Best Rock Video Ever: “Burnin’ For You” by Blue Oyster Cult
By Jeff Lyons on Nov 14, 2008 in Music, Unearthed Videos, Videos
My vote for the best video ever made. Why you ask? It has everything you'd want in a kick-ass, rock video.
- Live performance videos always rule (even when completely staged)
- Frighteningly bad logo typography captures the era perfectly
- Riveting love story/drama unfolding in front of the band as they rock out
- A small, pudgy, Zach Galifianakis-looking singer packed into a very tight gold lamé jumpsuit brings the sex appeal
- Budget actors: Girl resembles Laraine Newman dressed as Sissy Spacek and the guy looks like a less-handsome Christopher Moltisanti (bland looking actors keeps focus on hotties in the band)
- Unique LA setting (used in only 12,000 action films)
- Smoke Machine
- Beer can drinking
- Drummer is wearing Dee Snider's clothes
- Lots of FIRE! (in case you missed it, the song has something to do with "Burning")
- Umlaut
- Cheapest special effects ever used for a car-based, self-immolation
- Best use of a dummy for a car-based, self-immolation
- Oblivious hippies dancing in front of a raging car fire (inspiration for Burning Man, no doubt)
- Ends with a flaming album cover (again, this song is about burning)
Please don't be distracted by the visuals, this song actually rules. Love it! Have any other examples of "Good Band, Bad Video"?
Fun Fact: BÖC was originally named "Soft White Underbelly"
Tags: BÖC • Blue Oyster Cult • Burnin' for you • Soft White Underbelly • unearthed video • video
wow. classic. this one has it all. from the REAL early days of MTV.
ya know- somebody had to be the band who all the bands that came later could point to and say- “as long as our video doesn’t come out like theirs, I’m cool with it”….. and BOC was just that band.
steve h. | Nov 14, 2008 | Reply
And of course:
–Awesome tap dance intro
–Earnest to-camera singing
–Excellent foley flames at the end
Brad | Nov 14, 2008 | Reply