I've stopped wearing my ipod shuffle to the gym. The wiring annoys me, and it struck me one day that having a (semi)random shuffle of daggy music available to me is fine, because that's what I try to set up for myself anyway. People say hello more if you're not wired up, and I can still vague off and think about something else if something really awful comes on.
Today something awful came on.
This, I realised today, is not only an awful earworm, but most of the reason I loath it is visual: Tony Basil herself, and her gruesomely open-eyed mutton-dressed-up-as-hoggett face is what floats in front of me whenever I hear the song, which makes my stomach churn without fail.
I was pleasantly amused again by MC Hammer:
If you have a good look, this is the way poo-catcher pants and women's bicycle shorts are meant to be worn: not under large baggy t-shirts, but with nipped-in waists and wide shoulders to provide a crisp hourglass figure, male or female. And good, chunky thighs and bulging muscles, male or female.
I keep being surprised at how smartly dressed singers were in the late eighties. I'm not talking about the outrageous fashions (even they're pretty tame by today's standards), but when I see clips of 1980s middle-of-the-road black singers, they're not dressed in g-strings and gyrating around poles, or exposing their freshly-waxed midriffs (male or female)... they're dressed in flash suits, with hats and other accessories. The women are covered up, with maybe a touch of cleavage, but the overall impression is funky, flash and dignified.
Where has all the dignity gone?
Also, someone (probably not Robbie) has been reading their A.D. Hope*:
I love this video, if only for the utter disdain shown by the women at his constant posturing. And the implication that modern fans don't seem to ever be satisfied...
*The Return from the Freudian Isles
6 comments:
I forgot how good he was a laughing at himself. Just a bit gorgeous though. The disdainful looks were classic.
I an hoping my gym will bring back the MaxTV channel. They've gone all scungey and cut it recently.
Agree with you re clobber for videos. I believe when Lady Marmalade was rerecorded for Moulin Rouge, Li'l Kim cried when she saw what she had to wear for the vid.
Aah, Hammerzeit. Never fails, though I prefer the original:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CthB71GqYa0&feature=related
Those crazy 80s... I am rarely in a position where I get to see too many recent clips, but yes, the ones I have seen... not much global impact on manufacturing fabric goes into them. I feel old to admit that I very distinctly remember too much music from then. I was accused of being old once for mentioning the Cocteau Twins (they must have been old too to know what I was talking about).
Totally agree, dignity is gone forever! Your description of Tony Basil was interesting. After that description, I have some very strange Tony Basil images, floating around in my mind, 'Hey Mickey, you're so fine, you're so fine, you blow my mind, hey HELPPPPPPPPPPP'
Great post and the facts about the ipod shuffle in the gym,interesting and wonderful to read.
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