Retro Video of the Week: "Dancing With Myself" by Billy Idol

This Friday marks the 25th anniversary of Billy Idol getting into a motorcycle accident, which resulted in several broken bones.  He was slated to have a bigger role in the Oliver Stone movie The Doors, but his injuries resulted in a reduced role in the film.  Coincidentally, I am going to see Billy Idol in concert this Saturday night at The Riv, so I am pretty pumped about that.  All of this tells me I should have a Billy Idol song for this week's Retro Video of the Week.  I went with "Dancing With Myself" because it's probably his catchiest song.  Originally released in 1980 on the final album released by Idol's band Generation X, it got up to #62 on the UK charts.  It was then re-mixed and re-released in 1981 on Idol's solo debut EP, Don't Stop, but it failed to chart in 1981.  

It was then re-re-released in 1983, following the success of "Mony Mony," "White Wedding," and "Eyes Without a Face," the latter two cracking the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 charts.  The re-release didn't chart very well (it didn't make the top 100, although it was a Top 10 song in New Zealand), but with MTV in full force by 1983, it was an opportunity for Idol to get his face on MTV.  This was Idol's first video, and it was directed by Tobe Hooper, who directed Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist (among many other films).  It's your standard '80s, post-apocalyptic rooftop zombie dance party.