58/100 Video - "Dancing With Myself" - Billy Idol (1983)

I always looked forward to watching a Billy Idol video. 

Frankly, I could line up five or six Billy Idol videos in a top 100 countdown. But we'll settle for two to show more diversity.  

The lyrics were inspired after Bill visited a disco club in Tokyo, struck by the sight of the young Japanese crowd dancing with their own reflections in walled mirrors, rather than with one another.

The video for "Dancing With Myself" is one of his best, set in the future during what appears to be a zombie apocalypse.

Or is it?

By the end of the clip, all these supposed 'zombies' wanted to do was find a dance floor closer to their idol, Billy, and the tunes.

Apocalyptic super fans would be the more accurate description.

59/100 Video - "Kelly Watch The Stars" - Air (1998)

One of the most creative videos I've ever stumbled on, the clip naturally stars a Kelly playing ping-pong with a blonde girl called Smith. 

But there is a twist: the ping-pong players are controlled by the Air band playing Pong, an early Atari video game. 

Suddenly Kelly is hit in the head by the ball. Knocked-out by ping-pong. Kelly then watches the proverbial stars and drifts away, later to be revived by two medics (the band members as well).

Similar to "Around The World" by Daft Punk, the lyrics for "Kelly Watch The Stars" are simply the song's title repeated a few dozen times to a backdrop of a catchy bass line and dreamy synths.

60/100 Video - "Touched By the Hand of God" – New Order (1988)

 

A spoof of the heavy metal hair band videos of the 80s, those familiar with New Order's low-key image will find this clip ironic and funny as hell. 

It is interesting to see the band members totally feeling the part, even Bernard. One of my favourite scenes is when he tosses the guitar into the audience.  

Rabble-rouser Peter Hook, the rock icon of the band, unsurprisingly fits the rock-and-roll role the easiest with his bass thrusting.

The video wraps up with a somewhat predictable explosion as manager Rob Gretton enters stage left to assess the scene. 

61/100 Video - "Livin' on a Prayer" - Bon Jovi (1986)

 

"Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi is of course a quintessential 80s rock anthem. 

On this track, Jon Bon Jovi's storytelling shines during the verses while the chorus shows off his charisma. 

The video starts off in black-and-white for the first half of the clip, showing the band in rehearsal participating in shenanigans, then around two-thirds in, suddenly transforms to full colour as the band takes the concert stage with a live audience. 

A song forever associated to great memories with the high school gang. 

62/100 video - "Sweet Lullaby" – Deep Forest (1994)

 

"Sweet Lullaby" by Deep Forest is a moving track. 

I remember being blown away this touching piece of ambient world music got played on commercial radio in Vancouver.

Originally sung by a woman from The Solomon Islands, this song has a unifying spirit. It could be the universal anthem of the earth. 

The warmth of the harmonies around the two-minute mark is spine-tingling.  

The image of the little girl on the tricycle with her mini umbrella visiting places near and far is breath-taking.

It wasn't a surprise that the music video, directed by Tarsem Singh, was nominated for several awards at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards.