9/100 Video - "Smooth Criminal" - Michael Jackson (1988)

 

A few years ago I rediscovered "Smooth Criminal" while on vacation in the Mayan Riviera during an impressive 'Michael Jackson' tribute by the evening entertainment staff.

The choreography is outstanding in this theatrical video.

MJ demonstrated several elements that became his business cards: "anti-gravity tilt", finger-stitched fingers and a bandage on his sleeve. 

For the "anti-gravity tilt" technique, Jackson is leaning at a 45 degree angle from the vertical axis without the apparent use of restraining devices. During the shooting, hidden belts were used for this.

I'll even argue this track is Michael Jackson at his creative peak.

"Smooth Criminal" borrows elements from Thriller's blockbuster singles: the groove of "Billie Jean", the attitude of "Beat It" and the production of "Thriller", mashing them into a delicious blend.

Jackson flies through the verses with such speed the lyrics can be challenging to discern in places. 

The energetic chorus, the brilliant bass line and the attention to detail in both song and video all add up to one epic work of pop art.

The only remaining question: is Annie still ok?

60/100 Video - "Touched By the Hand of God" – New Order (1988)

 

A spoof of the heavy metal hair band videos of the 80s, those familiar with New Order's low-key image will find this clip ironic and funny as hell. 

It is interesting to see the band members totally feeling the part, even Bernard. One of my favourite scenes is when he tosses the guitar into the audience.  

Rabble-rouser Peter Hook, the rock icon of the band, unsurprisingly fits the rock-and-roll role the easiest with his bass thrusting.

The video wraps up with a somewhat predictable explosion as manager Rob Gretton enters stage left to assess the scene. 

89/100 Video - "Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry (1988)

The video for "Buffalo Stance" by Neneh Cherry oozes energy and flow, colour and motion.

Everyone's a star in this catchy clip with the sick synth hook and fat chorus.

Starting with the foreground, sassy singer Neneh Cherry captures our attention with her cheeky prances and buffalo stances.

In charge of the synths and scratchin', there's Mushroom, who was part of the Wild Bunch DJ collective before joining Massive Attack.

And the two animated back-up female vocalists bob, dart and weave in and off the screen throughout the clip.

Although the song was released in 1988; it oozes an early 90s vibe to the style. 

The 80s are sometimes remembered as being all about image or excess. But here we have Neneh Cherry rhyming about how 'no money man can win her love'. 

The vocal line "Know what I mean" flashing down the screen in four languages is a cute scene. 

I'll always associate this track with clubbing at Secretaries in downtown Halifax. Good times.

1988 - "Under the Milky Way" - The Church

"Under the Milky Way" by Australia's The Church is the last great new wave single. It's also one of the most beautiful songs ever made. In terms of atmosphere and production, it's hard to top.

The acoustic strumming sets the tone, the keys are melodic and the vocals and lyrics are perfect. The layers of jangle guitars and synth are extraordinary.

It also makes you think about the big stuff like the universe and why they don't make tracks like this any longer. 

The song is also highly addictive: I recall playing it 10 times straight after losing my job in Vancouver back in 1996.

It would place even higher if it wasn't for the bloody 'bagpipe' solo in the bridge. I don't hate it,  but it slightly ruins the ambiance. Fortunately, the tune reverts to the moody strumming and ends well with some nice reverb.

And I totally missed it back in 1988 when released. Was I too busy wrapped up listening to the back collection of The Cure, Depeche Mode and New Order to notice?

Was it even released in Canada? (Wikipedia states it reached no. 69 on the Canadian RPM 100). When the dust settles, it's by far the highest ranking song of my top 100 80s singles that I don't recall enjoying during the 80s.

Other favourites from 1988: 

"Smooth Criminal" - Michael Jackson

"Dreamworld" – Midnight Oil

"What's On Your Mind" – Information Society

#16. "Under the Milky Way" - The Church (1988)

"Under the Milky Way" by Australia's The Church is one of the most beautiful songs ever made. In terms of atmosphere and production, it's hard to top this.

The acoustic strumming sets the tone, the keys are melodic and the vocals and lyrics are perfect. The layers of jangle guitars and synth is extraordinary.

It also makes you think; think about the big things like your own existence, the universe, and why they don't make music like this any longer. 

The song is also highly addictive: I recall playing it 10 times straight after losing my job in Vancouver back in 1996.

It would place even higher if it wasn't for the bloody 'bagpipe' solo in the bridge. I don't hate it,  but it slightly ruins the ambiance. Fortunately, the tune reverts to the moody strumming and ends well with some nice reverb.

Fave lyrics: "Leads you here despite your destination. Under the Milky Way tonight."

And I totally missed it back in 1988 when released. 

Was I too busy wrapped up listening to the back collection of The Cure, Depeche Mode and New Order to notice?

Was it even released in Canada? (Wikipedia states it reached no. 69 on the Canadian RPM 100). 

When the dust settles, it's by far the highest ranking song of my top 100 80s singles that I don't recall enjoying during the 80s.

#38. "Smooth Criminal" - Michael Jackson (1988)

A few years ago I rediscovered "Smooth Criminal" while on vacation in the Mayan Riviera during an impressive 'Michael Jackson' tribute by the evening entertainment staff.

I'll argue this track is Michael Jackson at his creative peak.

"Smooth Criminal" borrows elements from Thriller's blockbuster singles: the groove of "Billie Jean", the attitude of "Beat It" and the production of "Thriller", mashing them into a delicious blend.

Jackson flies through the verses with such speed the lyrics can be challenging to discern in places. 

The energetic chorus, the brilliant bass line and the attention to detail in both song and video all add up to one epic work of pop art.

The only remaining question: is Annie still ok?

#76. "Dreamworld" - Midnight Oil (1988)

I typically enjoy a long sweeping opening but in this case it makes sense to hit us straight over the head with a powerful intro. 

The no-nonsense pro-environment rocker "Dreamworld" gets right to the point: the development of theme parks, hotels and condos along the coast will ultimately result in its destruction. 

Australia's Midnight Oil set the bar for political bands: lead singer and wild dancer Peter Garrett doubled down and ran for office in his homeland after years of making albums and public protests.   

"Beds Are Burning" is a pretty good tune, too: 

#86. "What’s On Your Mind" - Information Society (1988)

Sounds familiar, right. Kinda like The Human League...Duran Duran, perhaps. 

I had to Google a little information about the Information Society to discover I was not enjoying a British new wave dance hybrid, rather an outfit from Minnesota, that breadbasket of American music innovation.

This slickly-produced frenetic one-hit wonder ended up being pure energy reaching #1 on the dance charts. It still sounds fresh today, not as an easy feat for any song born in the 80s. 

Fun fact 1: the track included a vocal sample of Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) from Star Trek, saying "pure energy", hence the official song title "What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)".

Fun fact 2: "What’s On Your Mind" was re-released in the US in 1998 and again in 2001!

The zany video always reminds me of the wacky hijinx in the 1987 summer hit "Right on Track" by the Breakfast Club. Still a smooth groove.

#93. "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" - The Proclaimers (1988)

Irresistible. Contagious. Ridiculous. And a bloody good time. 

Who hasn't belted out these lyrics after a couple in public at least once? 

Not only a popular pub number, this catchy little singsong has a petition out there lobbying to make "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers the national anthem of Scotland.

And educational. 

It's a bonus that we get to learn a new word in another language. 

As in:

“And if I haver, yeah I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who’s havering to you.”

Haver: To talk nonsense, gibberish; to speak rubbish. For the nerds, read more here. 

#94. "The Promise" - When in Rome (1988)

If the one-hit wonder "The Promise" by When In Rome doesn't make you think about tetherball, then you missed out on one of the best movies of the 00s. 

Like The Wedding Singer years before, the classic indie film Napoleon Dynamite dipped into the 80s for its soundtrack. 

"The Promise" has an undeniably wondrous chorus. It exudes an appropriate level of sappiness without overdoing it compared to many of the ballads that topped the charts in the 80s ("Sara", "The Power Of Love" and anything by Air Supply and Whitney Houston come to mind).

An important new wave factoid: released in 1988, "The Promise" was one of the last gasps from the golden age of synth before the domination of rap, R & B and eventually the grunge. Incidently, the glam metal "hair" bands of the 80s followed a similar rise and fall during the decade. Guess it was time for a change.

There was another decent track in the 80s called "The Promise".

In 1985 following their ascent to global domination of the singles charts, Duran Duran took a break and split in half to pursue side projects. Bassist John Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor went off with Robert Palmer and Tony Thompson to form the rock/funk supergroup The Powerstation (more on them later), while vocalist Simon LeBon, drummer Roger Taylor and keyboard wizard Nick 'The Controller' Rhodes created the synth-driven art rock  outfit called Arcadia. 

Arcadia's So Red The Rose album produced four singles including the #1 hit "Election Day", but for me it's the haunting "The Promise" that stands up the best. Featuring some sweet guitar work of David Gilmour (yep, Pink Floyd), and backing vocals from some Sting fellow Simon ran into during Band-Aid, "The Promise" is a slick piece of production reminiscent of vintage Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry that shows off LeBon's underrated vocal range.