# Benny Mardones, responsible for creepiest, most pervy music video ever made, has died **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 1, 2020, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949 "2020-07-01T13:40:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2020, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/21 "2020-07-01T23:50:19Z")
This played every couple hours on a loop at my place of work. I thought he had a great voice, and enjoyed the song. Once I started thinking about the lyrics, it squicked me out some and killed much of the enjoyment. It’s still in my 1,200+ daily random playlist, but mostly I skip it when it comes up. Wish I hadn’t paid attention to the lyrics and thought about it too much. IIRC, he put all his money from this song up his nose, but eventually cleaned up and was a popular performer in his town/area for years after his fame. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2020, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/22 "2020-07-02T01:56:51Z")
> [@Dark\_Sponge](#): > > It’s a different style of pervy but I thought Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke was worse. I was actually turned off by the nudity. He took some of the most beautiful women in the world and reduced them to slabs of meat. I liked (and still _kind of_) like the song but did the models not hear the song before they performed in the video? If so, as far a I’m concerned consenting adults can choose how they portray themselves. What turns me off is the production value and the fact that what turned out to be a big hit has such a lame, uninteresting video. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/23 "2020-07-02T02:06:55Z")
> (it’s even on my iPod - don’t you judge me!) I’ll go you one better - I have it on a 45. I’d never seen the video, though. That _is_ skeevy. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2020, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/24 "2020-07-02T02:50:25Z")
In the 80s, German pop group **Bad Boys Blue** had a minor hit with the English-language song _Pretty Young Girl_. Partial lyrics below: > Pretty young girl on my mind > How I wish you to be mine? > Girl you’re no child anymore > Pretty young girl on my mind > Don’t you know, know I can’t hide > Can’t hide my feelings > You’re my girl and you’re sixteen ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2020, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/25 "2020-07-02T13:42:05Z")
I heard on a podcast yesterday that the song was really about a teenage girl who’s father had died and he (Benny) was looking out for her. He is supposedly speaking to another guy who is trying to take her out. I haven’t seen the video in years. I’m guessing it doesn’t come across that way. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2020, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/26 "2020-07-02T13:49:39Z")
That is a crime against mascara. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2020, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/27 "2020-07-02T14:01:41Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I heard on a podcast yesterday that the song was really about a teenage girl who’s father had died and he (Benny) was looking out for her. He is supposedly speaking to another guy who is trying to take her out. > > I haven’t seen the video in years. I’m guessing it doesn’t come across that way. I find that really hard to believe(not attacking you; I know you’re just relaying the story). ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/28 "2020-07-02T14:09:24Z")
Gary Puckett could not be reached for comment. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/29 "2020-07-02T14:10:08Z")
I went to the website Song Meanings + Facts (I don’t know how to insert a link 🤪). The story there is similar to what I heard but not exact. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2020, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/30 "2020-07-02T14:52:17Z")
Makes a bit more sense as to where he got the first line / idea for the song. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/31 "2020-07-02T17:16:51Z")
This song has been one of my recurring earworms for decades. I’ve always wondered why the lyricist didn’t just use a more acceptable 2-syllable age, like 30, or 20, or even 19 for godsakes! But, the song was catchy and requires some vocal range to sing, so I still consider it a great song. This is the first time I’ve seen the somewhat disturbing video, however. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/32 "2020-07-04T03:44:40Z")
I posted about Benny eight years ago in a thread called “Best TV musical performance,” for his appearance in a Roy Orbison tribute concert (not “Black and White Night”). [https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance\*emphasized](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance*emphasized) text\*-youve-seen/609760/24?u=sigmagirl ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/33 "2020-07-04T03:54:08Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > …In 1958, Elvis in his 20s started dating a 14 year old girl. This was controversial, but didn’t ruin his career. In 1967, a 27 year old Neil Diamond released “Girl, You’ll be a Woman soon” to reach the top 10 on the pop chart. In 1968, a 25 year old Mick Jagger released “Stray Cat Blues” about lusting after a 15 (often 13 in concert) year old groupie. In 1977, “Christine Sixteen” sung by a 30 year old Gene Simmons of KISS ranked 25 on the Billboard charts. Kip Winger at 27 released “She’s only Seventeen” in 1988 and hit 26 on Billboard… And Johnny Burnette released “You’re Sixteen” when he was 26; Ringo Starr covered it when he was 33. I always just pretended that Starr was singing it as if he were a teenager again. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/34 "2020-07-04T15:26:07Z")
Indeed, it often makes sense to think of the “I” in a song as a character, not necessarily identical with the person singing. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/35 "2020-07-04T18:32:47Z")
I refuse to watch the video. I liked the song until I listened closely to the lyrics, and was disappointed that I did. There are many pop songs that if you listen closely you hear lines that have a borderline “I like little girls” theme. I haven’t listened closely to pop music since 1991. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/36 "2020-07-04T19:34:32Z")
> [@CelticKnot](#): > > There are many pop songs that if you listen closely you hear lines that have a borderline “I like little girls” theme. I haven’t listened closely to pop music since 1991. Ironically, that’s around the time that songs where grown men lust after sweet little teenage girls started to fade from the charts. There’s more explicit lyrics in songs from the 90s on, but way less about underage targets (at least in popular music, obviously weird shock acts will be shocking). ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/37 "2020-07-04T21:06:54Z")
It’s so far over the top, it’s so _pointless,_ that the whole video becomes a joke. Mardones has got that Keith Richards/Iggy Pop “So Over The Hill He Fell Off the Cliff” look, where he could easily be a coked-up forty-something… and the girl they picked looks like she’s not even a teenager yet. And she’s so unresponsive that it’s not creepy… because I really don’t think she was even filmed at the same time (maybe not even with this video in mind). She’s just staring off into space, even when he’s supposed to be talking (and pleading) with her… zero reaction. So even if they were both real people, no worries. She doesn’t even know he exists, while he’s emoting his way down the street. It is a shame…I really listened to the song for the first time, and the opening had some tasty interplay going on… Different lyrics and no video, and it’d be a good song (we can change it to _“She’s just twenty-seven and a half years old…”)._ ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/38 "2020-07-04T21:20:21Z")
> [@digs](#): > > And she’s so unresponsive that it’s not creepy… because I really don’t think she was even filmed at the same time (maybe not even with this video in mind). She’s just staring off into space, even when he’s supposed to be talking (and pleading) with her… zero reaction. > > So even if they were both real people, no worries. She doesn’t even know he exists, while he’s emoting his way down the street. Huh? Did you watch the whole video? At the end they make out on a flying carpet. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/39 "2020-07-05T02:17:22Z")
For what it’s worth, 16 is old enough to be legal in many places… > **[Ages of consent in the United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_in_the_United_States)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > In the United States, each state and territory sets the age of consent either by statute or the common law applies, and there are several federal statutes related to protecting minors from sexual predators. Depending on the jurisdiction, the legal age of consent is between 16 and 18. In some places, civil and criminal laws within the same state conflict with each other. > While the unrestricted age of consent is between 16 and 18 in all U.S. states... ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949/40 "2020-07-06T02:27:06Z")
I’ll cop to getting a little misty-eyed when the Statue of Liberty popped up behind the magic carpet ride. Oh. This isn’t by Journey, then. (Figured Steve mighta gone for the lower-voiced thing.) Yeah, that was kinda like Twin Peaks Bob with buddy coming through the window. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benny-mardones-responsible-for-creepiest-most-pervy-music-video-ever-made-has-died/913949.md?page=1)