VOL. 1, TRACK 1: KAJAGOOGOO, “TOO SHY”

Let’s just say that it’s not very New Wave (of an ‘80s music compilation that claims to be New Wave) to put the most commercial song in the bunch as the first track on the compilation. And yet… here we are, with one of the most radio-played songs of the decade, Kajagoogoo’s “Too Shy.”

And yet, it’s not Kajagoogoo’s fault that “Too Shy” became the worldwide smash hit that it did. It’s just a good song, and moreover, it’s a good song that got a good-enough music video to land in heavy rotation on MTV back in 1983. But if you asked me — someone who’s heard “Too Shy” easily 3,500 times over the course of my life — whether it’s a good song, I wouldn’t even know what to tell you. I mean, yeah, sure. But it’s also as familiar as wallpaper, and so not terribly exciting.

Having said that, let’s move on to the music video. I’m going to give this one a 6/10. And the only reason it gets 6 is because of the stage presence of lead singer Limahl, here. Actually, it’s not even so much Limahl himself as it is his spiky mullet and knotted muscle-T that steal the show. Okay, yes, it is Limahl. He struts around the stage with so much playful confidence, he might as well be the GQ cover boy for New Wave impish charm.

The female love interest in this video doesn’t do it for me. It’s just that she looks a lot older than Limahl, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s noticeable and distracting. I’m also not in love with the overall concept. Time travel back to post-WWII celebrations, then gradually all the people dancing are from different eras? Too confusing. They could have had Limahl singing to his waitress love-lady solo in that deserted club, and we all would have felt more glamorous magic.

💘