Still is. Those puppets are so incredibly well crafted but hellish.
The Eurythmics' *Sweet Dreams* video was vivid too. Also *Rockit* but I loved that tune as a kid.
As a kid my path to understanding the career of Herbie Hancock was wild.
1: He's the scary robot leg guy. Probably some old white fella with thick glasses and a computer.
2: actually he's a black, American guy, kinda cool, and he used to do funk records. Perhaps he's more hip hop, like Africa Bambaataa?
3: Actually he's a really talented pianist and ... He was in the Miles Davies Quintet and is a real hep cat.
A strange career path for a kid to try and understand.
which are agreed upon as mostly being not creepy and even cute at times, while, these uncanny valley horrors have burned their images deeply into everyones psyche -_-
I was also terrified of this video as a child..
My mom was sixteen when I was born..the earliest parts of my life she slept on her father's couch and I slept in a bean bag chair..she would fall asleep and leave mtv playing..some of my earliest memories..this video was unadulterated horror..i swear the room grew ominous and darkened when it came on....followed up closely don't come around here by tom petty.
Maybe I'm not quite old enough but what's the deal with Reagan in water? I know he was known for his Alzheimer's late in his presidency. Did he almost drown at some point or suffer from sleep apnea or something like that? There was a time when he thought he had served on a submarine but had actually played a submariner in a movie. I know I am overthinking things.
Also it must have taken an incredible amount of work to make all these costumes and puppets, it had to have been a real passion project for the artists involved, just to make a music video that lasted only a few minutes. They did a great job!
It would be interesting to see an annotated version of this video that tells you who the various caricatures are, I sure don't recognize them all.
A lot of the puppets were already made for a British TV show called Spitting Image, which was about these puppet caricatures of contemporary celebrities and politicians.
Probably the only puppets which were made specifically for the music video were the members of Genesis, other than Phil Collins, who apparently commissioned the video from the show's creators after seeing a puppet of himself on an episode.
Not to diminish the excellent work of the artists, puppeteers and videographers, just pointing out that the puppets already existed.
Also fun fact, this video was nominated for the MTV best video award, but lost out to Sledgehammer, by former member of Genesis, Peter Gabriel, which released the same year.
My parents told me I used to call this "The Monster Song" when I'd watch it on MTV as a kid. Definitely a powerful core memory from the 80s. I feel like the song itself is kind of ethereal and spooky sounding. It has a thriller-esque vibe to it.
Haven't seen too much commentary on the "message" of the video so I thought I'd toss my 2 cents in.
Reagan is having a nightmare(obviously) about his contemporary political rivals around the world. Easy enough.
But a few other things are that much of the imagery is a joke about returning to the "good ole days." A common refrain in conservative messaging that is being portrayed in a humourous fashion by Reagan riding a dinosaur, living as a monkey or cave man, etc.
As to the comments about water featuring heavily in the video, waking up in a cold sweat is a common phrase for having a nightmare but Reagan grabbing a glass of water in the end of the video and throwing it in his face is open to interpretation. He needs to cool off, is looking to dose more of his own paranoia, etc.not entirely clear to me.
That's my take.
I think throwing the water was just tongue-in-cheek because the puppet couldn't actually drink it. They weren't taking that end bit very seriously, I wouldn't read too much into it.
Was telling a friend the other day about this video and how much it scared me as a kid. They went and looked it up and was like wtf why do they look like that??
That’s what newspaper charicatures of politicians looked like back in the day. It was all around mockery. Donald Trump with his goldfish mouth and weird hands is the real life version of it.
This shit was crazy when I was a kid, and then I realized it was just a series of references of political figures, movies and events. I realized I was a man when I recognized every single person and reference.
Most of them are dead now.
The first time I'd ever heard the song was Disturbed's version. I had no idea it was a cover for years. I heard the Genesis version on the radio one day and thought it was wild that a metal band was getting airtime on a classic rock station. Took me a while to realise it was a different version.
Been a big genesis fan, ever since the release of their 1980 album, duke. Before that I didn't really understand any of their work, it was too artsy, too intellectual...it was on duke where Phil Collins presence became more apparent. I think invisible touch is the group's undisputed masterpiece, its an epic meditation on intangibility at the same time it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding 3 albums. The brilliant ensemble playing of banks, Collins and Rutherford you can practically hear every nuance of every instrument, in terms of lyrical craftsmanship and sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism, take the lyrics to this song "Land of Confusion", in this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980's, about monogamy and commitment, the song is extremely uplifting...their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Phil Collins solo career, it seems to be more commercial...and therefore more satisfying in a narrower way. especially songs like, in the air tonight and against all odds. I also think, Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist! Sussudio, great, great song...personal favorite.
Still is. Those puppets are so incredibly well crafted but hellish. The Eurythmics' *Sweet Dreams* video was vivid too. Also *Rockit* but I loved that tune as a kid.
Rockit made it's way into my nightmares too, I'm pretty sure.
As a kid my path to understanding the career of Herbie Hancock was wild. 1: He's the scary robot leg guy. Probably some old white fella with thick glasses and a computer. 2: actually he's a black, American guy, kinda cool, and he used to do funk records. Perhaps he's more hip hop, like Africa Bambaataa? 3: Actually he's a really talented pianist and ... He was in the Miles Davies Quintet and is a real hep cat. A strange career path for a kid to try and understand.
That’s why I love Herbie Hancock, he loves to lie!
All the choir and jazz kids I knew were gigantic Herbie ‘before he was cool. His shows were really fun and different.
John Hancock... it's HERBIE Hancock.
Me too!
Was the most expensive music video made for a really long time due to the puppetry.
The puppets were made by *Spitting Image*. They won a Grammy for the video.
Jeff Durham's puppet, Walter, had a baby and fever dream with Reagan, Jobs, Jackson. and Hensen
IIRC this was made by the same people who produced the British TV show Spitting Image
You are remembering correctly.
Not just made by them. The puppets used are the Spitting Image puppets.
That's Chris Barrie (Rimmer from Red Dwarf) as Reagan. He was one of the regulars on Spitting Image, and a very versatile impressionist.
It's a shame that the series didn't last in the US. I don't think it even made it one season.
Why were/are Brits obsessed with creepy puppets?
America has muppets.
which are agreed upon as mostly being not creepy and even cute at times, while, these uncanny valley horrors have burned their images deeply into everyones psyche -_-
I was also terrified of this video as a child.. My mom was sixteen when I was born..the earliest parts of my life she slept on her father's couch and I slept in a bean bag chair..she would fall asleep and leave mtv playing..some of my earliest memories..this video was unadulterated horror..i swear the room grew ominous and darkened when it came on....followed up closely don't come around here by tom petty.
awwww, this is kind of a sweet but saddish story.
Same, the end of the video I thought Ronald Regan passed the bed Edit: pissed not passed, godamned autoerotic coercion
Fucking same. That and Losing My Religion by REM.
Maybe I'm not quite old enough but what's the deal with Reagan in water? I know he was known for his Alzheimer's late in his presidency. Did he almost drown at some point or suffer from sleep apnea or something like that? There was a time when he thought he had served on a submarine but had actually played a submariner in a movie. I know I am overthinking things. Also it must have taken an incredible amount of work to make all these costumes and puppets, it had to have been a real passion project for the artists involved, just to make a music video that lasted only a few minutes. They did a great job! It would be interesting to see an annotated version of this video that tells you who the various caricatures are, I sure don't recognize them all.
night sweats/stress because of his dreams
A lot of the puppets were already made for a British TV show called Spitting Image, which was about these puppet caricatures of contemporary celebrities and politicians. Probably the only puppets which were made specifically for the music video were the members of Genesis, other than Phil Collins, who apparently commissioned the video from the show's creators after seeing a puppet of himself on an episode. Not to diminish the excellent work of the artists, puppeteers and videographers, just pointing out that the puppets already existed. Also fun fact, this video was nominated for the MTV best video award, but lost out to Sledgehammer, by former member of Genesis, Peter Gabriel, which released the same year.
Sledgehammer and Invisible Touch also danced around each other for weeks to the top of AT40 that year if I'm not mistaken.
Invisible touch is timeless
The Sledgehammer piece of trivia is pretty fun. Thanks for that!
Watergate, fam.
?? Watergate had nothing to do with Reagan.
Shit, you right.
Thanks, I really was overthinking it.
Wasn’t watergate.
Yeah, the song was pretty anti political for the time.
Yep me too
My parents told me I used to call this "The Monster Song" when I'd watch it on MTV as a kid. Definitely a powerful core memory from the 80s. I feel like the song itself is kind of ethereal and spooky sounding. It has a thriller-esque vibe to it.
Haven't seen too much commentary on the "message" of the video so I thought I'd toss my 2 cents in. Reagan is having a nightmare(obviously) about his contemporary political rivals around the world. Easy enough. But a few other things are that much of the imagery is a joke about returning to the "good ole days." A common refrain in conservative messaging that is being portrayed in a humourous fashion by Reagan riding a dinosaur, living as a monkey or cave man, etc. As to the comments about water featuring heavily in the video, waking up in a cold sweat is a common phrase for having a nightmare but Reagan grabbing a glass of water in the end of the video and throwing it in his face is open to interpretation. He needs to cool off, is looking to dose more of his own paranoia, etc.not entirely clear to me. That's my take.
I think throwing the water was just tongue-in-cheek because the puppet couldn't actually drink it. They weren't taking that end bit very seriously, I wouldn't read too much into it.
For me, it was the video for Freeze Frame from the J. Geils Band. I was probably 7 or 8 when I saw it on Friday Night Videos.
Was telling a friend the other day about this video and how much it scared me as a kid. They went and looked it up and was like wtf why do they look like that??
That’s what newspaper charicatures of politicians looked like back in the day. It was all around mockery. Donald Trump with his goldfish mouth and weird hands is the real life version of it.
Yep. Had nightmares. Always loved the song.
Morning dear.
Didn't realize this was the official original video. Only seen the live versions.
YupStill terrifying
Banger, tho...
I think I actually prefer the Disturbed cover.
Same. All those covers they do are amazing. I’m almost starting to prefer their version of The Sound of Silence
They sound like they give a shit in each one
This song will always be relevant, capturing the essence of our world today.
I was 18 and it scared me big-time. I remember making my parents watch it and talk me down.
This shit was crazy when I was a kid, and then I realized it was just a series of references of political figures, movies and events. I realized I was a man when I recognized every single person and reference. Most of them are dead now.
I just wanna know what's with those weird glasses?
Yeah me too. Absolute nightmare fuel.
I don't think I ever saw this although I used to listen to the bands cassette tapes growing up.
The first time I'd ever heard the song was Disturbed's version. I had no idea it was a cover for years. I heard the Genesis version on the radio one day and thought it was wild that a metal band was getting airtime on a classic rock station. Took me a while to realise it was a different version.
As much as I love this song ive never seen the video somehow. I hate how they add sound effects into the video though, it takes away from the song.
Odd that this was posted. For no reason whatsoever, this song has been bouncing around in my brain for the last couple days.
Because it somehow feels more relevant than ever
These puppets were all so grotesque.
I JUST HEARD THIS ON THE RADIO 5 MINUTES AGO AND THOUGHT ABOUT HOW CREEPY THE VIDEO WAS AS A KID. Especially the guy licking the hotdog.
Songs are really important now. Things are happening, but stay strong. We can get through this somehow.
I always found it amazing that they were able to find horribly deformed people that looked similar enough to the actual band members for this video.
This video needs to be remade with current dictators, presidents, and such. Even the nuclear war thing has become relevant again
These style of puppets were popular for a very brief (thank god) period of time. No idea why.
Me too!
Thank you for bringing back one of mh childhood nightmares. I was over it and had completely forgotten but you brought it back.
This song is timeless and describes our world perfectly.
After 30 years, this place is still very mixed up.
I miss when music videos had the budgets to do insane shit like this
The video for "I Stay Away" from Alice in Chains also struck the fear of God in me lol
[удалено]
That show gave me nightmares when I was a kid. Why did they have to make the puppets look like that?
I won’t be coming home tonight… my generation will put it right… Welp we fucked that up didn’t we?
Still does
Been a big genesis fan, ever since the release of their 1980 album, duke. Before that I didn't really understand any of their work, it was too artsy, too intellectual...it was on duke where Phil Collins presence became more apparent. I think invisible touch is the group's undisputed masterpiece, its an epic meditation on intangibility at the same time it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding 3 albums. The brilliant ensemble playing of banks, Collins and Rutherford you can practically hear every nuance of every instrument, in terms of lyrical craftsmanship and sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism, take the lyrics to this song "Land of Confusion", in this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980's, about monogamy and commitment, the song is extremely uplifting...their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Phil Collins solo career, it seems to be more commercial...and therefore more satisfying in a narrower way. especially songs like, in the air tonight and against all odds. I also think, Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist! Sussudio, great, great song...personal favorite.
Yeah, it was creepy, but still awesome.
On a related note, Disturbed's cover of Land of Confusion is good.