# Identify this Scary, Hard Rock (?), Early-to-Mid-80s (?) Music Video **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2019, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523 "2019-01-10T11:52:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/1 "2019-01-10T11:52:25Z")
Long shot, you’ll love it. On Saturday afternoons, my parents used to drop my brother and me at our grandmother’s while they were out shopping. We’d sit in front of the tv for hours watching either wildlife documentaries or music videos. Over the years, there were a few that scared me witless, **Michael Jackson** ’s _Thriller_ being the ultimate example. But I thought of another one yesterday night, one that I have never been able to identify. - Timeframe : I saw it sometime around 1982-1985. It “felt” current, but it could have been a bit earlier than that. Unlikely to be from the 70s, though. - Content : All I remember was a guy (POV shot ?) walking to various places in a city and, in each, encountering someone who looked normal at first but all of a sudden turned into a zombie (or skeleton ?), causing the protagonist to flee. There were, I think, three instances of such scenes (coinciding with the verses ?), all in different environments. The only one I recall, was the last one (?). It was in an office, in a job interview type of situation, with the boss (?) behind his desk turning into a zombie. - Additional info : I identified it as “hard rock” at the time as I was already a bit familiar with the genre’s imagery and sound thanks to my uncle but I could have misinterpreted it. It also seems to me that the colours were bit off, sepia-toned perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/2 "2019-01-10T12:03:06Z")
Is it [Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YvAYIJSSZY) (penned and back-up-sung by Michael Jackson)? I suspect not but thought I’d ask. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/3 "2019-01-10T12:15:26Z")
Nope, that one I know very well since I bought the 45 then. But that was another video that scared me a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/4 "2019-01-10T12:34:58Z")
Okay - [any of these](https://flashbak.com/12-great-horror-themed-music-videos-from-the-1970s-80s-21380/) look familiar? [Or these](https://www.riverfronttimes.com/musicblog/2012/10/12/the-ten-best-music-videos-featuring-zombies)? ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/5 "2019-01-10T13:08:31Z")
Could it be Jeopardy by The Greg Kihn Band? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/yAJNwPWVmNc/maxresdefault.jpg "Greg Kihn Band Jeopardy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAJNwPWVmNc) ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/6 "2019-01-10T14:36:34Z")
[quote=“Cabbage, post:5, topic:827523”] Could it be Jeopardy by The Greg Kihn Band? [/QUOTE] This one looked very promising although the style didn’t fit with my (arguably very foggy) memories. That’s not it, at least I don’t think so, as there were more zombies/skeletons in the clip I remember but the… aesthetic, shall we say, is spot-on. @ **Gyrate** : Sorry, not in these lists either. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/7 "2019-01-10T15:55:37Z")
[Owner of a Lonely Heart](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOuYquXuuc) by Yes kinda sounds like what you are describing, but he sees flashes of spiders and snakes crawling on him, not zombies. The acting starts around 2 minutes in, the first part is just the band. I remember it freaked me out as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/8 "2019-01-10T19:09:35Z")
The “80’s/zombies” immediately made me think of Billy idol’s “Dancing With Myself”, but the video doesn’t fit the rest of your description. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/9 "2019-01-10T19:09:35Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > [Owner of a Lonely Heart](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOuYquXuuc) by Yes kinda sounds like what you are describing, but he sees flashes of spiders and snakes crawling on him, not zombies. The acting starts around 2 minutes in, the first part is just the band. > I remember it freaked me out as a kid. Another favourite of mine from the right timeframe, but that’s not it, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/10 "2019-01-10T20:37:21Z")
I’m fairly certain none of these are right, but I’m also happy to have re-watched all of them: [Planet P Project – Why Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT-K5hQl834) [The Alan Parsons Project – Prime Time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6NNJq0FZN4) [Laura Branigan - Self Control](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZFUns38D_Q) ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/11 "2019-01-11T13:51:43Z")
Aaaand, you’re right : none of them is the one I’m looking for but it’s always a pleasure to rewatch _Self Control_. _Prime Time_ was new to me, and the video would certainly have made me feel uneasy then. Good song. It’s not _Dancing With Myself_ either. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/12 "2019-01-11T15:07:59Z")
Based on your description, I’m almost certain it’s **not** Rick Springfield’s [Bop 'Til You Drop](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLnu8SzOGfs), but at least the time frame is right. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/13 "2019-01-11T15:53:06Z")
If ever there was a thread crying out for a Rickroll… ---
**Author:** ![ReptoidBusiness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b5e925/32.png) [@ReptoidBusiness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReptoidBusiness)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/14 "2019-01-11T16:45:36Z")
Here are some long shots: Rush - Roll the Bones: [Rush - Roll the Bones (Legendado).wmv - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=135&v=wkiYZz_ieyg) Judas Priest - Turbo: [Judas Priest - Turbo Lover (Official Video) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhY9GOhFwN4) ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/15 "2019-01-11T17:35:00Z")
Could it be “[Toujours là pour toi](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXGIrUwsDCo)” by 2Be3? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/16 "2019-01-11T18:16:54Z")
[del]rio[/del] The Night Boat by Duran Duran. There are zombies, but not sure about faces changing. I’d love to see this video turned into a full length, cheesy feature film. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/17 "2019-01-11T19:06:44Z")
Planet P Project’s “Do You See What I See/Behind the Barrier”? The second half (Behind the Barrier) has some horror imagery, including skeletal soldiers and zombie-like children. That part of the video starts around the 4 minute mark here: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jUweD-3GHls/hqdefault.jpg "Planet P Project - Do You See What I See / Behind the Barrier") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUweD-3GHls) ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-scary-hard-rock-early-to-mid-80s-music-video/827523/18 "2019-01-11T19:41:09Z")
Still no dice. > [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Could it be “[Toujours là pour toi](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXGIrUwsDCo)” by 2Be3? No, but coincidentally, one of them died about 10 years ago. OK, of all the suggestions so far, _Jeopardy_ by **The Greg Kihn Band** was the closest in terms imagery, setting and feel, although the musical genre was definitely not right, at least as far as I remember.