When MTV debuted in the early ‘80s, suddenly music videos started to become just as important as the music itself. Every artist or band now not only had to produce good music, but also had to produce memorable videos if they wanted some rotation on MTV. Some artists were more successful than others in that department, and in a new series called Eat My Vids, we’re going to feature an artist or band and rank all of their music videos created during the height of the MTV music video era. You know, before MTV became all about reality television.
Today, we’re taking a look back at one of the most quintessential late ‘80s/early ‘90s pop stars — Paula Abdul. Paula Abdul started out her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers, which morphed into choreographing music videos, which eventually led to her recording her own music and choreographing her own music videos. While you may remember her now as being a judge on the original American Idol, her run in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s was a much more iconic time for her.
So let’s get to it — below is our ranking of all of Paula’s music videos from the ‘80s and ‘90s.
15. Vibeology (1992)
True story? I’ve never heard this song before! And, wow. That’s… a song. The video isn’t really anything to write home about, mostly just close ups of Paula singing the song alongside other background dancers dancing about, and lots of red and black.
14. Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up (1996)
In this video, Paula participates in some kind of dance off situation in what looks like a high school gym, except everyone is definitely not in high school. She mostly is battling with a dance partner against another girl, but in the end seems to get mad at her partner? It’s a little unclear, but at the very end of the video everyone is carrying her, so apparently she won the dance off after all.
13. Crazy Cool (1995)
This video is very, shall we say, suggestive? Paula does some real seductive work in this video, using a black cane in certain ways and pouring beer all over herself while riding a mechanical bull. MTV wouldn’t play the video because they thought it was too sexual, and despite Paula and director Matthew Rolston trying to appeal to them, the two eventually gave up and released an edited version of the video. The one featured above, however, is the real one in all of its glory.
12. Will You Marry Me? (1992)
If one Paula Abdul dancing in a video wasn’t enough for you, then how about five? This music video features five versions of Paula in white dresses dancing to the song in sort of a white and silver void, where at various times a digital leaf flies around, translucent bubbles floats about, and at the end, an actual translucent man reminiscent of the T1000 Terminator appears to get married to Paula.
11. The Promise of a New Day (1991)
This video gained a lot of attention for the post-production effects that were done to it. The backgrounds were filmed in Hawaii, with Abdul and her backup dancers performing in front of a blue screen and later composited onto the background. While audiences might have been okay with that trickery, it was the fact that the video was elongated, supposedly to make Paula look taller and thinner, that gained so much negative attention. The video was even parodied on In Living Color.
10. Blowing Kisses in the Wind (1991)
In this video, Paula dances with a partner against a red and black backdrop. It features some wire work and the dancing is pretty good, but otherwise it’s not super memorable.
9. Knocked Out (1988)
For Paula’s debut single, Danny Kleinman directed this music video that features Paula and a bunch of dancers practicing routines on a dance floor. There’s nothing particularly super memorable about it other than Paula’s very ‘80s teased hair.
8. (It’s Just) the Way That You Love Me - Version 2 (1988)
Why was a second video made for this song? It wasn’t really needed as the theme is very similar to the first version, but it’s still better than some of her other music videos. This second was also directed by David Fincher and features a lot more close-ups of a wet-haired Paula singing the song spliced between a fancy guy and his fancy things.
7. My Love is For Real (1995)
This sensual video plays off of the Indian and Middle Eastern music of the song itself, which features backing vocals by Israeli singer Ofra Haza. Michael Haussman directed the video, which features Paula as the headmistress of a harem who is longing for a man, I guess? We’re pretty sure the actor in this video is Stephen Lang, but can’t find any official place where that is listed. What do you think? Also, the video was apparently played in theatres before the movie Clueless. Do you remember seeing it in theatres?!
6. (It’s Just) the Way That You Love Me - Version 1 (1988)
The first version of this video was also directed by David Fincher, and features cuts between Paula dancing with a small group of background dancers, her singing into a microphone, and some more shots of a “fancy guy” and his “fancy things.” During the breakdown part of the song, it features some tap dancing as well, which is fun.
5. Straight Up (1989)
This black and white video opens with Paula doing some tap dancing before the song gets started. David Fincher directed the video, and Paula did the choreography for it. Though it’s hard to tell, Arsenio Hall and Djimon Hounsou are both in the video.
4. Cold Hearted (1989)
In this David Fincher-directed music video (seriously, they loved to work together in the late ‘80s!), Paula performs a choreographed number with a group of dancers. The story of the video has a group of record executives coming to watch them perform, and being overwhelmed by how sexual the performance ends up being.
3. Rush Rush (1991)
Keanu Reeves co-stars in this music video that is a take on the James Dean movie Rebel Without a Cause. Directed by Stefan Wurnitzer, several scenes of the movie are recreated shot for shot, with Keanu in the James Dean role and Paula in Natalie Wood’s role. It’s definitely the most story-heavy video out of all of her videos.
2. Forever Your Girl (1989)
Another video directed by David Fincher, this one features a combination of black and white and color, and is essentially a story of Paula choreographing a kids’ production of some sort. What you might remember most about this one is that it features a tiny Elijah Wood in a business suit and lots more dancing by Paula.
1. Opposites Attract (1989)
These days, this music video might seem a little goofy, but back in the ‘90s, it was some cutting edge stuff! Paula dances with a cartoon cat called MC Skat Kat, who was voiced by The Wild Pair (Bruce DeShazer and Marvin Gunn). This video was directed by Candance Reckinger and Michael Patterson, and was inspired by the Gene Kelly film Anchors Aweigh, where Kelly dances with Jerry Mouse from Tom and Jerry.
Which is your favorite Paula Abdul music video? Let us know in the comments!
- The “Straight Up” music video won four 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, for Best Female Video, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and the first Best Dance Video.
- The “Forever Your Girl” music video parodied some other popular music videos of the era, including Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” and Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love.”
- The “Cold Hearted” music video was partially inspired by Bob Fosse’s choreography in the “Take Off with Us” scene in the movie All That Jazz.
- MC Skat Kat was animated by members of the Disney animation team in their off hours, and his movements were made by using rotoscoping. Michael “Boogaloo Shrimp” Chambers stood in for the character on a blue screen, then animators drew over his movements to create the animation. Paula even choreographed the cat’s movements to be in sync with her own live-action moves.
- On the song “Will You Marry Me?” Stevie Wonder is the one performing the parts with the harmonica. The ballad was also released just before Paula got married to Emilio Estevez. They divorced two years later.
- The “Straight Up” music video won four 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, for Best Female Video, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and the first Best Dance Video.
- The “Forever Your Girl” music video parodied some other popular music videos of the era, including Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” and Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love.”
- The “Cold Hearted” music video was partially inspired by Bob Fosse’s choreography in the “Take Off with Us” scene in the movie All That Jazz.
- MC Skat Kat was animated by members of the Disney animation team in their off hours, and his movements were made by using rotoscoping. Michael “Boogaloo Shrimp” Chambers stood in for the character on a blue screen, then animators drew over his movements to create the animation. Paula even choreographed the cat’s movements to be in sync with her own live-action moves.
- On the song “Will You Marry Me?” Stevie Wonder is the one performing the parts with the harmonica. The ballad was also released just before Paula got married to Emilio Estevez. They divorced two years later.
