Bodacious Breakdown: 'Somebody's Watching Me' By Rockwell

The MTV era of music was by far the best and gave us thousands of great (and not so great) music videos to accompany our favorite songs on the radio. As a fun way to rediscover these weird, ground-breaking, sexy, epic, and just plain fun visual masterpieces, I'll be offering my very own Bodacious Breakdowns which will include stills from the video and my off-beat commentary. The featured video will either be selected at random or suggested by you!

Rockwell "Somebody's Watching Me" 

Released: 1984

Album: Somebody's Watching Me

Peak Position on U.S. Billboard Pop Chart: #2

Since we are getting close to Halloween, I thought it would be fun to rediscover the music video for "Somebody's Watching Me" which is usually a Halloween playlist favorite. From what I remember of the music video (been several years since I've seen it,) there is a haunted house vibe which also contributed to the song's spooky keyboard tones.

Of course, most people know that Michael Jackson sings the chorus vocals, but his brother Jermaine Jackson also contributed backing vocals. The track was an international success, charting in the Top 10 in fourteen different countries around the world. While Rockwell is frequently classified as a one-hit wonder and rightfully so, his follow up "Obscene Phone Caller" did crack the Top 40.

Let's rediscover the music video and then scroll down for my bodacious breakdown...

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0:07 - OK, maybe you wouldn't be so freaking paranoid if you subscribed to an English newspaper and new just what the hell was going on in town!

0:10 - Watcher #1: Some creepy guy...in the pantry? Maybe you should keep some food in there so he doesn't have to eat his own face.

0:20 - Watcher #2: Your sad looking dog that has to stay at home all day while you go hang out with Michael Jackson.

0:27 - An interior decorator needs to be on Rockwell's speed dial. It might help to turn on some lights too.

0:37 - Crow on the loose! Note to self, shut the windows when not at home.

0:45 - Okay, here's a problem. You need one of those outer shower curtains and not just a thin clear liner from the dollar store. Those things never work. Plus, you can alleviate some of your water damage paranoia.

1:01 - Like I said, interior decorator. Maybe if you got rid of some of these jacked-up animal heads off your wall, your house wouldn't be attracting crows.

1:14 - What you watch on TV can affect your paranoia so switch off USA Up All Night and maybe put on The Jeffersons.

1:24 - Check it out, a Budweiser just appeared on top of the TV set! Now we are getting to the root of the problem.

1:26 - Watcher #3: Some dude in Magnum P.I. shorts in your patio graveyard. Again, a little exterior decorating to remove the headstones and maybe add a water feature. Then you might not attract naked white guys.

1:34 - Watcher #4: A dancing widow trying to find the patio graveyard. Again, if your house didn't look like a cemetery, you wouldn't be attracting people in mourning. And get an outer shower curtain!

2:03 - Wild boar hallucinations. Yeah, how many of those Budweisers have "appeared" since you got home from work.

2:14 - Watcher #5: Peeping Tom in the 2nd story window. Curtains, Rockwell. Buy some freaking curtains!

2:17 - That naked white guy in the graveyard might not be bad after all. Look, he got rid of your wild boar problem!

2:30 - Dude, you just took a shower! If you keep running the water you can...oh great! See, a pipe must've burst because you've got sulfur and dirt coming through the water line. 

2:33 - Watcher #6: Mailman and he looks kinda pissed you aren't coming down to sign for your package. He must've just came from delivering mail to all three floors of that apartment building across the street.

2:54 - Watcher #7: Lady in a sheet lying halfway under the bed. She must've made some Budweisers disappear because I'm pretty sure that's not the proper way to use a bed.

2:54 - Watcher #8: Homeless guy. Nice of Rockwell to take him in but just drop him off at the barber shop with a $20 bill and be on your way.

2:59 - Watcher #9: Neighbor kid and he looks a little hungry. Invite him in for some pig roast and teach him to ring the doorbell.

3:04 - Yeah, it would be easier to jump down and sign for that package, but act like a normal person for once. Put on a robe and go to the front door.

3:28 - (Facepalm)

Find more Bodacious Breakdowns on RD80s...