Van Stephenson... Modern Day Delilah

I had a sudden flashback to this crap from the past...  This is a clip from American Bandstand.  Those striped shirts were all the rage back in the mid 1980s.

Van Stephenson's 1984 hit "Modern Day Delilah" must have been buried deeply in my grey matter.  I haven't thought of this song in ages.  I was sitting here pondering what to write about and I had a sudden flashback to this mid 80s gem.

Actually, I wonder if I should call it a gem.  I don't remember being particularly fond of this song when it was popular.  I do remember hearing it on the radio a lot, though.  

The official video... back when videos were a real thing.

I see from a quick Google search, Van Stephenson is no longer among the living.  He died in April 2001 of melanoma.  He was only 47 when he passed away...  Listening to this song, I realize he had a good voice for rock.  The song "Modern Day Delilah" is kind of a stupid song.  The lyrics are really cheesy.  The music isn't bad, though, especially considering that this was a hit in 1984.  Don't get me wrong.  I love my 80s hits, but some of the ones from the mid 80s were terrifically bad.

"What The Big Girls Do", a hit from the same era.  He sounds a little like Bryan Adams here.

I see Van Stephenson eventually collaborated with Restless Heart, a country band that was popular in the 80s and 90s.  I actually liked Restless Heart.  They were a little like The Eagles.  Later, he joined BlackHawk and was a member of that band when he was diagnosed with cancer.

Another hit... "We're Doing Alright"...

I don't remember "We're Doing Alright", though I probably heard it back in the day.  In fact, I bet if I put my mind to it, I could sit here and remember a lot of minor hits from musicians who made ripples in the business rather than splashes.  I have to admit that I kind of miss those days, although the 80s is the decade when appearance really seemed to matter more than it ever had before.