Today, this video looks awkward and a little silly due to the constantly grinning singers, the drum-lip-synching that's clearly off, and the overuse of green screen. However, at the time (1979) this was state-of-the-art and amazing. Music videos were just getting traction as promotional devices (usually to be played on talk or music shows, in lieu of the band performing), but MTV was still two years away. By then, Richie was seriously considering going solo and preparing to become one of the king's of the early MTV age (once the network's rumored color line was broken). His songwriting skill is probably what's most impressive here: a black R&B artist writing what is essentially a country song... and making it a hit! No wonder Kenny Rogers covered his "Lady" so successfully the next year. Whether you like his music or not, Richie clearly had the skills to crossover. How else could he start out as a piano player from Howard University and become popular enough to host the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics? He even made a fan of Peter Griffin.
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