Forgotten Classic Video(s) of the Week

Since Grant Miller chided me last week for doing a "two-fer" on a day that wasn't a Tuesday, I've decided to seize the day and offer up a valid, indisputable two-fer from one of my big '80s crushes, Paul Young.

First up is one of my favorite '80s tunes, "Come Back and Stay," from Paul's 1983 debut album, No Parlez. This was the first single from the record, and fared pretty well on the charts, but everyone seemed to forget about it after Paul's follow-up album, The Secret of Association, which spawned the monster #1 hit, "Everytime You Go Away."

I always thought this video had an eerie feel to it, and I was always waiting for one of those crazy, veiled chicks to push poor Paul off of the cliff.



Next up is a song that's even more forgotten than "Come Back and Stay." This is the second single from No Parlez, "Love of the Common People," a gospel song that was written in the late '60s, originally performed by country artist Jim Ed Brown, and covered by everyone from Waylon Jennings to Pat Boone to....Leonard Nimoy!? I was reminded of this tune while recently watching (for the umpteenth time) Sixteen Candles, since it can be heard during an early scene in Samantha's bedroom. Every time I think of this song, I immediately think of the dumb hand movement that Paul and his backup singers (who don't look so evil when unveiled) do during the chorus. What the hell is that? It's like churning butter with a churn that's much too tall.

Comments

Historical Wit said…
Is it me of is Paul's mike wrapped in plastic wrap in the second video? If so does anyone know why?
Paul seemed to have a lot of dumb hand gestures. Mine was usually to cover my mouth from the yawns he induced.
I remember Love of the Common People from the soundtrack to Sixteen Candles.

I never cared for Paul very much after that, but my best friend thought the words to another song were:
Every time you go away you take a piece of meat with you.
Alice said…
once again, my parents' ban on MTV rears its ugly head, and i've never heard of either of these songs before. le sigh.
chelene said…
You need to get out of my head, Beckeye because I was just listening to his "Best Of" yesterday on my way to work. No love for "Tear Your Playhouse Down"?
RAHM said…
rahm

I wanted to wear a coat like that, "Come back and stay" was a song that I sang sometime in a karaoke, bad sung of course :)
I never saw the second video, but I remember well the song, so I am practicing that easy hand movement..
Gifted Typist said…
I don't know if it's the spiked mullet, pluck-and-mute baselines, or the pockets sewn on the outside of the jacket, but I think I'm coming down with a bad case of 80s.
That hair has a life of its own! I swear I saw it trying to leave during the chorus.
The Guv'ner said…
Whatever happened to Paul Young? I bet he ended up as a plumber in East London or something. That was some serious pointy hair he had going on. It was like a mullet got vicious.

I liked his version of "Wherever I lay my Hat" but I don't usually cop to it unless I'm drunk...
Cup said…
Good two-fer. I've always liked his cover of "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)."
Moxie said…
Just as I was about to watch these videos, Sixteen Candles was starting on VH1.

I'm with Chelene about "Tear Your Playhouse Down". I loved that song.
Johnny Yen said…
Somewhere in my basement I have a mix tape an old girlfriend made me that's got Paul Young's version of Marvin Gaye's "Wherever I Lay My Hat Is My Home." It's really very, very good.
Happy Villain said…
Awwwww, I have lingering crushes on Paul Young and Corey Hart to this day. Thanks for making me swoon again.