Synopsis
Grace Jones appears in stark black-and-white imagery, initially concealed behind a tall hat and a three-piece paper mask. As the mask and hat disappear, her sharply sculpted flattop is revealed. Jones then performs directly to the camera while playing accordion, bringing a theatrical visual presence to the song's dark tango atmosphere. The camera gradually pulls back to expose the rooftop setting, transforming an intimate performance into an imposing urban tableau.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video accompanies "I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)," Jones' 1981 reworking of Astor Piazzolla's instrumental composition "Libertango."
- Jones and Barry Reynolds wrote new lyrics for the adaptation, combining tango, reggae, and chanson influences rather than presenting Piazzolla's piece as a straightforward cover.
- The accordion performance visually echoes the bandoneon associated with Piazzolla's original, even though Jones' recording uses the Compass Point All Stars' distinctive rhythm section and arrangement.
- A second television version presents Jones performing the song at a crowded bar, giving the track a more conventional staged-performance setting.
- The video is included as the closing sequence of the long-form music video A One Man Show, linking it to the larger performance-art presentation built around Jones' Nightclubbing-era image.
- The single's cover image recreates the striking masked-and-hatted look introduced at the beginning of the video.