‘Vous Avez Dit Bizarre’ N°95 – Vintage 80s Music Videos

Cocteau Twins, The Art Of Noise, Meat Loaf, Laura Branigan, New Order, Spandau Ballet, Holly Johnson, Tracey Ullman, The Fall, Rick Springfield, Haysi Fantayzee, Strawberry Switchblade

They are the performers of twelve vintage amusing, puzzling and sometimes shocking videos of songs that were ranked in various charts, this week (04/52) BUT … in the Eighties 80s.

Here, they are reunited in one glorious playlist. Enjoy!

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For TWELVE more ‘Vous Avez Dit Bizarre’ – Vintage 80s Music Videos – week 04/52 – click here

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Tracklist

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1 . Cocteau Twins – Hitherto

Never ones for playing it safe, the Cocteau Twins offer “Hitherto,” a hypnotic swirl of their 1983 EP “Sunburst and Snowblind,” slotted between the hazy peaks of their early career under 4AD’s inventive umbrella.

It’s a track where Robin Guthrie’s guitar textures circle aimlessly yet intentionally, creating an atmosphere that falls somewhere between a faded photograph and a daydream doused in reverb.

Elizabeth Fraser doesn’t so much sing as she communicates in a language out of reach—words evaporate into syllables and tones, leaving the listener half-mesmerized, half-bewildered. Any attempt to decipher meaning feels irrelevant, which is probably the point.

The song’s structure is unsettling in its patience, built around a looping guitar riff that threatens repetition but slyly evolves with each pass—a sleight-of-hand that heightens the trance-like quality.

This isn’t a track clamoring for attention; it drifts, confident in its refusal to conform to traditional hooks or crescendos.

If there’s a sort of muted dramatism, it’s less about catharsis and more about resignation—a moment caught in amber, between resignation and beauty.

Performed live, particularly in their BBC sessions, “Hitherto” sheds its recording studio restraint and gains a sharper edge, the energy taut enough to suggest the band built it as much on intuition as skill.

No chart-topping ambition lurks here, but that feels fitting: this is a song content with remaining in the margins, like a half-remembered fragment of a dream you were never meant to fully grasp.


Featured on the 1983 album “Head over Heels”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

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2 . The Art Of Noise – Close [To The Edit]

The Art of Noise’s “Close [To The Edit]” emerges from the sonic laboratory that was their 1984 debut, *Who’s Afraid of the Art of Noise?*.

A UK Top 10 hit, the track is less a song and more a carefully orchestrated chaos of sampled snippets—Volkswagen engines stalling, Andrews Sisters harmonies, and even orchestral remnants of Stravinsky crash together.

The result is an unpredictable aural collage stitched together with Fairlight CMI wizardry and a mischievous irreverence for musical conventions.

Straddling the arcane and the accessible, it simultaneously nods to and deconstructs influences like Kraftwerk, Yes, and pop radio.

The cheeky title itself riffs on Yes’s exalted *Close to the Edge*, while lifting samples from tracks like “Owner of a Lonely Heart.”

Its punk ethos finds a visual complement in the accompanying video, where suited men gleefully destroy instruments under the leadership of a rebellious girl, earning dual MTV Video Awards in 1985.

What begins as a remix of “Beat Box” evolves into a pulsating statement on 1980s electronic experimentation.

Its larger-than-life bricolage defined a moment where pop began to cannibalize itself to exhilarating effect.


Featured on the 1984 album “Who’s Afraid of the Art of Noise?”.

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

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3 . Meat Loaf – Razor’s Edge

“Razor’s Edge” takes its name literally, balancing its precarious place in Meat Loaf’s discography with a sense of rugged determination.

Released in 1983 as part of *Midnight at the Lost and Found*, this track reveals a moment when Meat Loaf was navigating more turbulent creative waters, sans the bombastic flair of Jim Steinman’s grandiose songwriting.

Instead, what we get is a leaner, punchier slab of rock that trades operatic melodrama for a more grounded power-pop and pop-rock approach.

The song’s guitar-driven arrangement doesn’t waste time, layering a polished yet muscular sound that speaks to the arena rock ethos of the era while nodding slightly to radio-friendly sensibilities.

While it reached #41 on the UK charts, its relatively modest performance failed to echo the seismic impact of his “Bat Out of Hell” days.

Its music video, a kitschy slice of MTV-era charm, doesn’t aim for immortality, but it holds its own as a visual snapshot of its time.

Interestingly, “Razor’s Edge” wasn’t even penned by Meat Loaf but by a collaborative team that included bassist Steve Buslowe, which may explain its detour from his usual theatrical hallmarks.

This isn’t the track you’d imagine blaring in a packed stadium, but it’s far from a throwaway—it has an underdog’s charm, complete with energetic riffs that belong equally on a vinyl LP and a high-schooler’s beat-up cassette tape.

Despite lacking critical acclaim, it lingers as a curiosity on setlists and YouTube, a reminder of how even lesser-mentioned tracks contribute to constructing an artist’s puzzle.

Whether it’s the stripped-down production or its less sprawling arrangements, “Razor’s Edge” captures an artist pivoting between what has been and where he might go—an intriguing, if twilight-tinged, entry in Meat Loaf’s repertoire.


Featured on the 1983 album “Midnight at the Lost and Found”.

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

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4 . Laura Branigan – Self Control

Released in 1984, “Self Control” by Laura Branigan is a shimmering portrait of nocturnal hedonism wrapped in synth-pop gloss.

Borrowed from Italian singer Raf’s original, the track finds Branigan diving headfirst into themes of temptation and boundaries, giving it a theatrical flair unmatched by most pop hits of the era.

The production, helmed by Jack White and Harold Faltermeyer, weaves in a blend of electronic textures and rock edges, creating a soundscape both intoxicating and ominous.

Chart-wise, it was a global powerhouse, reaching No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and dominating charts in Europe and beyond, even cementing itself as a mainstay in countries like Germany for over six months.

The real conversation piece, though, is the music video, directed by William Friedkin of “The Exorcist” fame—equal parts cinematic and scandalous, and depending on your geography, either slightly risqué or unabashedly provocative.

Its masked dancers and shadowy interiors build a visual metaphor for the erosion of self-control amidst neon-soaked temptations, leaving viewers both intrigued and uncomfortable.

Critics and fans alike were drawn to Branigan’s ability to straddle vulnerability and power, with her emotive vocals driving home the lyrical urgency.

The song’s lasting charm lies in its contradictions: polished yet raw, universal yet deeply personal.

If the 1980s had an anthem for the allure of midnight chaos and its inevitable costs, this track would sit atop the throne unapologetically.


Featured on the 1984 album “Self Control”.

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

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5 . New Order – Fine Time

“Fine Time” by New Order arrives in a flurry of bleeps, basslines, and bleating, capturing the late ’80s acid house zeitgeist with a cheeky wink rather than solemn reverence.

Released as the lead single from their _Technique_ album in 1988, it thrums with the Ibiza nightlife the band soaked up during its creation, swapping guitars for sequencers and trad structures for hypnotic loops.

It’s not all seamless, though—the iconic bass groove propels the track forward, but those tongue-in-cheek sheep sound effects land somewhere between daring and ridiculous, depending on the listener’s tolerance for studio jokes.

Stephen Hague’s production slickness threads through the mix, though his influence feels lighter than on earlier hits like “True Faith,” leaving more room for the band’s oddball impulses to shine.

The accompanying video, pieced together by Richard Heslop, matches the track’s fragmented energy with visuals that teeter on both the surreal and the nonsensical, solidifying its place as a strange yet memorable chapter in the band’s catalog.

On the charts, it stopped shy of the UK top 10 but danced straight to No. 1 on the UK Indie charts and No. 2 on the US Dance charts, proof of its clubland appeal even if it never quite infiltrated mainstream consciousness.

Its quirks ensure “Fine Time” isn’t the universal crowd-pleaser some of New Order’s anthems are, but as a snapshot of their late ’80s flirtation with electronic experimentation, it’s a bold, if divisive, standout.


Featured on the 1989 album “Technique”.

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

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6 . Spandau Ballet – The Freeze

Released in January 1981, “The Freeze” by Spandau Ballet feels like a sonic snapshot of the early New Romantic movement—equal parts style and substance, with a dash of calculated aloofness.

Produced by Richard James Burgess for the album “Journeys to Glory,” the track leans heavily on avant-garde synth-pop, accented by funk-infused guitar lines that defy conventional structure. Gary Kemp’s arpeggiated synthesizers maintain a hypnotic pulse, while Steve Norman’s guitar riffs flirt with acting like a chorus but sidestep any hint of predictability.

The accompanying minimalist music video matches the band’s sharp, fashion-forward aesthetic, unfolding in stark, seemingly empty rooms. This spartan visual motif might initially feel jarring, but it cleverly reinforces the song’s overall precision and detached charm. The Egyptian-inspired cover art offers one more layer of art-school cool—if a bit pretentious.

Chart-wise, it climbed to No. 17 in the UK and enjoyed modest success elsewhere, a step down from the breakout hit “To Cut a Long Story Short.” Bassist Martin Kemp later acknowledged the track’s slightly underwhelming commercial impact, though its club credibility ensured its survival in the era’s nightlife rotations.

Rather than gunning for accessibility, “The Freeze” plays like a deliberate statement of intent. It revels in complexity and obscures singability, asking listeners to admire its craftsmanship more than hum along. In hindsight, it captures the band’s earliest ambitions: to be boundary-pushers at a polished crossroads of funk, synth-driven experimentation, and style-centric ethos.


Featured on the 1981 album “Journeys to Glory”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

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7 . Holly Johnson – Love Train

Released on January 9, 1989, “Love Train” by Holly Johnson is a pop confection that practically vibrates with energy, staking its claim as a late-’80s chart-climber.

Serving as the lead single from his debut solo album *Blast*, the track quickly hit No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart, hanging around for 11 weeks and earning a silver certification from the BPI, though its journey across the Atlantic stalled at No. 65 on the US *Billboard* Hot 100.

Co-written by Johnson and producer Stephen Hague, who brought his studio wizardry to acts like New Order, the song is as polished as it is infectious, a glossy blend of synth-heavy production and pulsating rhythms.

Brian May makes an unexpectedly understated appearance with a slick guitar solo, while the buoyant backing vocals of Don Snow and Lance Ellington give the track its layered charm.

Critics were largely positive, with *Music Week*’s Jerry Smith highlighting its hook, and *NME’s* Terry Staunton calling it “elegant,” though perhaps that’s just a euphemism for charmingly over-produced.

The accompanying music video, directed by Marco Cerere, is a kaleidoscope of Johnson’s flamboyant charisma and ’80s visual excess, later brushed up via HD remastering for the album’s 35th anniversary, a move catering to nostalgia-driven audiences of today.

The flipside track, “Murder in Paradise,” barely makes a mark in comparison, but the A-side’s ambitious remixes, including a version by Frankie Knuckles, hint at its broader appeal within dance club circles, where Johnson momentarily found his groove.

Performing on *Top of the Pops*, Johnson swapped out his Frankie Goes to Hollywood intensity for something more playful, though arguably less daring, signaling a shift from provocative iconoclast to a mainstream crowd-pleaser.

While its rhythmic sheen and sing-along refrain are undeniable, the track teeters on the edge of formulaic, a polished product of its time that trades boundary-pushing for chart-ready familiarity.

“Love Train” might not derail expectations, but it holds its station as an enduring slice of late-’80s pop indulgence with an eyebrow-raising mix of bombast and calculated appeal.


Featured on the 1989 album “Blast”.

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

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8 . Tracey Ullman – Terry

Tracey Ullman’s “Terry” carries the peculiar charm of borrowing from better material while still managing a sprinkling of its own identity.

Released in 1985 on Stiff Records, the track piggybacks off its earlier 1983 version by co-writer Kirsty MacColl—basically the same backing track with re-recorded vocals, like a karaoke night with a studio budget.

The song flirts with clichés, spinning a tale of elusive love pinned on a rough-around-the-edges character evocative of Brando in *On the Waterfront*.

MacColl’s original might have more emotional weight, grounded in her co-production, but Ullman brings her theatricality to the forefront, reminding listeners she’s moonlighting here from her comedic ventures.

Despite its notable placement in her second album, *You Caught Me Out*, “Terry” never really caught anyone else out, barely scraping No. 81 on the UK charts, a modest footnote in mid-80s pop.

There’s something ironically endearing about a song that struggles to find its footing yet refuses to vanish completely from cultural memory, thanks in part to Ullman’s video—a slice of vintage camp that feels more fun than the track itself.

The production, helmed by Peter Collins, is competent, but the energy feels borrowed more than born, a reminder of Ullman’s unique but uneven intersection of comedy and pop ambition.


Featured on the 1983 album “You Caught Me Out”.

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

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9 . The Fall – Victoria

“Victoria” by The Fall, released in 1988, stands as a curious artifact in their storied post-punk catalog—a cover of The Kinks’ 1969 piece, originally penned by Ray Davies.

Plucked from *The Frenz Experiment* and climbing to #35 on the UK charts, this version doesn’t simply mimic its predecessor but reframes the original’s breezy commentary on British colonialism through the lens of abrasive guitar lines and Mark E. Smith’s distinctly sardonic delivery.

The recording exhibits the unmistakable chemistry of the lineup at the time—Smith, Brix Smith, Craig Scanlon, Steve Hanley, and Simon Wolstencroft—melding angular rhythms with a shambolic energy that is quintessentially The Fall.

This track also found a home in the ballet project *I Am Kurious Oranj*, underscoring Smith’s knack for pairing esoteric artistic ventures with his band’s jagged sound.

While the music video leans into the band’s off-kilter aesthetic, there’s an odd charm in their unlikely engagement with a track steeped in a 1960s sensibility, turning it into something both reverent and dismissive.

The result? A sharp collision of eras channeled through Mark E. Smith’s grim wit and swagger, maintaining just enough of the original’s melodic backbone to keep the past on notice while trudging forward in delightfully chaotic fashion.


Featured on the 1988 album “The Frenz Experiment”.

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

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10 . Rick Springfield – Human Touch

Rick Springfield’s “Human Touch,” released in 1983 as the second single from *Living in Oz*, critiques the growing alienation of a tech-driven world while paradoxically indulging in electronic music trends of the era. Backed by synthesizers and drum machines, it leans into the glossy, mechanized soundscape that defined the ’80s.

It’s ironic, really: a song about yearning for connection, delivered through cold, shiny layers of synth-pop and electronic rock. Springfield’s lyrics hit a nerve with their simple-yet-pointed message about losing humanity in an increasingly computerized society. Despite its thematic heft, the track doesn’t wallow in philosophy—it’s more about dancing your existential dread away.

The song’s cultural footprint is intriguing. While comfortably peaking at #18 on the US Billboard Hot 100, it found unlikely success in the UK, earning Springfield his sole Top 40 hit there and a coveted *Top of the Pops* slot. It became one of the better examples of an American rocker flirting shamelessly with European synth-pop without falling flat.

There’s something endearingly contradictory about Springfield performing a song about personal disconnection while backed by meticulously programmed music—almost as if he’s winking at the listener. The music video amps up this tug-of-war between sterile futurism and raw emotion with its spacelike backdrop, where Springfield attempts to salvage intimacy in a world gone electric.

While “Human Touch” didn’t snag major awards or reshape the zeitgeist, it marked a moment where Springfield stepped into the wider cultural current without losing his identity. A pop-rock star navigating the maze of synths, drum machines, and existential musings? That’s peak 1983, wrapped in a four-minute hit.


Featured on the 1983 album “Living in Oz”.

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

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11 . Haysi Fantayzee – Shiny Shiny

Released in 1983, “Shiny Shiny” by Haysi Fantayzee is a curious time capsule of early-’80s pop eccentricity packed with cheerful nonsense masking grim subject matter.

At its core, the track is an anti-nuclear war anthem cloaked in the zany unpredictability that defined the band.

This new wave oddity blends reggae, electro, and even a pinch of country—an unusual cocktail that showcases their knack for unlikely sonic combinations.

The instrumentation, featuring fiddles, spoons, and a healthy dose of sound effects, feels as over-the-top as their outfits, which nodded to Edwardian couture with a punk edge.

True to form, the lyrics ricochet between absurd imagery and veiled commentary on war, politics, and violence, turning apprehension into theatrical amusement.

The song peaked respectably at No. 16 on the UK Singles Chart and even wormed its way onto America’s Billboard Hot 100 at No. 74, a minor miracle for a band so deliberately unconventional.

The accompanying music video, populated by surreal visuals, saw frequent airplay on MTV and cemented the band’s status as cult darlings of the Blitz Kids scene.

It’s a visual and sonic spectacle, balancing chaos and camp with surprising precision.

Though the band dissolved after just one album, their brief tenure left a peculiar yet vivid imprint on the 1980s pop scene.

Post-Haysi, members moved into disparate fields: Garner embraced photography, and Healy morphed into a DJ, careers worlds away from the twisted carnival of their early work.

“Shiny Shiny” serves as a playful, spiky relic of its era—equal parts social critique and danceable absurdity, reminding listeners that music can be both frivolous and unsettling in the same breath.


Featured on the 1983 album “Battle Hymns for Children Singing”.

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

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12 . Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday

“Since Yesterday” is a quintessential 1984 synth-pop offering that straddles a curious line between shimmering sweetness and underlying menace, courtesy of Scottish duo Strawberry Switchblade.

Released on the Korova label, the track trades in folk-pop origins for glossy electronic textures punctuated by the instantly recognizable trumpet flourish borrowed from Sibelius’s Fifth Symphony.

The song’s saccharine chorus, buoyed by jangling guitars and shimmering synths, masks lyrics steeped in cold-war paranoia—a juxtaposition that feels eerily appropriate for the mid-80s pop climate.

Rose McDowall and Jill Bryson, clad in their polka-dot, goth-lite finery, project an image that feels like a Harajuku fever dream, a visual captured elegantly in Tim Pope’s stop-motion-infused video.

Chart performance is impressive: a #5 peak on the UK tally and a commendable presence internationally, particularly in Ireland and the Netherlands.

With its commercial appeal and subtle unease, “Since Yesterday” captures a fleeting moment when neon optimism met existential dread.


Featured on the 1985 album “Strawberry Switchblade”.

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

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