Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Retro Video of the Week: "Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You" by Billy Squier

Sometimes I really miss MTV.  Even though I didn't have cable growing up, I managed to watch a good amount of MTV at friends' houses.  And, of course, when I got to college, MTV was basically the default station that was on all day.  

In 1981 (the same year MTV launched), Billy Squier released "Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You" as the b-side to "My Kind of Lover" (the latter of which went to #45 on the Billboard Hot 100).  At Christmas time that year, Squier visited MTV and made this video of the song, backed by the MTV cast and crew, including all five of the original VJs, Martha Quinn, J.J. Jackson, Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter, and Mark Goodman.  I'm sure none of them realized how absolutely huge and groundbreaking their four-month-old network would soon become, but everyone is having a great time.  Quinn actually once said that it was her favorite moment working at MTV.  I included a version of the video on YouTube with a lead-in from Quinn, taped during a reunion weekend, and she explains who the crazy woman in the Santa suit is.  And why isn't it socially acceptable to wear sweaters like Squier's anymore?

No comments: