Synopsis

GTR perform the song on an elaborate concert stage filled with dramatic lighting, towering structures, and multiple performance platforms. The camera glides across the set, moving between vocalist Max Bacon, guitarists Steve Howe and Steve Hackett, and the rest of the band as they deliver the polished 1980s rock anthem. Rather than following a narrative, the video presents GTR as a large-scale arena act, ending with a rotating view of the stage.

Factoids & Trivia

• "When the Heart Rules the Mind" was GTR's first single and their biggest commercial success, reaching No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1986.

• GTR was formed by former Yes guitarist Steve Howe and former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. The lineup also included vocalist Max Bacon, bassist Phil Spalding, and drummer Jonathan Mover.

• Howe and Hackett built the song from separate ideas: Howe had developed the instrumental opening, while Hackett contributed a melody that became the basis of the finished track.

• The video's oversized stage design reflects the song's arena-rock presentation. Its sweeping camera movements and rotating closing shot emphasize scale rather than character or story.

• Steve Hackett later recalled that MTV gave the video heavy exposure in the United States, reportedly showing it as often as once an hour.

• GTR's self-titled 1986 album reached No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold in the United States. The group remained short-lived, however, releasing only one studio album with its original lineup.

• Clive Davis reportedly preferred "The Hunter" as the lead single, but the band pushed for "When the Heart Rules the Mind" to be released first.