Synopsis

The Stranglers perform "Skin Deep" against a stark, surreal backdrop centered on the ear-shaped sculpture associated with the Aural Sculpture album. The performance is interrupted by close-ups of a snake moving across a person's body, adding an unsettling edge to the polished presentation. As the song progresses, the band members pull latex masks or layers of artificial skin from their faces, revealing what lies beneath. The video ends on the ear sculpture, tying its imagery directly to the album's visual identity.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Skin Deep" was released in 1984 as the lead single from the album Aural Sculpture. Its polished, melodic sound marked another step away from the band's earlier punk-era attack.

• The video uses the album's ear sculpture as its main visual motif. The sculpture also appears on the cover of Aural Sculpture, giving the promotional film a direct connection to the record's artwork.

• The face-covering sequence turns the song's title into a visual idea: the band literally removes an artificial outer layer. The effect is deliberately theatrical rather than narrative.

• The snake footage supplies the video's most unsettling image and contrasts with the controlled studio performance by the band.

• The single helped return The Stranglers to the UK Top 20 after their previous two singles from Feline had performed less strongly.

• The video was later listed among the music-video appearances connected with Beavis and Butt-Head: Buttniks.