Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out (1982) (UK)
I so love this video. It's clever. It's not until you watch it a few times you "get" it.
There’s a lot more to the video. Watch it a few times! Have fun!
(I’m going Yahoo! with this video. You don’t get the cool freeze frame shot but it’s an official video. To make up I sneaked a freeze frame myself! )
(Click the 2nd box with the Yahoo logo to see video, not my freeze frame.)
The song and video theme of the quest for romance, the harsh realities of peoples’ motives and the move to the big city to “find your place in life”, mirror Jackson’s own life. Around ‘82 he moved to New York following the collapse of his marriage. (Spooky – on the internet I can’t find the poor woman’s name, she’s been erased! I seem to remember it was covered a bit in the papers at the time…)
The maid who goes to the city not just for a job, or a glimpse at the high-life, but wants to be a part of it.
She sees the growth and dynamism of the city as a place where people start at the bottom, and pretty soon reach a better place.
The hotel guest who owns the dress the maid dreams about has a different take on people knowing their place.
As does the male guest, who turns out to be a song writer.
Was he inspired by his night out to write the song when they come back? Or did he have the night out to gain inspiration for a song?
You decide!
