Billy Burnette - In Just a Heartbeat

The son and nephew of rock and roll performers (Dorsey and Johnny Burnette of the Rock and Roll Trio), Billy has spent his entire life as a musician.  By the time he graduated from high school, he was working full time in both rockabilly and country bands, and released three albums in the 1970s.

"In Just a Heartbeat" was the second single from Burnette's self-titled 1980 LP (in true Peter Gabriel style, it was his third eponymous album).  Neither the single nor the album charted, and we don't believe that the video received much in the way of airplay, as MTV wasn't launched until the following year.

Burnette would go on to have some success in country music, before joining Fleetwood Mac as Lindsey Buckingham's replacement in 1987.  He left the band in 1991 (although he has sporadically worked with them since then) and returned to his country and rockabilly roots.

Cool trivia fact:  Billy Burnette is the cousin of Rocky Burnette (below; the January 23, 2012 post).  Rocky is the son of Johnny while Billy is the son of Dorsey.

Rocky Burnette - Tired of Toein' the Line

Rocky Burnette (given name: Jonathan), was the son of early rocker Johnny Burnette.  Johnny wrote "You're Sixteen," later made famous by Ringo Starr, and ran in the same circles as Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins.  He was tragically killed in a boating accident in 1964.

Years later, Rocky joined the family business, and wrote updated rockabilly songs, in the same genre as his dad had in the 1950s and early 1960s.  Rocky is best known for "Tired of Toein' the Line," the 1980 single from the 1979 album Son of Rock'n'Roll.  The song was a huge hit, peaking at #8, while the album hit #53.  Although Rocky never had another big hit, he has remained a working musician, to this day, in fact.

"Tired of Toein' the Line (nice apostrophe) is a catchy song, but it appears that Rocky and his friends completely lost their minds when it came time for the video shoot.  To be fair, early 80s videos were something of an afterthought, as MTV didn't even launch until 1981 (and didn't really gain traction until 1982).  Even so, the chicks in shiny pantsuits energetically pretending to play instruments ... including trombone (yes, really), while Rocky sings with his shirt open, wearing his best Ted Nugent sunglasses ... well, the video scores high on the cheesy / WTF scale.  It might even be so bad that it's good, but you'll have to be the judge of that.

Cool trivia fact:  Rocky would go on to work with Dwight Twilley in the 1990s ... who is also on the blog for a different cheesy video.  Go figure.

Michael Stanley Band - He Can't Love You

The Cleveland-based Michael Stanley Band is yet another group that made some great music, but never quite broke out at the national level.  They did, however, achieve no small measure of success in the Midwest during the 1970s and early 80s, due to their solid, if somewhat mainstream rock sound.

Ironically, 1980 found the band at an ebb in their career, as their label (Arista) dropped them.  With no other label showing any interest in them, the MSB recorded their own album, 1980's Heartland, without any outside interference.  Eventually, EMI heard the record, and signed the band to a four record contract.

"He Can't Love You" was the first single off Heartland and broke the top 40 (peaking at #33).  The band was no doubt helped by MTV, which played the song on their first day (the 45th video ever played on the fledgling channel).  Unfortunately, success proved elusive for the band, and they finally called it quits in 1986, after a series of farewell concerts in Ohio.

Cool trivia fact:  The Big Man, Clarence Clemons, played the sax on the studio recording (sadly, he does not appear in the video).

Note that the MSB's last top 40 single, "My Town," was posted on ERV in November 2014.

Devo - Girl U Want

Devo was one of the most interesting, creative and visual bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s.  The band was formed in 1973 in Ohio and gradually evolved into a something resembling a new wave art rock band.  With their matching uniforms, planter headgear, and campy attitudes, they seemed unlikely rock stars.  However, they were also great and under-appreciated songwriters.  Nowhere is this more evident than on their 1980 album, Freedom of Choice.

The big hit from the album was "Whip It," which reached #14 on the singles chart.  The strange western/new wave video of that song also received a ton of airplay on MTV.  However, many critics, including your humble author, favored "Girl U Want" -- a song that is somehow both mechanical and rocking.

"Girl U Want" was inspired by the Knack's "My Sharona," although in typical Devo style, it is about unrequited love; the lyrics contrasting with the uptempo melody.  As to the video ... we still have no idea what it means.  But it is definitely interesting.

More interesting stuff:  Devo created a mellowish alternate version of this song around 1982 that is worth checking out.  Additionally, both Robert Palmer and Soundgarden covered the song, and had (unsurprisingly) really different interpretations.  All three of the above covers are on YouTube, and we highly recommend a listen.

George Benson - Give Me the Night

And now for something completely different.

George Benson got his musical start playing ukulele at age 7, and later became an successful jazz guitarist.  By the late 1970s, he was an established star, and his music had evolved into something new -- not jazz, not quite disco, but something that fit in well with the emerging R&B movement.

In 1980, Benson had the smarts or good fortune (or both) to collaborate with Rod Temperton and Quincy Jones.  Quincy Jones went on to become one of the biggest record producers in the world.  Tempeton co-wrote the Michael Jackson songs "Off the Wall," "Rock with You" and "Thriller" (all produced by Jones), along with "Stomp" by The Brothers Johnson.

The resulting song, "Give Me the Night," became Benson's biggest hit, and rose to #4 on the charts.  It also hit #1 on the R&B charts.  The video received little airplay, partly due to the fact that it predated MTV by a good year or so, and partly because MTV was not very friendly to R&B acts in its early days.  It also may have something to do with the roller skates.  Just sayin'.

Cool trivia fact:  supposedly, Quincy Jones suggested the echo on Benson's guitar that drives the sound.

Judas Priest - Breaking the Law

Wonderfully ridiculous video, but based on a true story (no, not really). We particularly like the intro, with the pigeon-feeding, guitar-carrying pilgrim/bank robbers chilling on a park bench.  The video was directed by Julien Temple, who became a mainstay on MTV in the 1980s; if he's smart he might consider leaving this one off of his CV.  The guitars here are so powerful that they can shatter glass, even without amplifiers.  (There is some metal bar bending too, but that is clearly due to the brute strength of Rob Halford.)  Spectacularly cheesey video of a great song.  From 1980's British Steel -- a classic heavy metal album. 

Priests' "Hot Rockin'" was posted on ERV in December 2014.

Pat Benatar - You Better Run

The second video played on MTV -- Pat Benatar's great cover of the Rascals "You Better Run."  From the 1980 Crimes of Passion LP, this video shows Benatar at the height of her powers.  Crimes would go on to sell more than 5 million units, and remains Benatar's biggest selling album of her career.  The album peaked at #2, and had 3 big hits ... and "You Better Run" was the lowest charting of them at 42.

This entry will also serve as the launching post for the "songs that you didn't know were covers."  "You Better Run" was originally recorded by The Rascals (originally called The Young Rascals) in 1966, and it actually charted, peaking at #20.  As an aside, The Rascals were an American blue-eyed soul band active in the late 1960s and early 1970s.  They are best known for the songs "Groovin'," "Good Lovin'," and "Mustang Sally." (We wonder if they briefly considered calling it "Mustan' Sally?")  Anyhow, here is the original version:

Also worth noting:  Benatar's "All Fired Up" was posted on ERV in March 2014 and "Promises in the Dark" was posted in March 2018.

The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star

The only proper way to start the blog.  This was the first video played on MTV, and started the music video revolution that we joined at an early age.  Not as rare as much of what will follow, but a worthy start.  The song was actually recorded in 1979, but the album (The Age of Plastic) wasn't released until 1980.  For trivia buffs, this song was played on MTV at midnight on August 1, 1981.