Most cringe-worthy music video moment

For me, its Air Supply's Makin' Love out of Nothing At All, when Graham Russell (the one without the afro) begging his girlfrind to stay with him.

"You must stay, I can give you everything," he says in a deadpan voice. Worst acting job I've ever seen on the screen, with the possible exception of Rob Schneider in the Van Damme movie Knock Off, which I walked out of.

 

George Michael's spoken-word intro/disclaimer to "I Want Your Sex": "this song is not about casual sex." Sure, Georgy-boy, whatever you say!

 

David Bowie and Mick Jagger prancing around in "Dancing In The Streets".

It basically removes any doubt that they slept together.

 

Bruce Springsteen's dancing in "Dancing in the Dark"
All of Journey's "Seperate Ways"
Madonna dancing in "American Pie"

 

Billy Squier's performance in the video for "Rock Me Tonight" pretty much sank his career.

 

The big unveiling of Kiss without their makeup in "Lick It Up." (Or was it "Heaven's On Fire"?) Walking through a post-apocalpytic wasteland, we only see them from the neck down. They come upon a group of post-apocalyptic babes, and the big moment -- we see the UGLIEST bunch of guys ever. The babes swoon. The viewers either retch or collapse on the floor in a fit of giggles.

Ryan

 

You got that right as far as teen pop videos are concerned although on occasion you do get decent videos from teen artists. I've always enjoyed the videos of the mid 90s "teen country" invasion artists such as LeAnn Rimes, Lila McCann, Jessica Andrews, etc.

 

The Michael Jackson Bad video....espcially the long cut with the exteneded intro where Michael Jackson threatens to kick all the gang bangers asses. Cringw worthe and sad at the same time when you realize just how out of touch the man is.

P.S. Has anyone ever heard the track MJ recorded with RUNDMC sometime during the Bad era?

 

I've never seen this video, and after your fine description I'm pretty sure I don't ever need to. On the other hand, having seen pics of the Kiss guys sans makeup, I'm can't help wondering whether I'd be one of the retchers or one of the gigglers...

 

It was Lick It Up. The unmasking did resurrect their careers though. They went back to being a platinum and gold selling artists throughout the rest of the 80's and early 90's (1983-93).

 

hall and oates "private eyes".

during the chorus, oates is shown "blinking his eyes" to illustrate lyric.

CRINGE!!!!!!!

 

I can't remember the Heart video, and it may have been more than one, but I cringe when I see the shots where they "squeeze" the frame in an all-too-obvious attempt to make Ann Wilson look thinner. I don't cringe because Ann is heavy, but rather that some dim-bulb even thought they had to do anything about it in the video.

 

I will second the Billy Squire Rock Me Tonight vote. He lost me, and quite a few other fans with that one. I remember seeing this and thinking "what is wrong with him?" It wasn't until years later that i heard of his rumored supposed possible sexual preference - is that vague enough? (not that there is anything wrong with that...)

I did see him open for Queen on their last US tour, and again two summers ago, and he still puts on a great concert. I still love Don't Say No (at the last show he played the whole thing from start to finish, modifying some songs - The Stroke was slowed to a crawl), Tale of the Tape, and Emotions in Motion.

Wynn

 

Mid to late 80's Graham Nash video (don't remember the title, maybe some CSN completist can help here?), where a teen girl won't get away from the TV (which is showing Graham performing) to do her homework or the dishes or whatever... "But Dad, it's Graham Nash!!!"

-Matt

 

What about the Michael Jackson car smashing, crotch grabbing video moment? I forget the song, but absolutely cringe worthy.

 

Ah, you mean Black or White. Overhyped video!

I still cringe at the video for The Safety Dance.

Sean

 

Speaking of overweight Wilsons, the Wilson Phillips music videos used to go to extremes to hide Carnie's poundage. They'd do things like put the women in a wheat field so the stalks would come up to her chin. I still recall the first video for their second album (don't remember the song name) - Chynna and Wendy romped in skimpy lingerie while Carnie ran around in outfits that resembled muu-muus!

 

Give It Up being the first single and video from Shadows and Light.

 

Add me for a third! Did he think he was in Flasdance or something?

 

Here's vote #4.

 

I want to go on record as saying that I like that video, and as a matter of fact, that video made me a semi-fan (didn't buy the album at the time, but I bought the single of it and "Eye On You" too!).

Let me try to explain it to you, so I don't get slammed ... First, this video is from IMO "The Golden Age" of video- 1984/85. Videos had stopped being cheezy looking by this time (the blinding bright-white lighting, cheap-looking effects etc.) and were really having great production values, and it seemed that every video in these two years was (at least) trying to be different and innovative (unlike these days). This was when it seemed like anything was possible with a music video- the sky was the limit. I can remember seeing so many videos during this time for the first time and being "wow"ed every time. Maybe it was my young age, but I'd like to think it was the quality of the videos.
So "Rock Me Tonight" was really my first exposure to Billy Squire (probably on "Friday Night Videos"!, remember that?) and I guess I didn't know his "tough guy" image or whatever it was he had that was blown by this video. Sure, he might not have been a cool dancer or anything, it wasn't anymore feminine to me than what David Lee Roth (or certainly Freddie Mercury) was doing. It's a neat video that wasn't the same as the next video that came on, and it got me to buy the record. His lousy next album it '86 killed his career, not that video.


James

 

How about the part of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" video that Eddie Van Halen isn't in?

 

Has anyone witnessed the extent of David Gilmour's acting ability in "All Lovers Are Deranged"?