Remembering When Aimee Mann Memorably Stood up in a Legendary Video From 1985

Some 80s songs were stellar on the radio but couldn’t quite pull it together in the video department. And then there were some outstanding videos tied to songs that paled without the visual element.

When it all came together, however, magic ensued. For one memorable example, think of the way ‘Til Tuesday’s power-popping gem “Voices Carry” hit another level when considering the video. That’s when lead singer Aimee Mann made the simple act of standing up a searing statement of independence.

Hearing “Voices”

‘Til Tuesday emerged from Boston with some local credibility in their favor when they signed their record deal. And they didn’t waste any time wowing the mainstream. Debut single “Voices Carry” immediately stood out thanks to the tight songwriting and lived-in vocals of Aimee Mann.

Over the years, many different stories have popped up about what inspired Mann to write the song. Some have claimed that a relationship Mann was having started the ball rolling. There was even an intimation that she originally wrote the song to another woman, only to have the label step in and put the kibosh on that.

Mann’s own recollection is that she was talking about a male friend’s relationship with a woman who didn’t like being seen with him, although her own experience crept into the narrative as well. Whatever inspired it, “Voices Carry” struck a chord with audiences. The song reached No. 8 on the Hot 100 upon its release in 1985, no doubt helped along by its clever video.

“Carry” On

Most of the videos that populated MTV in the first few years of its existence made little sense. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. As long as they cleared the hurdle of making the artists look cool, that was the main goal of the enterprise. But videos that managed to enhance the story of the song without simply acting out the lyrics word for word were few and far between.

The video “Voices Carry”, which was directed by D.J. Webster, stars Mann as a musician (typecasting alert!) with an overbearing boyfriend. He passive-aggressively praises her band, suggests that she change her signature look, and, in a bold scene, punctuates an argument by physically forcing himself on her.

But Mann’s character gives him his comeuppance in the end. After insulting her one time too many, she stands up while in the audience of a concert and starts screaming out the lyrics to the song. At that point, the words dovetail with the story: “He said shut up, he said to shut up/Oh God, can’t you keep it down?”

The Legacy

For a brief moment, Aimee Mann looked poised to be the next MTV superstar. But ‘Til Tuesday never quite recaptured the tortured grandeur of that single. And Mann herself had bigger artistic fish to fry. After leaving the band, she entered upon a career as one of the finest singer-songwriters of her or any other generation.

“Voices Carry” hasn’t really gone anywhere, however. It will stand tall as long as cool 80s playlists exist. If you’re new to it, we suggest you check out the video to get the full effect of this marvelous song.

Photo by John Kisch Archive/Getty Images

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