ROCKWELL: The luckiest man in the history of pop?

Favorite idiotic use of the song: as a snippet of 'relevant' backing music for some local news report in San Diego back in 1985 or so, specifically a promo for the report in question about spying, gathering personal info by private investigators, etc. As whoever was doing the reporting stood outside somewhere urging us to watch this special series of reports this week at 11, in the background a completely hammy clown in a trenchcoat and hat dressed as 'generic spy' sidled behind a lamp-post and looked towards said news drone with intent, all while Rockwell's sweet voice told us things like how he couldn't enjoy his tea.

I wonder, though, how much of that had to do with the fascination of Motown as a whole with England; Marvin Gaye, in particular, was enamored of the place. ("Enamoured," excuse me.) Perhaps some excess Anglophilia rubbed off on Berry's son.

(sly-clinton-marvin-rockwell: was there anyone i missed?)

Every time "Somebody's Watching Me" comes around to MJ singing that criminally catchy chorus, I feel like Dr. Frankenstein shouting "It's alive! It's aliiiiive!!!" (although I admit that Rockwell's "Twilight Zone" is well-played). Quite possibly the greatest crappy song of all-time, this.

English accent?

I always thought he was trying to impersonate David Byrne.

I thought he'd cadged the accent off the Magnus Pike bits on 'She Blinded Me With Science'.

SCIENCE!

had to dj a terrible halloween/40yr old yuppie bday party this weekend. too much lady gaga and BEP. started playing some 80s r'n'b which i thought they were digging. played Cameo's Candy and everyone rushed the floor, then dropped "Somebody's Watching Me" thinking it would be perfect (especially w/the halloween theme) and the entire floor cleared :( maybe it's because of that damn geico commercial.

The video should have been in this thread long ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD21JDMp86c

Terrible, terrible song.

did he really get a motown contract without berry knowing about it?

Motown came up with the name Rockwell. Rockwell changed his name because he believed he "rocked well."

I loathe this song, but his "Taxman" cover is the purest Ultravox mimicry ever heard on the R&B chart.

it is also stiff rubbish though! if nothing on "peeping tom" - yiiiiiikes.

surprised LMFAO didn't go full family reunion and dredge this guy up for a guest spot or something. "party rock anthem" already had like four credited acts, and it was the age of credits like "far east movement ft. cataracs and dev" so like why not? maybe he was afraid the IRS would catch wind of it.

This song is terrible but I'd like to ignore it and talk about Bertie Higgins' "Key Largo."

The misreading of the Key Largo film has always bugged me. Subtext aside, nothing of a romantic nature happens between Bogey and Bacall in the film. In fact, Edward G. Robinson kisses Bacall exactly one more time than Bogey does (forcibly, of course). The film is basically a nightmare.

there are multiple bertie higgins threads tbh but: i think it's valid since the idea is this couple used to watch these movies together a lot, and he's already mashing togther key largo and casablanca one gathers that maybe the general romantic feeling of an old-time movie, and the real-life romance of bogey and bacall, are being invoked as opposed to a specific run through that one film. although it'd be great if tried to cram in references to hurricanes, johnny rocco, cabin cruisers, etc.

oh wait sorry i was thinking of rupert holmes. i guess bertie hasn't really gotten as much attention round here. that song is great though.

I'm pretty sure the guys from LMFAO are descendants of Barry Gordy, too.

right, that was my point!

Kinda wish LMFAO was around right now, enjoyed those big dummies.

where have you gone, LMFAO

Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

it's sad, they were sexy

I know it!

the fascination of Motown as a whole with England

Exhibit A: "Masochistic Beauty"

Does anybody know where I can downlaod the MP3 for "Somebody's Watching Me?"

― Michael, Monday, May 13, 2002 8:00 PM bookmarkflaglink

still trying to track down sry

"Obscene Phone Caller" is the weirdest follow-up, like......he sings ok, so why does he do the weird talk-rap on every song, even by 80s standards that Henry Higgins shit was wack