Split Enz - One Step Ahead

[cneumann2000]

Thanks for the video. Remember when it was all about the music and not the theatrics?" Today's videos cost a lot more to make but these older videos still reign supreme. They may be simple but the music and talent shines through. HEY MTV!!! Take a hint from the first generation of viewers and give us a weekly spot with music from the early 80's. And how about that great old MTV logo of the first man to land on the moon.

[WatchThisOnTV]

I know this album like the back of my hand and love it. Great band and great tune. I'd never seen this or any of their videos, thx for posting.

[jeangenie1271]

NEW WAVE AT IT'S BEST -

SPIT ENZ!!! 

dj

[robret13]

what is the name of the song that is playing at the introduction of this video

[MrDragwood]

These guys were,and still are under rated!

[Genessender]

It's the Cabinet of Dr Neil Caligari.

[brentmcd]

man, you are bringing back memories with these split enz videos. great stuff

[wildcat22pgt]

great freakin song!!

[JoshuaTaylor]

I used to LUV this song ! But, I gotta admit - listening to it now, it's not as good as I remember it. Ahh, youth...

[80s2Heart]

This music has substance, unlike today's pop music. It gets better everytime I play it, while today's stuff gets worse.

[fluffydolly]

split enz ....kool...early mtv treat ....too bad usa didn't get into them more!!!!

[ProfessorIgor]

this is the first video I ever saw on MTV.. I think it was the 2nd day it was on the air.. we didn't have it the first day :(

[raposofan]

This is exactly how threatening love feels to those who live in their minds. Neil Finn 100% nailed this one.

[BlottoForever]

There's something very Elliott Smith in this. Or was there something very Split Enz in Elliot Smith?

[09nemo10]

heard it on the radio for the first time today and love it. i have get a copy of this now!

[PumpkinPuffer]

@09nemo10 The radio actually played this song? I heard this song in the early 80's from a friends record collection and never heard it on the radio. Lucky you.

[09nemo10]

Yeah in Australia (Sydney) there is pretty good radio station WS FM 101.7 and they played it. I've discovered heaps of awesome 70s and 80s songs thanks to them. I was born towards the end of the 80s so missed all the songs arriving when they did....

[enviro6400]

which country did you here this played in nemo?

Mark

[09nemo10]

In Australia. In Sydney the radio station is 101.7 WS FM, you can tune in over the net.

[mratfauver]

@PumpkinPuffer I agree with that!

[muzz6369]

Just reminds me of RTR on a Saturday at6pm

[trippytril]

New Zealand has so many good things

[aaronryanmusic]

My favourite late night song.

♫Aaron Ryan Music♫

[divorceboy]

Neil finn looks like such a kid!

Damn I'm old!

[mike3qc]

So long ago......Thanx Great One

[MitziDeMarco]

I used to pplay a upbeat jazz version of "One Step Ahead" on my trumpet.

[ericscoles]

as an old 'new-waver', used to irritate the heck out of me when people would call power-pop 'new wave.' (this is incredible power-pop. but it ain't new wave.)

[bds1167]

MTV 1981.... Loved this new wave classic video.... 8th grade....spectacular! Groovin' and so hip...... One of the best songs of the decade.....

[detriotdave]

the music before osa is called wail. its placed right before iris on the album

[soundmanhaven1]

ITs his voice!

[goblinking169]

go aussie go.

[SINGULAR1ONE]

thank god!

[teacherlady66]

They are soooo young here. I remember them from "back in the day." I love my Kiwis.

[toveksasyout33]

lovely music,all their songs are

[MadameLil]

He looks like George Harrison here.

I haven't seen this in about 25 years. Oh, for the good old days of MTV ...

[greenghostgame]

What a great song...for some reason I always picture the band with their outrageous makeup/hair thing happening, but this look suits 'em a lot better. Classic stuff.

[iitrashish]

great and true lyrics

[bds1167]

One of my favorite vids from '81.

[destiny66]

What is the song playing before "O.S.A"?

[buffienottheslayer]

If I remember correctly, it was called "Wail"

[Lifesucksdie123]

didn't know new zealand had bands.

amazing song

dope vid

[mischifKES]

OMG are you SERIOUS??!!

[Rockcritic97]

Of course NZ have bands!!!

Crocodiles

Crowded House

OMC

Split Enz

Jenny Morris

La de das

The swingers

[bds1167]

Those of us born between '66 and '68 were so lucky to see this tunesky on MTV in '81....... new wave babes.....

[chrispyt77]

Greatest band from NZ... awesome band.

Great melodies dont die.

Also - the keyboard parts are so dramatic and add so much to the song.

[fluffydolly]

thanks for posting the song that got me into split enz.early mtv vid /great song and video

[bds1167]

Chillin' '81 MTV tunskie.

[KeredCross]

gotta love the white Liberacce shoes.

[aaronryanmusic]

Split Enz is my favourite band. I've spent so many hours listening to their albums back to back over the years. One Step Ahead sends shivers up my spine every time I hear it. I always loved listening to this late a night.

[almondgraffitti]

0.18!!!! neil finn = sex on legs

[bexappeal]

purrrrrrr he's lovely!

[jpx08]

One of the most underrated bands of all time anywhere! It is amazing that Split Enz was more popular in Canada than in America. Go figure!

[boxswana]

define kooky

[gmansi]

Great song!

[boxswana]

god bless n z u kooky freaks livin next door

[Belbecat]

Lol! you aussies are waay kookier than everyone!

[Noobgus]

check it out at 2:30-2:45, keyboardist Eddie Rayner moonwalking. haha

btw this was 2 years before michael jackson made the moonwalk famous!

[damnthatchainsaw]

is there anything Neil Finn cant do...??

[danielallsop]

anything 2 do with tim or neil finn is always kiwi think of crowded house or the finn brothers most ppl think australian but wrong

[Fersommling]

Where are Split Enz from? Australia, where else?!

[chubchaser69]

Uh, no..... they're from new zealand... hence the eNZ of split enz

[monstajopps]

I really didn't know the USA had heard of split enz let alone embraced them!!...but can you tell me where they are from...? If you say; Australia, I will kick your arse!

does the end of the video clip remind anybody else of Madness?

[MCKRUSH]

Growing up, we got MTV right from the get-go, in 1981. Even though I was pretty young at the time - eight - I really loved Split Enz videos the best.

[terej2lle]

Finnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love it :)

[MoreToleranceNow]

I hate to sound like an old fart, but why can't you still hear a new song that's this interesting? Maybe rock & roll's been depleted; time to pull the plug and start from scratch.

[FranzifromMulberrys]

@MoreToleranceNow the audio is out of phase big time

[webbusinesskit]

@MoreToleranceNow Agree 100%. Seems all music today is about bikini clad bitches, cash and fancy cars.

[Mitsimad]

@webbusinesskit Look a bit deeper

[muscleoffigus]

@MoreToleranceNow you can there's heeeeaps out there, just not on mainstream radio, sometimes not on radio at all but it is there

[trollfinger]

What a song.

[chip131313]

One of those songs you never get tired of hearing.

[beenitap]

This is a really great song--one of my favourites! You did a really nice job with the video: the beginning bits really make it unique! I was wondering, if possible, could you please post the song, "Ships"? It was also on the Waiata album, but as far as I know, there wasn't a video for it (just to make your task that much more difficult!). Thanks!

[treespiritlove]

Huge Beatles influence....with that Finn flair that's uniquely theirs. A+++

[craigcharles1]

Ok I know people who are watching this are about my age and a lot of you have children around the ages of my sons 11 and 8. Your kids probably watch the Drake and Josh show on Nickelodeon. Have you wondered who Drake Bell looks like but couldn't place it.

[Sacryfyx]

I always wondered how many other people thought there was a strong Beatles influence on this song? These guys were great.

[janpage817]

The bassline on this song is a killer, that's what pulls you in when you first hear it.

[cyflearatedr]

Just an amazing song and video...one of my earliest memories of the REAL MTV...LOVE IT

[itzjoeymac]

ah the mtv era!

[KhanadaRhodes]

this is the best split enz video, and possibly one of the best (early at least) video ever.

[Nedmurgon1968]

Neil Finn and the Enz have something that is just so very unique - it is a musical brilliance that sounds as fresh today as when first premiered. absolutely brilliant

[TheGregWoodBand]

The image of those white tennis shoes coming down the orange and blue steps ...in time with the music is etched in my mind. Probably from watching it in the early MTV replays..over and over. Still great!

[bil56]

REO Speedwagon was the first on MTV. This does remind me of the first days of MTV when it was one only two hours a day!

[Coowallsky]

The first what?

[bakezale]

Great video & inspiring song.

[pacificdiamond]

I love the mysterious sound to this song. I listen to it a lot.

[GenaircoNikki]

HAHAHA!!!!!! GO EDDIE GO!!!!!!! I loved that moon walk, great film clip, I wasn't around in the 80's but man I wish I could be there! I love Split Enz, and Crowded House, So that was just so cool.

[pacificdiamond]

"It's hard to stay one step ahead of you..."

I just love it.

[feltwood]

the album corroboree (australian aborigine word for a gathering)was called waiata in new zealand fact fans.

[funkyflyfresh007]

The Split Enz song "One Step Ahead" has the unique distinction of being played on the first day MTV was born. The video for "One Step Ahead" was number 26 of the first 62 videos MTV aired on its first day August 1, 1981.

[lhorglhorg]

kurt cobain was much better than this punk

[mickaka]

That's possibly the stupidest post I've ever seen on YouTube.

[katepony]

The dude is clearly making some sort of joke, because it's patently untrue.

[princehamhock]

Neil Finn is almost up there with Paul McCartney as

a great singer-songwriter

[timandchrissy]

No one compares to McCartney although I always thought Neil was adorable! (:

[melbguy1]

Lose the intro bit dude, but great to see the original video!

[jess2665]

I was one of the first kids in my entire school to have Mtv back when it first began. There were a few videos I always exited to see, and this was at the top of the list. It's cool to see this video again.

Speaking of cool . . . what is the music playing at the beginning of this video where the credits are listed? I'm assuming it's not Split Enz, but I could be wrong.

Whatever it is, I'd like to know more about it. It sounds cool as hell. Any info would be appreciated.

[cyberwreck]

The music at the beginning is part of a track from the same record called "Wail." The CD is "Corroboree." If you like both of these, get the CD.

[jess2665]

Cool! Thanks for the information.

[walking777man]

That song is Split Enz. It's called "Wailing" I believe.

[KhanadaRhodes]

It's called "Wail" :)

[racheal67]

Love it! And Eddie is moonwalking (from 2:30 - 2:45) LOL

[bil56]

This reminds me of the MTV days when it had good videos playing.

[comba06]

This song has one of the most brilliant bass lines

written ever in pop music - almost a melody of its own,

can never get it out of my head when I hear it...

[mallamoozoo]

i think heaps of bass lines are melodies - whats the big deal? Everyone imposes this artificial constraint on bass scope. Know what i mean?

[ozratman]

Agreed, also I have the same for "I Got You"

[MelleFinchley]

Everytime I listen to this, it gets stuck in my head for days....but man, its so good!

[Mhaza]

whow here in my country it was the first song that played here and i am fan since mental notes album thank you 4 posting tha video i never saw any of them !

[Webins]

Excellent!

Haven't seen this in years, so makes me feel really sad and nostaligic.

Ah, the 80's. Good times, good times.

Thanks for posting.

[langkawi13]

lol watch tim from 1.56 he is sitting on the ground and looks really bored lol watch him sing and then get up HAHAHA

[crowamonghens]

I LOVE THAT PART wtf is with that MOVE

[KhanadaRhodes]

Even more wtf is Eddie's forward moonwalk a bit later!

[DarkVioletMist]

Love it!! This wakes up memories of my teenage years that I thought were gone for good, so good to hear & see this again!

[durhamight]

Haven't seen this in eons. One of my favorites- thanks!

[hollowmenrule]

this is the jam

[nomeus]

this is real nice however i think its sped up a little too fast. the pitch is off.

[tivaevae]

another great song from split enz

[hollowmenrule]

total classic

[vivagirl5]

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Split Enz RULE!

[adulus]

Hard to overstate the influence videos like this could have on fourteen- and fifteen-year old kids at the time (late 81-early 82). If it hadn't been for early MTV and all it introduced, we would've been stuck with Billy Joel and REO Speedwagon. Love Neil's reaction to the Great Red Spot as he walks by the screen toward the end!

[jimet409]

Pure genius. Man, how I miss the old days of MTV!

[cyflearatedr]

Thank you!!! GREAT song and video from the early days of MTV.