I want my MTV

In a typical decade, I might watch MTV for maybe an hour or two. This strikes me as weird, because I really like music, and from time to time I also enjoy television. Combining the two ought to be a match made in heaven, like peanut butter and my mouth. But for some reason, MTV never clicked with me.

However, today, I turned on my tv, and music was playing on it. It wasn't MTV per se, it was VH1 Classic -- but it was showing the videos that MTV played on its first day and some of the MTV promos, too. I missed Video Killed the Radio Star, but it's still a pretty interesting concept. Having this channel on in the background is like having a crystal ball revealing 1981 in all its ridiculous and rocking glory. For example, "Wrathchild" by Iron Maiden was just followed by "Come What May" by someone named Lani Hall. In case you don't already realize how discordant this juxtaposition is, here is a sample lyric from Wrathchild:

I was born into a scene of angriness and greed, and dominance and persecution

Now, Come What May:

But I'm not a bird
and wishes and just fly away
my love

Some of the things I've learned have been kind of useful, like even though I had heard the name of the Pretenders before, I didn't know anything they had done, but they might be worth my attention in the future. Other have not been as useful, like the knowledge that Ric Ocasek and the Cars were already so awesome that a large portion of the videos are from the genre of band that get me excited because they look and sound just like the Cars but are not the Cars. They also played a surprising amount of Rod Stewart, which I am having trouble wrapping my head around. They have also played a healthy amount of The Who, which is so awesome I can forgive the Debbie Harry rap song they played earlier.

So basically, I can see why people thought MTV was so revolutionary when it came out, what with music on television and babes in comical 80s stockings and denim jackets. Now, like the very music that it played, it has become part of the establishment and doesn't have that same edge of revolution. My biggest complaint, though, is that Guns n' Roses hadn't formed by 1981.