Big Country - In a Big Country

Growing up in the 80s afforded me an awesome opportunity to be part a decade in which excess, superficiality, and image stamped a lot of the cultural production of the time. I can remember that my family was the first one on our street to get cable - I think it was 198w. One of the first channels my family switched to was MTV. I can remember it like it was yesterday. Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me with Science" was the first video I saw. It was a near transcendent experience. The visual with the music changed the music landscape and altered bands who might not have ordinarily embraced the spotlight. This keenness for stylized videos and styled hair also gave opportunities to less musically and more ego driven bands - Duran Duran comes to mind. Through all of this, there was some interesting music that was produced. Sure we can look back and see definitive artist from the time, but the today's selection. Big Country - "In a Big Country" is my favorite "80s" song. By "80s" I mean bands that were forced or encouraged to attempt success through this tumultuous new music industry. I would be curious to see who others would select at the top of their list. Remember, it is not bands that were critically acclaimed, but rather bands that attempted to work through the promotional machine that was/is MTV.

Sidenote - this is an abbreviated form of the song. I could not find the actual video. Have to love the dancing though.