80s Song of the Week #5 - David Bowie "Blue Jean"

ok, ok if you've been reading my blog by now you know that I dig David Bowie something awful! *that's a good thing, by the way :)

I was not introduced to Bowie, though, until his 1980s period - quite different than his earlier heyday. That said, when he reached the 80s, whether or not with the birth of MTV and music videos - he did a major makeover - and the sexy, suave, non-effeminate but still unique Bowie was born. THIS was the David Bowie that I first cut my teeth on. Hubba hubba.

I remember this video quite clearly. I LOVE it not just for the swinging, danceable song that it is but for the video production. Firstly: the duality that plays a theme throughout it - the duality of his makeup shading (SO sexy on his angular bone structure) opposing the different color duality of his one brown eye and one light eye. Then there is the duality of him being a sexy performer onstage with the crowd in the palm of his hand and his double role of him playing the nerd in the business suit trying to impress the attractive woman watching the show (I remember that 80s makeup on her by the way!). Lastly, I love the choice of having the crowd sometimes choreographed to playfully repeat his gestures onstage. And what could be cooler than them applaud his performance at the end by doing the very French retro-chic 'snapping' of fingers instead of clapping of hands?

This video was actually only part of a 20 minute video which is hard to find nowadays in it's entirety. Until next week, my 80s friends!