
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11 . Sting – Russians“Russians,” a brooding meditation by Sting, is as much a cultural artifact as it is a pop song. Emerging from the shadow of the Cold War in 1985, it stands out for its fusion of pop sensibility with political discourse. Borrowing its haunting melody from Sergei Prokofiev’s “Lieutenant Kijé Suite,” the track serves as a somber plea for humanity amidst superpower brinkmanship. Its restrained instrumentation—layered with synths and classical-inspired elements—conveys an uneasy tension, amplifying the gravity of its subject matter. The lyrics grapple with diplomacy and existential dread, using irony to underline the absurdity of nuclear standoffs. Commercially, the track struck a chord, reaching No. 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 12 in the UK, blending sociopolitical reflection with accessible melodies. The accompanying video, blending images of Cold War leaders and barren landscapes, reinforced its cultural critique. Recorded in sunny Barbados with seasoned musicians like Omar Hakim and Branford Marsalis, the juxtaposition of the idyllic location and the theme of global tension remains striking. Though contextually tied to its era, its commentary on the fragility of peace ensures its resonance decades later. Featured on the 1985 album “The Dream of the Blue Turtles“. |
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12 . Black Lace – AgadooReleased in the sweltering summer months of 1984, “Agadoo” by Black Lace isn’t so much a song as it is a mission statement for anyone craving carefree absurdity on the dancefloor. Adapted from a French tune, this British novelty track smashes together tropical imagery and a rhythm so relentlessly upbeat it borders on parody. Its lyrics, which ask listeners to push pineapples and shake trees, revel in their own ridiculousness, conjuring a vision of cheerful chaos rather than deep introspection. Propelled by repetitive melodies and delightfully over-the-top choreography, the song became a fixture at parties, weddings, and holiday camps, where subtlety is strictly unwelcome. The accompanying music video doubles down on the kitsch, featuring synchronized dance moves that veer perilously close to comedy skits. Despite reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart and sticking around for 30 weeks, the real charm of “Agadoo” comes from its unapologetic embrace of the whimsical and trivial. If you’re looking for a moment of deep cultural commentary, move along; this is music meant for inflatable props, regrettable limbo contests, and shameless conga lines under a rented strobe light. It’s a tune that refuses to let you sit still, a riot of joy wrapped in palm trees and novelty flair.
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