#11 - Shout

Artist: Tears For Fears

Album: Songs From The Big Chair
Video: From DailyMotion.

According to the singers, “Shout” is an urging for people to speak out about social injustices.  But it can also be interpreted as a direct expression of the primal scream, a form of psychotherapy created by Arthur Janov.  The band’s name was inspired by Janov’s work.

I was always a fan of this song.  Of course, it feels good to shout and let it all out.  With a simple yet powerful message, the song became an anthem of sorts.  Yes, its lofty chart position in this countdown is well deserved.

One of the most popular songs of its time, “Shout” reigned on the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks.  The tune reached #1 in 8 different countries, but oddly stalled at #4 in the band’s home country of England.

In more recent times, Tears For Fears has been featured on the television show Psych.  The main characters give their tribute to “Shout” here.

I always imagined that this video was filmed at the Grand Canyon.  Upon closer examination, the setting doesn't look anything like that.  Perhaps it was because the band members' mouths appeared to be as big as the Grand Canyon when they sang.  It was actually filmed at Durdle Door, along the Jurassic Coast of Southern England. 

We're not done with Tears For Fears yet.  We'll see them again before this blog is all said and done.

#12 - Just Another Night

Artist: Mick Jagger

Album: She's The Boss
Video: From YouTube.

The lofty position of "Just Another Night" on the MTV countdown is quite baffling to me.  Was this seriously one of the top 12 songs or videos of 1985?  Not from my perspective.

It's not a terrible song, it's just that it hardly made an impression on me.  While I had a vague awareness of its existence, I don't remember ever hearing it on the radio, or seeing this video.  It had moderate chart success, peaking at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.  But I'd think that at the height of its success, the twelfth greatest song of the year might rank higher than, well, twelve.

As for the song itself, it's a catchy tune.  Lyrically, "Just Another Night" is strikingly similar to Phil Collins' recently-blogged-about "One More Night".  Both songs request another night in the company of an ex-lover.  But Jagger's plea has a desperate and unhinged quality, leaving one to wonder what will become of him if the sought after evening does not materialize.

Several elements of the video are intriguing.  It co-stars a delighted Rae Dawn Chong, daughter of Cheech & Chong's Tommy.  We also see Mick participate in a bizarre succession of antics: sweating and in great distress in the jungle, displaying impressive acrobatics with his tongue, just generally doing Mick Jagger things.

But there is something else, something about this video that seems familiar.  I know, it's the riverboat casino scenes!  We've seen this before!  Yes, we are once again treated to the maniacally entertaining poker chips spilling incident.  Since this song came first, was "Lucky In Love" a sequel video expanding on these elements?  Why has no one studied this?

#13 - Would I Lie To You?

Artist: Eurythmics

Album: Be Yourself Tonight
Video: From YouTube.

I don't remember being a fan of Eurythmics, but I did buy "Be Yourself Tonight" on cassette tape while it was popular.  There must have been some reason.  I doubt that it was because of this song.  Good song, just not really my taste.

"Would I Lie To You?" opens with a foreboding rumbling bass, and features some interesting sound combinations overall, most prominently the frequent joyous explosions of horns.  The song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Eurythmics, of course, is the duo of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart.  Both have maintained successful music careers since the band split up in 1990, Lennox as a solo artist and Stewart in a myriad of projects.  Stewart worked with several artists in 1985, most notably Tom Petty in this classic video.

The beginning of the "Would I Lie To You?" video features an argument between Annie Lennox and her motorcycle-riding boyfriend.  The beau is played by Steven Bauer, best known as Tony Montana’s pal Manolo in the classic “Scarface”.   Post-fight, Dave Stewart consoles her by telling her to just “be yourself tonight” (the album title).

The pep talk works, as the band performs enthusiastically before a vibrant crowd of a couple hundred people in a smallish club.  There seems to be about twenty musicians on stage, several dancing in scarcely controlled chaos.  Towards the end, Bauer returns and confronts Annie on stage, whereupon he is hurled into the crowd and leaves in shame.