Synopsis
Thompson Twins perform "Love On Your Side" in a stylized studio setting that reflects the band's theatrical live presentation. Tom Bailey handles the lead vocal while Joe Leeway and Alannah Currie add movement, percussion, and visual energy around him. The performance is framed by stark industrial imagery, with Currie repeatedly striking a large metal structure like a piece of stage machinery. Rapid editing, expressive poses, and close-ups turn the simple performance video into a vivid snapshot of the trio's early-1980s aesthetic.
Factoids & Trivia
- Released in January 1983, "Love On Your Side" was the second single from the album *Quick Step & Side Kick*, retitled *Side Kicks* for the US market.
- The single became the Thompson Twins' first UK Top 10 hit, helping establish the reduced three-member lineup as a major pop act.
- The song's 12-inch extended version was titled "Rap Boy Rap." The release also included the instrumental track "Love On Your Back."
- The video emphasizes the band's performance identity rather than presenting a conventional narrative. Its industrial stage imagery echoes the group's increasingly elaborate live shows.
- Alannah Currie's percussion work is a prominent part of the visual concept, particularly in the sequences featuring the large metal stage object.
- In a 1983 interview, the band described the video as a major improvement on their earlier "Lies" clip and said they considered it much more powerful.
- The song was written by Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, and Joe Leeway, with Bailey singing lyrics originally conceived from Currie's perspective and later adapted for a male vocal.