nos·tal·gi·a - n. - A bittersweet longing for things, persons, or situations of the past.

I wouldn't exactly say that I "long" for Canadian music in the 80's, but I do have a soft spot for the videos. Inspired by Pitchfork's 100 Awesome Music Videos, we came up with Canada's 24 most Bitchin' Music Videos of the 1980's. Or at least the 24 most bitchin' 80's videos that we could find online. Why 24? Why not? Enjoy.

Platinum Blonde: Crying Over You - 1985
Highlights: Big hair, chicks in bikinis, fancy cars, sailboats, jets, and guitar solos a-plenty.

Kim Mitchell: Go for a Soda - 1985
Highlights - Schlubby teen hallucinates a miniature Kim Mitchell in his TV and fridge.

Helix: Rock You - 1984
Highlights - Gyrating topless slave chicks. Fire. Spelling with ‘tude.

Lee Aaron: Metal Queen - 1984
Highlights - Druids, chicks in chains, tarantulas, skeletons, snakes, smoke, twirling drumsticks, and the Metal Queen. This video has everything.

Honeymoon Suite: Feel It Again - 1986
Highlights - Blue-screeny goodness. Lots of action on screen. My cat loved it.

Maestro Fresh Wes: Let your Backbone Slide - 1989
Highlights - break-dancing, beats, and rhymes with just the right amount of attitude. What more can you ask for?

Gowan: A Criminal Mind - 1985
Highlights - Weird, weird hair, and the biggest shoulder pads in history.

Mitsou: Bye Bye Mon Cowboy - 1988
Highlights - Cowboy hats, bra tops, pouting, and a zebra.

Martha and the Muffins: Black Stations White Stations - 1984
Highlights - B&W colour palette keeps you wanting more.

Gino Vanelli: Black Cars - 1985
Highlights - Princess Di hats, Dangly man earings, Miami Vice jackets, and a fabulous hair.

Martha & the Muffins: Echo Beach - 1980
Highlights - Truly awesome early 80's Eatons fashions.

Rush: Tom Sawyer - 1981
Highlights - Is Geddy wearing his mom's sunglasses in this video? *ahem* Incidently... my cousin Mike is the dude with the handlebar moustache on the cover of Moving Pictures.

Loverboy: Turn Me Loose - 1980
Highlights - Karate Kid-esque headband.

Corey Hart: Sunglases At Night - 1984
Highlights - He wears his sunglasses at night. That's pretty hardcore. Try it yourself if you think you're so effen cool.

Bryan Adams: Summer Of '69 - 1984
Highlights - You might not like this song, but I bet you can't help but know all the words. Admit it.

Headpins: Don't It Make Ya Feel - 1982
Highlights - Krazy kitchen staff freak with the straights. Yeah! Get em. We hate the straights!


Men Without Hats: The Safety Dance - 1982
Highlights - Kickstarted the long tradition of little people in music videos.

Aldo Nova: Fantasy - 1982
Highlights - Super tight leopard print pajamas, and a laser-shooting guitar.

Men Without Hats: Pop Goes The World - 1987
Hightlights - Bubbles!

Loverboy: Working For The Weekend - 1981
Highlights - Kerchief to match previously mentioned headband.

Rush: Subdivisions - 1982
Highlights - Nerd anthem. It's worth noting that this species of nerd is different from the one in Mitchelle's "Might as Well Go for a Soda"

Dream Warriors: My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style - 1990
Highlights - Frenetic fun

Neil Young: Wonderin' - 1983
Highlights - Nifty jumpy images. Reminder that ours is not the first generation to mine previous time periods for inspiration.

The Box: L'Affair Dumoutier - 1985
Highlights - I thought it was European.

Honeymoon Suite: Wave Babies - 1985
Highlights - Fun luvin' guys have themselves a day at the beach.

What are we missing? Remember... I want links to videos... not just suggestions. And don't worry. We're working on a list of contemporary artists. Expect it next week.


posted by John Paolozzi on Jul 21, 2006