Launched in 1981, MTV quickly helped to shape our
popular culture with their music video programming. The 1980s churned out a
number of outstanding and bizarre videos. Here’s my top-10 favorite videos from
that era.
10. Rick James “Super Freak” (1981)
What’s a top-10 list of 80s music videos without one from Rick James? A piss-poor one, I say!
Why I Love This Video:
Rick James’ smile and wink at the beginning of the video; he
was a dirty, charismatic motherfucker.
His glittery vest—or is it a blouse?—is fucking amazing. You know Marie Antoinette would have loved that
shit.
From an aesthetic standpoint, I think the stark white
background was a great choice. It’s a simple backdrop but it allows everyone to
stand out in close-up shots no matter what color their skin is. (And it works
great with the group shots, too.)
The scene of Rick in the back of the limousine with his
ladies starting at the 1:44 mark. It looks like a mobile plain of heaven. (The
boy from Buffalo, NY, did well!)
The way Rick James wields his big white bass like it’s an
extension of his dick. (And man, that bass looks regally sweet.)
The cutaway to an archival clip of The Temptations is nifty.
Favorite Part:
The lewd tongue lick at the 2:09 mark when he sings “I’d
really like to taste her” is pure Rick James; in a way, he was a part of the
musical-sexual evolution bands like The Kinks started in the 1960s with songs like “You
Really Got Me” and “All
Day and All of the Night.”
