2/100 Video - "White Wedding" - Billy Idol (1982)

"White Wedding" by Billy Idol may not have been a 'punk' song in the purest sense.

But as a 13-year-old growing up in the safe confines of suburbia, this video is what defined the concept of "cool" to me in 1982. 

A rare track we both liked, my brother and I used to emulate Billy Idol's iconic move of unwrapping his head scarf with improvised towels while singing along to the first verse.  

"White Wedding" was a video with all the fixings: epic opening, ladies in leather, fist-shaking, growling, cult-like proceedings, great guitar solo, a motorcycle crashing through a church window, exploding toasters and screaming bordering on caterwauling. 

Who cares what the lyrics mean, "White Wedding" is all about the delivery.

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.

1984 - "Eyes Without A Face" - Billy Idol

"Eyes Without A Face" is two tremendous songs for the price of one. 

The first half sees a chill Billy Idol crooning a ballad, with no screaming nor squealing guitars in sight. The synths are dreamy and laid-back.

One of the best hooks of the decades, I've always loved the female vocals leading into the chorus. The angelic "les yeux sans visage" harmony literally translates the track’s name, and encouraged me to translate other pop singles of the day into French. 

The second half is a complete 180 turn. 

Kicking in around 2:25, the minute-plus breakdown features a Steve Stevens' guitar riff slashing through Billy's road trip bender lyrics  about his nomadic bus tour reading murder books whilst trying to stay hip.

Billy returns to do his best Sinatra impression to wind up the power ballad.

Other favourites from 1984: 

"It's My Life" - Talk Talk

"Wouldn't It Be Good" - Nik Kershaw

"Relax" - Frankie Goes to Hollywood

#9. "Eyes Without A Face" - Billy Idol (1984)

"Eyes Without A Face" is two tremendous songs for the price of one. 

The first half sees a chill Billy Idol crooning a ballad, with no screaming nor squealing guitars in sight. The synths are dreamy and laid-back.

One of the best hooks of the decades, I've always loved the female vocals leading into the chorus. The angelic "les yeux sans visage" harmony literally translates the track’s name, and encouraged me to translate other pop singles of the day into French. 

The second half is a complete 180 turn. 

Kicking in around 2:25, the minute-plus bridge features a Steve Stevens' guitar riff slashing through while Billy goes on a road trip bender whilst "trying to stay hip".

Billy returns to do his best Sinatra impression to wind up the power ballad.

#60. "White Wedding" - Billy Idol (1982)

Hey little sister...oh how I loved this tune! 

"White Wedding" may not have been a 'punk' song in the purest sense, but it was the high-water mark for what constituted the concept of "cool" to me in 1982 as a 13-year-old growing up in the safe confines of suburbia. 

A rare track we both liked, my brother and I used to emulate Billy Idol's iconic move of unwrapping his head scarf with improvised towels while singing along to the first verse.  

"White Wedding" was an anthem of attitude with all the fixings: epic opening, ladies in leather, fist-shaking, growling, cult-like proceedings, great guitar solo, smashed windows, exploding toasters and screaming bordering on caterwauling. 

Who cares what the lyrics mean, "White Wedding" is all about the delivery.