I loved my MTV

When I was a high school junior, I spent a weekend with friends in Atlanta (every Southerner reading this just coughed and muttered under her breath, "Hot-lanta").

The friends had MTV on the cable. Oh my Lord Jesus. I will remember that moment of TV viewing until they put me in the ground.

David Bowie, "China Girl."

MTV has finally dropped the music video farce. 

In memory of the old MTV, the Friday Genius Ten remembers the hey-day of "I want my MTV."

1) “Heroes"---David Bowie 

2) “Close To Me"---The Cure 
3) “Rock Lobster"---The B-52s 
4) “Intervention"---The Arcade Fire 
5) “Been Caught Stealing"---Jane’s Addiction 
6) “West End Girls"---Pet Shop Boys 
7) “This Charming Man"---The Smiths 
8) “Radio Free Europe"---REM 
9) “Fake Plastic Trees"---Radiohead 
10) “Debaser"---The Pixies

My favorite from the list: the Pet Shop Boys..

Here's the Boss with "Born in the USA," from the days when MTV had balls.

Imagine a commercial act today hitting large with lyrics like these:

Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
'Til you spend half your life just covering up

[chorus:]
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

I got in a little hometown jam
And so they put a rifle in my hands
Sent me off to Vietnam
To go and kill the yellow man

[chorus]

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says "Son if it was up to me"
I go down to see the V.A. man
He said "Son don't you understand"

[chorus]

I had a buddy at Khe Sahn
Fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there, he's all gone
He had a little girl in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years down the road
Nowhere to run, ain't got nowhere to go

I'm a long gone Daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.