Ever since the dawn of MTV and Friday Night Videos, the music video has significantly impacted musical tastes and pop culture. It might not be as extreme as when the Buggles declared that "Video Killed the Radio Star", but there is no arguing that the music video certainly could make or break a song's popularity. So this regular Flashback Video feature will serve to remember some of the music videos from the great '80s decade that made an impact on me in one way or another.
This issue we will cover "Head to Toe" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam. This was the first single released from their 1987 album Spanish Fly written and produced by Full Force. It was also the first of two singles to reach the top of the U.S. pop charts. "Head to Toe" hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the end of June (and then "Lost in Emotion" would achieve that as well in October of that year). "Head to Toe" also hit #1 on the Billboard R&B and Dance charts as well and has to be considered to be one of the most popular songs from the Summer of 1987.
The music video for "Head to Toe" was directed by Jim Shea who has had a long career as a director and cinematographer. In addition to this video, Shea also directed The Bangles "Hazy Shade of Winter", Martika "Toy Soldiers", Barbra Streisand "We're Not Makin' Love Anymore" and Winger "Hungry" in the '80s and continued working through the '90s and further decades in the industry.
The "Head to Toe" music video opens with diminutive Lisa Lisa dancing down a very '80s neon-lit tunnel before she joins the rest of the band on stage as they perform under multi-colored spotlights and even more neon. The focus is on Lisa as she shimmies around the stage cutting back and forth between different spots. It is more of a performance video and no real story to it, but it is still entertaining. Here is the music video for "Head to Toe" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam...
I have always really liked the first hit single from Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam titled "All Cried Out" from the year prior, but between "Head to Toe" and "Lost in Emotion" I listened to a lot of Lisa Lisa during the summer of 1987.
Hope you enjoyed another trip back to the '80s thanks to Flashback Video!