20 Gayest Videos of the ’80s: 1980-1984
By Tim Parks | March 20, 2023
My formative years as a “child of the ’80s” were truly something almost indescribable. Yet, if I were to try to put into words how it felt to be that lonely gay boy, longing for acceptance, I would summarize the feeling with three letters: MTV.
Every day I was barraged with a wealth of imagery that spoke to some part of myself I was not ready to reconcile until I turned 15—and then it was game on like Donkey Kong. (Or at the very least like Frogger, as I made my way across the highway of life, trying not to get squashed while doing so.)
There are indelible visuals seared into my mind, and they represent a precious memory of the very first time (when I was like a virgin) I saw—and heard—Madonna, Depeche Mode, Wham!, Elton John, and others who spoke to me two-fold, registering blips on my still forming gaydar.
So, I present my hit list of video clues and give my assessment of musical artists—some of whom would eventually fling open their own closet doors.
The Village People, “You Can’t Stop the Music” (1980)
You can’t stop the music. Nobody can stop the music…and your eyes cannot unsee the members of The Village People arriving on stage in various modes of transportation. With no less than two motorcycles for The Cop and The Leather Man, a jeep for The Army Man and what looks to be a mini-John Deere tractor for The Construction Worker. Ok. The Cowboy and Native American had to walk out on stage—what no horses? They perform in concert, sporting bedazzled costumes, except for The Leather Man. Apparently, he didn’t get the memo that on Saturdays we wear sparkles.
Fun Fact: The performance footage is from the 1980 motion picture “extravaganza” Can’t Stop the Music, which co-starred Steve Guttenberg (who had the best chest in Hollywood, IMO), Valerie Perrine, and Caitlyn Jenner in Daisy Dukes and a half shirt, all being directed by actress Nancy Walker!
Olivia Newton-John, “Physical” (1981)
God bless the late Olivia Newton-John for this video! From the opening scene of all the ripped, hot men exercising to the sheer camp value of Livvie’s spandex outfit and sweatband, this video and song are the shizzle lean.
Naturally, the song’s “unless it’s horizontally” message was lost on me. However, the guys going off at the end holding hands was not, which was shocking to my 12-year-old eyes. My favorite faux gay, Jack Tripper, never did anything like that on Three’s Company. Mr. Furley, maybe.
Fun Fact: “Physical” spent 10 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s been named Billboard’s No. 1 hit of the entire ’80s and helped launch the fitness craze of the decade.
Soft Cell, “Tainted Love” (1981)
Lead singer Marc Almond is a commanding presence on a bargain basement set, as an ancient Greek, shooing away the carb filled foods that a woman is attempting to feed him. Get that potato away from me! He’s also being fanned by a shirtless man and his eyeliner is on point, as are his over-exaggerated bitchy mannerisms!
Fun Fact: Soft Cell remade the video in 2015, this time with a male model—oh hey—lying on a bed wearing a tank top and underwear being tormented by celestial creatures. Back off star people, he’s mine!
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, “I Love Rock ‘N Roll” (1981)
How can you NOT love Joan Jett, I implore of you? I do for the sole factors of: (a) I love her brand of Rock ‘N Roll, and (b) she could kick my ass. She exemplifies the ultimate rocker chick in the video, in both attitude and looks, so I was not surprised when she came out. Could. Have. Knocked. Me. Over. With. A. Feather.
Besides, this video could be used as an argument against the tired belief that lesbians and gays do not mix. Example, she seems to get along fine with the little Mary “standing by the record machine.” Honey, those DSL’s give you away!
Fun Fact: The song was first recorded by a British rock band, The Arrows, in 1975. It became Jett’s highest-charting single and was #1 for seven, ahem, straight weeks.
The Weather Girls, “It’s Raining Men” (1982)
Truly one of the gayest things ever committed to video tape. It doesn’t appear they had the money for film, given the realllly bad effects. They are what I’d call “special.” But it more than made up for the “cost-effective” budget by featuring the fantastic Martha Wash and the “other” one (Izora Armstead) that made the group plural.
And trust, they had news for me, and I certainly listened and watched as men in trench coats, fedoras, and Speedos fell from the sky and danced about. This future Pride anthem made me burn my umbrella and run outside to see what the forecast had in store. Hallelujah, indeed!
Fun Fact: Watching this video instantly makes you gay, gay, gay!
Culture Club, “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” (1982)
Bless my Aunt Maryellen’s heart, upon seeing this video on MTV for the first time she gasped, “Looks like he should be called Girl George.” Someone was quipping to be clever.
I have very fond recollections of Boy George skipping around the pool setting everyone’s nerves on edge…was he a man, a woman? He was Boy George, dammit, and skipped to the beat of his own reggae-infused beat in the video! Shantay, you stay!
Fun Fact: In 1986, Boy George appeared as himself on an episode of The A-Team, wherein he and the rest of the Club performed “Move Away” and “Karma Chameleon.” You really can’t make this stuff up and I pity the fool that didn’t dance!
Joe Jackson, “Steppin’ Out” (1982)
This video was on heavy rotation on MTV and highlighted Jackson doing what he did best, tickling the ivories—no, not like that! Playing the piano, silly! In his New York City hotel room, he musically extols the virtues of nightlife.
There’s a woman in the adjoining hotel room, who looks like she’d be extremely comfortable on the set of Dynasty, making her way “into the night, into the light.” Meanwhile, a woman on the housekeeping staff gets all Single White Female about said woman’s wardrobe and fantasizes that she’s ready for a night out on the town, too.
Fun Fact: Jackson, who later came out as bisexual in 2001, played his first paying gig at age 16, as a pianist in a pub next door to a glue factory just outside of Portsmouth, England.
The Waitresses, “I Know What Boys Like” (1982)
Patty Donahue (no relation to Phil) laid it all out on the checkered tablecloth with this song. Said boys want to touch her, but she never lets them. It doesn’t appear that it would have been too difficult to catch Donahue, as she gives off a slightly medicated vibe in her appearance. But not on her delivery of the lyrics, especially the one when she intones, “Sucker.” In a word, she’s sass-tastic, and yes, that’s a word. Albeit one I made up, but still...
Fun Fact: The Waitresses did the theme song for the short-lived 1982 sitcom Square Pegs, which starred a teenage Sarah Jessica Parker, so that adds some gay street cred to their resume.
Billy Joel, “Allentown” (1982)
The “Piano Man” AKA Mr. William Joel doesn’t exactly spring to mind in terms of connecting the word gay to him. That would be an unlikely pairing, much like his and Christie Brinkley’s marriage.
His video for the plight of those “living here in Allentown” wasn’t exactly geared toward a pink audience. However, there were a few sequences that bear mentioning, including a sweet ass shot in the showers. Then there’s the shirtless sweaty man in a hard hat, ahem, turning a crank. Subtle and Guh, Guh, Guh, GAY! What was not-so-subtle, but still 4 G worthy, was the queen with the, um, flaming baton who was wearing onion skins. He seemed both out of place and in the right place at the same time in my teenage eyes.
Fun Fact: Joel considers the song as being “hopeful” regarding the plight of the unemployed steel workers. However, the tune received mixed responses in the titular city. Some residents felt it was degrading, citing it was full of working-class stereotypes. Whoopsie.
Elton John, “I’m Still Standing” (1983)
This one threw me for a loop! No, not because it had mimes in it! (Ok, just a little with those silent clown-like figures.) It was the other figures that had my heart acting as the beat of a drum I was still afraid to march to. Seeing a leather clad man/hotel worker that you could tip with glitter was not yet in my wheelhouse! And all the painted men in Speedos, which sounds like a name that belonged to a one-hit wonder band from the era. Rather, it’s a reference to the guys in the video, especially Mr. Yellow with the white stripe, who seemed really into Elton. And vice versa.
Which begs the question, did EJ have a handy, I mean, hand in selecting these dancers, or in the very least applied their body paint? My guess is probably. I mean, I would have.
Fun Fact: Sir Elton met Renate Blauel while recording his 1983 comeback album Too Low for Zero, on which “I’m Still Standing” was featured and they married the following year while he was on tour in Australia.
Madonna, “Burning Up” (1983)
This was a difficult choice! But this is vintage Madonna, when she sported crucifix earrings and appears to have snatched up every rubber bracelet she could find at Merry-Go-Round in the greater Los Angeles area (remember that store?).
And for pure, unabashed sexuality there was nothing hotter than Ms. Ciccone rolling around on asphalt; pre-dating similar moves during her infamous MTV Video Music Awards appearance by a year. Did I want to see her down on her knees and bending over backwards? Uh, yeah. “Burning Up” is such an underrated song and the very definition of being a slut anthem, because she’s not the same, had no shame, and was on fire. If you, or someone you know, experiences a burning sensation, please contact your doctor immediately, if not sooner.
And it’s no wonder she drives away in a car previously piloted by her male co-star, at video’s end. He looked like he’d be absent from filming to start his very own chapter of a Madonna fan club. Just sayin’. However, it was an early reminder to illustrate that Madonna was in charge.
Fun Fact: “Burning Up” was the second single and video from her debut self-titled album. Now what was the name of it again?
The B-52’s, “Song for a Future Generation” (1983)
“Hi, my name is Tim. I’m a Pisces and I like computers and hot tamales!”
Well, that’s what Ricky Wilson professed on the song from 1983’s Whammy! “SFAFG” also informed us, between choruses of “la la la la la,” that the Athens-based band was primed to take over not only the fashion world, but the entire galaxy as well. As in yearning to be “the empress of fashion” and “the captain of the Enterprise.” The former was achieved with Cindy Wilson’s Judy Jetson-inspired ensemble, plus Ricky Wilson’s and Keith Strickland’s flying saucer-shaped hats in pink and white, respectively.
There is also an odd The Brady Bunch quality to their dance number done in the spirit of campiness and not of general lack of rhythm (I’m looking at you Jan and Peter!). Oh, and Fred Schneider expressed his desire to “explore the caves of the unknown.” Hmm, that’s queer.
Fun Fact: The next year, Schneider released the solo single “Monster,” and the video has an appearance by Keith Haring.
Bonnie Tyler, “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (1983)
Definitely one of the weirdest videos I ever deposited into the spank bank repertoire of my youth. What? I was 14! As the head mistress at an all boys school, Bonnie Tyler—who sounds like she smokes 10 packs of Pall Malls a day—is haunted at night by her Children of the Damned spooky-eyed charges.
They tend to spend their nocturnal hours fencing, doing gymnastic flips, practicing football sans shirts, but not shoulder pads—hot—and doing Jazzercise in loin cloths. Talk about living in a powder keg and giving off sparks! The imagery was all my bright eyes needed to turn around and stare at the screen. There may have been a little drool, too.
Fun Fact: My partner hates this song, so sometimes I “accidentally” play it. Sorry ’bout it.
Stevie Nicks, “Stand Back” (1983)
What teenaged gay worth his salt didn’t try to recreate Stevie’s signature spinning move from this video? I’m still dizzy and waiting for gyms to catch up with Stevie’s exercise regimen on the treadmill, complete with blue neon lighting to highlight it on all sides, with additional blue neon used as overhead lighting for added effect. All that’s needed to complete the look is a fan and a shawl and other gym members will “Stand Back” from your fierceness. Werk it out!
Fun Fact: Nicks was inspired to write “Stand Back” after hearing Prince’s “Little Red Corvette.” In fact, The Purple One played the synthesizer on the recording, but never received a credit on the album. And that was his own doing. So don’t send Stevie any hate mail about it!
Queen, “I Want to Break Free” (1984)
Freddie Mercury gets his hausfrau on, and from the iconic opening shot of him vacuuming in a leather mini skirt, sleeveless pink top, matching pink scarf (naturally), garter belt and high heels, you know this isn't your older brother’s Queen. Plus, the ensemble really compliments his bubble wig and porn star ’stache!
The other boys in the band—see what I did there—also play females to varying degrees and ages, with Roger Taylor looking oddly like a forerunner to young Britney Spears. We know Freddie was trying to tell us something with this video. Especially when he opens a closet door to invite us in for the performance portion of the show, where he’s out of drag, shirtless, wearing leather pants and doing what he does best—putting on a show!
Fun Fact: Not so much a fun fact as a narrow-minded one. While not banned, like their 1982 video for 1982’s “Body Language,” MTV wouldn’t play the video and that was during the time when they actually played videos! Wow, that made me sound old! If you’ll excuse me there’s some kids on my lawn I need to yell at.
Bronski Beat, “Smalltown Boy” (1984)
Lead singer Jimmy Somerville is on the train, leaving home for pinker pastures, with “a sad and lonely face.” His “mother will never understand why” he had to leave exit stage left; it’s because the answers he seeks “will never be found at home.”
Through flashbacks, we get the full story on why he had to “run away, turn away, run away.” It’s due to being “pushed around and kicked around,” which results in a hate crime. But the video isn’t all sadness. There’s lots of slo-mo diving lads in Speedos, including one that Somerville fancies, but his attentions are rebuffed after Ol’ Straighty gave him the eye. Rude! However, he’s not alone in his journey as the other two Bronskis accompany him on the train. Sniffle.
Fun Fact: I detailed my own running away from home, in fiction form, in my novel The Scheme of Things (for sale on amazon.com). We now return you to your regularly scheduled article.
Depeche Mode, “People Are People” (1984)
In terms of being a gay video, Depeche Mode’s “People are People” is a lyrical call to arms that different people (gasp!) have different needs. This song was out when I was closeted, but having my first encounter, so it holds a near-and-dear placement in my heart. No, it didn’t make it grow two sizes too big…it’s still me, hello!
Plus, it features the synth band as semen, I mean seamen, on a Navy warship and lead singer Dave Gahan is very swoon worthy.
Fun Fact: Depeche Mode performed it in concert for the first time when they opened for Elton John in Ludwigshafen, Germany, in 1984. Talk about a double bill!
Duran Duran, “The Wild Boys” (1984)
Without question, the five lads in Duran Duran set the bar high for what a music video could be. The pulsating rhythms of the opening strains of “The Wild Boys,” mixed with a drum machine effect that mirrors gun fire, perfectly sets up the band’s post apocalyptic video.
The Mad Max adjacent vibe—and the Wild Boys’ loin cloth outfits—will leave you wondering if it will be a Thunderdome type situation of two men entering, one man leaving...in bed. Or was that just my assessment? Per usual, the cheese stands alone.
Fun Fact: “The Wild Boys” is based on the 1971 novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs.
Deniece Williams, “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” (1984)
If you’ve seen the movie Footloose a million times like I have, then you’ll recognize this song playing over a montage of Kevin Bacon teaching Chris Penn how to bust a move, which is highly suspect in the heterosexual world.
However, the video doesn’t leave much to the imagination with its depictions of a bespeckled, piano-playing, dandy fellow who doffs his drab wardrobe for some sweet sunglasses and an outfit that screams, “It’s 1984!” Well, lisps might be a more accurate statement, especially when he dances on top of the piano. Even football players, both of whom are wearing half-jerseys, get in on the dancing action. All of which makes Williams one of music videos best cheerleaders for our team!
Fun Fact: She duetted with Johnny Mathis on the theme song for Family Ties, sha la la la.
Wham!, “Wake Me up Before You Go-Go” (1984)
The gay per capita is high on Wham’s videography, and again was a challenging task to take on. Would “Club Tropicana” emerge triumphant? Or could “Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do),” or its similarly visual cousins “Bad Boys” and “Young Guns (Go for It)” take top—or bottom—honors? For sheer gayness, one must only jitterbug this over-the-top video into your brain.
Where to begin? Is it the dolphin shorts that George Michael and the short shorts that “the other guy in Wham!” (AKA Andrew Ridgeley) wear? Well, they certainly don’t help matters, nor did they hurt them whereas I was concerned. Plus, the upswing is that they most likely helped Georgie hit those high notes.
The lyrics about making “the sun shine brighter than Doris Day” were pretty telling for music’s answer to Rock Hudson at this point in his career. He certainly turns a “bright spark into a flame” many times over in this video, but never so much as during his day-glo jazz hand infused performance near video’s end.
Fun Fact: The origin of the song happened accidentally when Ridgeley needed a wake-up call, and wrote a note to his mum that read, “Wake me up up.” Upon discovering he repeated the last word, he finished the sentence with “before you go go.” All it took was for Ridgeley to recant the story to Michael, who penned the tune that became Wham’s first hit in the U.S.
Tim Parks is the Lambda Literary Award-nominated author of The Scheme of Things and a freelance entertainment writer for 23 years, columnist for 18 years with his latest one, Hollywood, appearing in The Rage Monthly. In his spare time, he sells movie memorabilia on his Cult Pop Shop SD page on Etsy.