Synopsis

A man picks up a woman for a date, only to discover that she has a canine identity - and possibly a flea problem. At a bar, his unusual companion attracts the attention of the Dog Police, three hound-faced detectives in trench coats who arrest her while he is away. The video alternates between this deliberately absurd narrative and performance footage of the band in colorful costumes. By the finale, the musicians combine their stage outfits with the detectives' dog masks.

Factoids & Trivia

• Dog Police was a novelty new wave side project formed by Memphis jazz musicians Tony Thomas, Sam Shoup, and Tom Lonardo. Their main group was the Tony Thomas Trio.

• The band drew inspiration from Devo and used the stage names Clark Radio, Squeek Owens, and Random Ax.

• The video was shot on 16mm film. Its club sequence was filmed at Madison House, a Memphis club.

• The costumes and dog masks were created by William "Bill" Knopfler. Documentary cinematographer Larry McConkey handled the cinematography, including Steadicam work.

• The song and video received their biggest exposure through MTV's Basement Tapes. The video won a semi-final round in January 1984, earning the band equipment and a place in the final, where it finished second.

• MTV subsequently placed the video in light rotation during February 1984. It later appeared on USA Network's Night Flight and on Weird Al Yankovic's Al TV.

• The song's repeated chorus has been noted for its resemblance to the theme used for the "Spidey Super Stories" segment on The Electric Company.

• The concept later inspired an eight-and-a-half-minute television pilot called The Dog Police, produced in 1990. The pilot starred Jeremy Piven and Adam Sandler, but was not picked up as a series.