I've always loved the "VH-1 Classic" cable channel, ever since I first saw it over at a friend's house about a year ago. I've been able to watch it on a few other occasions since then, but now I finally have the channel myself! :-)

Every time I watch it, I'm always amazed at some of the stuff they play - including many songs I've always loved, but never saw the videos to the first time around! My only gripe is that they air the videos in 8-hour "blocks"; that is, if you're watching the channel from 10:00-10:30 a.m., you can expect to see the exact same videos (and in the same running order) if you tune in 8 hours later, from 6:00-6:30 p.m. (I guess that has its advantages if you know you want to get certain videos on tape.)

A great thing about the channel is that they have no commercials, although about every 3-4 videos, they do break for a station i.d. and/or brief promo's for special programming on VH-1 itself. Another plus is that, unlike on regular VH-1 (where it's not uncommon for them to "chop" the first or last 10-30 seconds of any of the old videos they show), VH-1 Classic always airs the videos in their entirety, from start to finish!

Anyway, I just wanted to give those who've never heard of VH-1 Classic (or don't have it yet) a sample of what they play. I spent two full hours earlier this evening tracking all of the videos they aired. So if you weren't watching from 12 midnight-2:00 a.m./ET, here's what you missed (all original production videos, except for those shown as "live"):


12:00-1:00 a.m. ("ALLSTAR JAMS" block)

brief station i.d.
01) "Rich Girl (live)" - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES  (mid '80s performance - originally #1, Spring of '77)
02) "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" - NIGHT RANGER  (#40, Winter of '83)
03) "The Search is Over" - SURVIVOR  (#4, Summer of '85)
station break
04) "Strip" - ADAM ANT  (#42, Spring of '84)
05) "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" - JERMAINE STEWART  (#5, Summer of '86)
06) "Naughty Girls (Need Love Too) (Version 2)" - SAMANTHA FOX  (#3, Spring of '88 )
07) "Raspberry Beret" - PRINCE  (#2, Summer of '85)
brief station i.d.
08 )"Long Train Runnin' (live)" - THE DOOBIE BROTHERS  (mid '70s performance - originally #8, Summer of '73)
09) "She's Tight" - CHEAP TRICK  (#65, Fall of '82)
10) "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth" - MEAT LOAF  (#39, Winter of '79)
station break
11) "Kid Charlemagne (live)" - STEELY DAN  (late '90s performance - originally #82, Summer of '76)
12) "If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out" - CAT STEVENS  (did not chart, Fall of '84)
13) "Down on the Border" - LITTLE RIVER BAND  (did not chart, Winter of '83)
14) "A Horse With No Name (live)" - AMERICA  (early '70s performance - originally #1, Spring of '72)


1:00-2:00 a.m. ("WE ARE THE EIGHTIES" block)

brief station i.d.
15) "Union of the Snake" - DURAN DURAN  (#3, Fall of '83)
16) "Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)" - ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK  (did not chart, Winter of '82)
17) "Suspicious Minds" - FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS  (did not chart, Spring of '86)
station break
18 )"Beds are Burning" - MIDNIGHT OIL  (#17, Summer of '88 )
19) "Shout" - TEARS FOR FEARS  (#1, Summer of '85)
20) "Once in a Lifetime" - TALKING HEADS  (#103, Winter of '81)
brief station i.d.
21) "Slave to Love" - BRYAN FERRY  (#109, Spring of '85)
22) "Heaven" - BRYAN ADAMS  (#1, Spring of '85)
23) "I Melt With You (1990 version)" - MODERN ENGLISH  (#76, Summer of '90)
station break
24) "Love Removal Machine" - THE CULT  (did not chart, Spring of '87)
25) "Rebel Yell" - BILLY IDOL  (#46, Spring of '84)
brief station i.d.
26) "Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)" - ICICLE WORKS  (#37, Spring of '84)
27) "Stupid Questions" - NEW MODEL ARMY  (did not chart, Summer of '89)

If you're alert, you'll occasionally notice themed blocks of videos (even though they don't tell you this) - for example, 2-3 videos in a row by Australian artists, or in the case above, back-to-back videos by artists named "Bryan" (and both w/ the less-common spelling of a "Y" instead of an "I"). Guess they like to keep us on our toes... :-)

However, on the downside, VH-1 has also been quite careless when it comes to the spelling, etc., in the song/artist info shown at the beginning and end of their videos. For example, if you ever see Prince's "Raspberry Beret" video (see #7 on the list above), you'll notice they misspell the title "Rasberry". Also, on Pseudo Echo's cover of "Funkytown", they give the first word in their name as "Psuedo". And it's also not too uncommon to see their font over the old font of their sister station, MTV, from back when the videos originally aired there... :-(

But it's the music and videos themselves that count, and VH-1 Classic outdoes MTV or regular VH-1 in my book anytime! Get it, if you can! :-)

I mentioned this channel but I think it was before the Crash of '02 so thanks for bringing it back...and much more thoroughly than I did ;)

I love VH-1 Classics!!! I am so addicted to their "We Are the Eighties" segments and I have to watch them everyday. I've memorized their schedules! (Except for on crappy Tuesday Twoplay!) I even love the little animated cartoon they play in the "WATE" sequence!  :)

Man, I want that channel.  All I get is VH1, which is mainly BTM and Diva Stars Weekends or something stupid (Whenever I watch, anyway,) but hardly ever see old videos.  I hardly catch Pop Up Video, which is the only time I can really see older videos (despite the big annoying white balloons)..

I don't have the extra bucks to shell out to get digital cable but if I did I'd get it and cable internet access to boot.  Then I'd be able to watch VH1 Classic and get rid of this crappy 56K dialup connection…

I love VH1-classic! I watch the 80's hour and Pop music hours! I enjoy watching all of those old but awesome videos! They bring back lots of memories!!!

I have VH1 C on quite a bit. The 80s hour, Rockfest and Pop Show are my favorites.

You guys are all making me sad.  I can't get VH-1 Classic in my neck of the woods.... :'(

VH1 is the best thing that ever happened to Cable TV.
Just watching all those memories from yesteryear. -howard-

Okay, here's another taste of what VH-1 Classic aired during a full two-hour period this morning, from 2:00-4:00 a.m./ET (again, all original production videos, except for those shown as "live"):


2:00-3:00 a.m. ("WE ARE THE EIGHTIES" block)

brief station i.d.
01) "Working for the Weekend" - LOVERBOY  (#29, Winter of '82)
02) "Wrap it Up" - FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS  (#50, Summer of '86)
03) "Legs" - ZZ TOP  (#8, Summer of '84)
station break
04) "Flight of Icarus" - IRON MAIDEN  (did not chart, Summer of '83)
05) "Rainbow in the Dark" - DIO  (did not chart, Fall of '83)
06) "Fade to Black (live)" - METALLICA  (mid '90s performance - originally did not chart, Fall of '84)
brief station i.d.
07) "Like the Weather" - 10,000 MANIACS  (#68, Spring of '88 )
08 )"New Toy" - LENE LOVICH  (did not chart, Fall of '81)
09) "What I Am" - EDIE BRICKELL & NEW BOHEMIANS  (#7, Winter of '89)
10) "The Boy Who's Never Found" - KATYDIDS  (did not chart, Summer of '91)
station break
11) "The Robots" - KRAFTWERK  (did not chart, Spring of '78 )
12) "Nemesis" - SHRIEKBACK  (did not chart, Summer of '85)
brief station i.d.
13) "Bizarre Love Triangle" - NEW ORDER  (did not chart, Fall of '86)
14) "Spellbound" - SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES  (did not chart, Summer of '81)


3:00-4:00 a.m. ("ALLSTAR JAMS" block)

brief station i.d.
15) "Shout it Out Loud (live)" - KISS  (mid '90s performance - originally #31, Spring of '76)
16) "You Give Love a Bad Name" - BON JOVI  (#1, Fall of '86)
17) "Little Suzi" - TESLA  (#91, Spring of '87)
18 )"We're Not Gonna Take It" - TWISTED SISTER  (#21, Summer of '84)
station break
19) "Who's Lovin' You" - JACKSON 5  (did not chart, Winter of '70)
20) "Giving You the Best That I Got" - ANITA BAKER  (#3, Fall of '88 )
21) "When a Man Loves a Woman" - PERCY SLEDGE  (#1, Spring of '66)
22) "Let's Stay Together (live)" - AL GREEN  (early '70s performance - originally #1, Winter of '72)
brief station i.d.
23) "Let's Work Together (live)" - CANNED HEAT  (early '70s performance - originally #26, Fall of '70)
24) "Seven Wonders" - FLEETWOOD MAC  (#19, Summer of '87)
25) "Long May You Run (live)" - NEIL YOUNG  (mid '90s performance - originally did not chart, Fall of '76 by STILLS-YOUNG BAND)
station break
26) "Lust for Life" - IGGY POP  (did not chart, Fall of '77)
27) "Hourglass" - SQUEEZE  (#15, Fall of '87)
brief station i.d.
28 )"Maneater" - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES  (#1, Fall of '82)
29) "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)" - ROBERT PALMER  (#14, Fall of '79)

You can see quite a few themed blocks in this one: For example, three consecutive heavy metal videos (#4-#6), followed by four consecutive videos by artists/groups w/ female lead singers (#7-#10), and later on, four consecutive videos by soul/r&b artists/groups (#19-#22). (You could also make a case for the love theme on those last four.) Or how about cleverly playing songs titled "Let's Stay Together" and "Let's Work Together" back-to-back (#22-#23)? :-) Anyway, it's interesting to follow, if you're paying attention... ;-)

I would loved to get vh1 classic's. But our cable com. Say's they have no room. :( And I keep missing hall and oates. :(

Or DirecTV, their number is 1-800-DIRECTV.  ;)

Actually, I wouldn't mind too much if VH1 Classic just replaced regular VH1.

Just thought I'd revive this thread... :-)

If you don't already have VH-1 Classic, here's the complete list of videos that you missed yesterday (Sunday), from 4:00-6:00 p.m./ET (all original production videos, except for those shown as "live"):


4:00-5:00 p.m. ("WE ARE THE EIGHTIES" block)

station break
01) "Voices Carry" - 'TIL TUESDAY  (#8, Summer of '85)
02) "I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues" - ELTON JOHN  (#4, Winter of '84)
03) "Something to Grab For" - RIC OCASEK  (#47, Winter of '83)
04) "State of the Nation" - INDUSTRY  (#81, Fall of '83)
station break
05) "Girls, Girls, Girls" - MOTLEY CRUE  (#12, Summer of '87)
06) "Hungry Years" - SAXON  (did not chart, Fall of '81)
07) "Never Enough" - L.A. GUNS  (did not chart, Winter of '90)
brief station i.d.
08 )"AEIOU Sometimes Y" - EBN/OZN  (did not chart, Spring of '84)
09) "Boys Don't Cry" - THE CURE  (did not chart, Summer of '86)
10) "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes" - ULTRAVOX  (did not chart, Summer of '84)
station break
11) "Sweetest Thing" - GENE LOVES JEZEBEL  (did not chart, Fall of '86)
12) "If You Leave" - ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK  (#4, Spring of '86)
brief station i.d.
13) "Strangelove" - DEPECHE MODE  (#76, Summer of '87)
14) "Preacher Man" - FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM  (did not chart, Fall of '87)


5:00-6:00 p.m. ("ROCK FEST" block)

station break
15) "So This is Love? (live)" - VAN HALEN  (early '80s performance - originally #110, Summer of '81)
16) "Tie Your Mother Down" - QUEEN  (#49, Spring of '77)
17) "Three Lock Box" - SAMMY HAGAR  (did not chart, Spring of '83)
18 )"Lovin' Every Minute of It" - LOVERBOY  (#9, Fall of '85)
station break
19) "Time (live)" - PINK FLOYD  (mid '90s performance - originally did not chart, Spring of '73)
20) "We're Not Gonna Take It (instrumental)" - THE WHO  (did not chart, Fall of '69)
21) "Letting You Go" - TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS  (did not chart, Fall of '81)
brief station i.d.
22) "Magic Man (live)" - HEART  (mid '70s performance - originally #9, Fall of '76)
23) "Black Magic Woman" - SANTANA  (#4, Winter of '71)
24) "Closer to the Heart (live)" - RUSH  (late '90s performance - originally #76, Fall of '77)
station break
25) "Love in an Elevator" - AEROSMITH  (#5, Fall of '89)
brief station i.d.
26) "Runaway" - BON JOVI  (#39, Spring of '84)
27) "Here I Go Again" - WHITESNAKE  (#1, Fall of '87)

Themed blocks above include three consecutive heavy metal videos (#5-#7), two in a row associated w/ crying/tears (#9-#10), another two on restraining (#16-#17), as well as time (#18-#19), and cleverly playing two "magic man"/"magic woman" songs back-to-back (#22-#23). Oh, and this may be a stretch, but "We're Not Gonna Take It" by The Who was from their album Tommy, and they followed that up w/ a Tom Petty video (#20-#21) - hmmm. Anything I may have missed? :-)