More 80s Music Video Fun: Soft Cell "Tainted Love"

I'll keep going with my series on 1980s music videos, the ones that I think go beyond pop music and into the realm of film art.

Unlike some of the 1980s music videos I've featured, in which the songs were relatively obscure, this tune is pretty familiar to most of us: "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell.

A still from the Tainted Love video by Soft Cell

I was drawn to this one because the video is so creepy.  Really creative, but really creepy. You feel like you need to take a shower after watching it. But, it's always fun to visit the dark side sometimes. That's why so many of us like horror movies and crime shows, right?

Of course this video is particularly icky, but fascinating to watch. In it, we have Soft Cell member Marc Almond acting the part of this sort of upper crust boy, dressed in a white sort of ancient Roman garb, with makeup and jewelry to boot.

He's acting like a bratty five year old and tormenting a little girl who has come to visit, all the while snarling the "Tainted Love" song to her.

"Don't touch me please
I cannot stand the way you tease.
I love you though you hurt me so...."

The girl seems totally unfazed, as do the surrounding people, even though this seems like gross, totally inappropriate behavior by an adult guy to a young girl.

I also like the video because you want to imagine some sort of sordid back story that led to this moment.

Other items in my list of great 80s music videos are here,   here,  and here.  

Here's the Soft Cell "Tainted Love" video: