Thomas Dolby - Hyperactive! (Official HD Video)

Official HD video of Thomas Dolby performing Hyperactive!
Taken from the 40th Anniversary Edition of the album The Flat Earth.
Listen here: thomasdolby.lnk.to/theflatear...
Lyrics:
Tell me about your childhood
At the tender age of three
I was hooked to a machine
Just to keep my mouth from spouting junk
Must have took me for a fool
When they chucked me out of school
'Cause the teacher knew I had the funk
But tonight I'm on the edge
Better shut me in the fridge
'Cause I'm burning up (I'm burning up)
With the vision in my brain
And the music in my veins
And the dirty rhythm in my blood
They are messing with my heart
And they're messing with my heart
And they're messing with my heart
Won't stop messing with me
Ripping me apart
Hyperactive when I'm small
Hyperactive now I'm grown
Hyperactive and the night is young
And in a minute I'll blow
Semaphore out on the floor
Messages from outer space
Deep heat for the feet
And the rhythm of your heartbeat
'Cause the music of the street
It isn't any rapattack
It isn't any rapattack
I can reach into your homes
Like an itch in your headphones
You can't turn it up
I'm the shape in your back room
I'm the breather on the phone
And I'm burning up
But there's one thing I must say
Before they lock me up again
You'd be safer at the back
When I'm having an attack
Hyperactive when I'm small
Hyperactive now I'm tall
Hyperactive as the day is long
Hyperactive in my bones
Hyperactive in your phones
Hyperactive and the night is young
Hyperactive when I'm small
Hyperactive now I'm grown
Hyperactive 'til I'm dead and gone
Stand up, hyperactivate
Get up, hyperactivate
Wise up, hyperactivate
London, hyperactivate
Follow Thomas Dolby:
Facebook | / officialthomasdolby
Twitter | / thomasdolby
Website | www.thomasdolby.com/
KZbin | / thomasdolby

[@christiansabin871]

Also props to the female backing singer- she killed it!! 💯🔥

[@email5023]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adele_Bertei

[@erockpatton]

Adele Bertei is the woman singing do a google images search real quick for me.

[@Jimothyp]

Incredible track all over but that vocal absolutely makes it. I remember for the longest time trying to figure out how it’d been processed to make it sound like that and my mind being blown seeing her do it live on the Old Grey Whistle Test

[@thewhiterussiancocktail813]

I have a crush on her voice.

[@lyricsfromsweden]

I always thought it was a pitched up Thomas Dolby.

[@themoviedealers]

Around 2004 I was driving down the Las Vegas strip and this came on the radio. That was one of the few perfect moments you get in a lifetime.

[@zejaguar]

I never heard this on the radio. On,y on MTV. Cool story, MD.

[@ChestersonJack]

I can imagine it on The Wave or something, whatever would’ve been the station in 2004. Awesome!

[@someperson8151]

Now is the first time hearing and seeing this. I'm over 50.

[@spencerexplains6025]

this might be little weird to ask but how was hyperactive one of the moments? Did it feel like a Vegas song?

[@KaitainCPS]

I know what you mean. I had my old iPod playing on random one day while driving, and some track I'd copied across to it a few months prior suddenly came on while I was on the 128 in California, just clipping along the edge of Lake Berryessa, with a completely empty road, and the top down. It was completely sublime. The track in question was "Manile" by Franco Micalizzi, and it turns out it's from a 1970s Italian erotic movie ("Laure"). But it is a fucking amazing track if you catch it at just the right moment. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYSVhqSPhtFop9E

[@mrPauljacob]

Dolby is so underrated

[@jagdpanther1944]

because other music is over-rated

[@Malegys]

surely you mean "Dubly"?

[@tapsanelikettu2985]

Not by me

[@sambillingsley2377]

No it's not you can't say that

[@peggyfranzen6159]

Yeah!

[@TheCmac1966]

Little known fact. He wrote this song for Michael Jackson. He sent him a demo. When he asked MJ what he thought, there was a long silence, them Michael said “I liked the drums”. Based on that TD recorded it for himself and it was one of his biggest hits.

[@20alphabet]

Those people don't appreciate anything.

[@TransistorBased]

It's pretty quirky, even for the time. Michael was more slick and polished, and even when he seemed frantic and frenetic that wasn't quite the same as this.

[@VPWedding]

That makes sense. This really needs to be Thomas Dolby. I can't imagine Michael Jackson singing it.

[@Enigmatism415]

@@VPWedding It has a flair of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".

[@The_Pariah]

I bet if there were more little kids in the video Michael Jackson would've been all over it. Thomas Dolby rocked the hell out of this song in a way that pederast never could have.

[@nuclearcatbaby1131]

He’s like the British Danny Elfman. From his facial expressions to his love of ventriloquist dummies.

[@knightinashes6934]

No wonder I like him. Oingo Boingo is one of my favorite bands.

[@nuclearcatbaby1131]

@@knightinashes6934 Imagine if they collaborated. Elfman’s been collaborating with everybody lately from Trent Reznor to Iggy Pop

[@mbrew3244]

Great comparison!

[@ninjabluefyre3815]

Danny Elfman's American?

[@nuclearcatbaby1131]

@@ninjabluefyre3815 Yes even though he has a European sensibility about him.

[@jimatyeo]

Only Thomas would use a trombone solo against a fantastic basslines. One of the most energetic badass songs of all time!!!!

[@geoffreylogsdon162]

Bass by Matthew Seligman of The Soft Boys. Died of Covid.

[@musopaul5407]

Trombone solo by the wonderful Pete Thoms!

[@toffeeriot4219]

@@geoffreylogsdon162 Not a Fairlight bass then?

[@govetter]

Dolby is/was a Genius! The digitals, samples, beats & voice! I knew a guy that had all this hardware in his living-room! It was surreal, LIVE in a Room! Thx, who ever that guy was! Nashville is/was a kewl Town!

[@Dracopol]

The video of the puppet playing trombone makes no sense, though. Look at how the puppet lengthens the tube length for the HIGH notes, and shortens it for the low notes. That is opposite to reality, although how hard you blow it also accesses different ranges of notes.

[@shirleypena4133]

Thomas Dolby was undoubtedly one of the most original, creative and truly gifted artists to emerge from the fabulous 1980s. It's a goddamn shame that the damn Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's induction committee continue to ignore this man's accomplishments, as well as those of so many other great artists/bands from the 1980s!

[@ejude83]

Did he get in as the keyboard player for Def Leppard?

[@Arrian1111]

Hopefully, he holds the 'hall of fame' in low esteem, as does Robert Smith. Smith's 'underwhelm' at being inducted has become the stuff of legend.

[@BillSmith-rx9rm]

Maybe because his music was not rock and roll?

[@loquenderOtaku]

@@BillSmith-rx9rm Grandmaster Flash is in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame

[@butchcassidy3373]

R and r Hall of Fame is a joke anyhow.

[@akahenn]

my dad used to play thomas dolby in the car every road trip when i was a kid and this shit never gets old

[@akahenn]

@@giraffejuice i love you

[@way2slimey]

As a 19 year old, I struggle to find people other than my close knit group who can truly enjoy and feel the grooves of the 70s and 80s.

[@avacherry3618]

You should meet my 3 children . I brought them up on a strict diet of punk and new wave

[@shanecabbage2187]

All the time at the beaches of West Coast Florida, there are plenty of young adults enjoying the music of my youth. Seriously, 30% Country, 30% modern and classic Rock, 25% Rap and modern R&B, 5% oldies, and 10% 70s & 80s pop. Somtimes surprised by who is listening to what. Ps Take 1% away from everyone and give 5% to Latina musica.

[@josebrown5961]

Just go ahead and enjoy the grooves young one. Maybe these grooves can rub off on your friends?

[@HanifBarnwell]

Get your own music kid, btw when this came out it was garbage and still is…

[@way2slimey]

@@HanifBarnwell lol always a bum like you to try and ruin other people’s joy. Go back to rotting in your cave you fucking troll, nobody asked your opinion

[@totallycv2388]

I had no idea Thomas is an excellent actor. His movements / facial expressions in his music videos are outstanding

[@thebigkahuna232]

It's 2022 now, and still I cannot get this song out of my head. almost 40 years now... omg Great Song!!!

[@zoeiiseda246]

That song NEVER gets old.

[@ihavegymnastics]

Trombone AND flute solos...... Badass.

[@bobscheid4960]

Was playing Grant Theft Auto Vice City and this song popped on one of the Radio Channels in the game. I couldn't get it out of my head until I heard it again. All better now.

[@kingkaza]

Bob Scheid wait it a gta song? Nice bet it so adds to crazy High speed driving

[@MrRogerogerio]

It's on Wave 103.

[@kingkaza]

Plasma Dragoon i love that wave racer clone

[@md.adittorehan6389]

Same here

[@peggyfranzen6159]

Don't steal.

[@marcuscarter]

One of the most creative songs I remember from my childhood, a true masterpiece

[@skakirask]

The bass and percussion sound like samples from a Super Nintendo game. I love it.

[@xandermijares342]

I thought I was the only who thought the same thing lol, I love it

[@corey-bird3489]

@@xandermijares342Miyamoto borrowed a ton of stuff down to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s wife’s name, he could very well be a fan of Dolby.

[@Marmelademeister]

Tremendous bassline!

[@peggyfranzen6159]

Where did that trombonist come from? That guy played like it was Fat Tuesday in New Orleans! Crazy funky.

[@muppetrowlf1473]

I bet its programmed. I'm sure Mr Dolby had a Fairlight to play with.

[@peggyfranzen6159]

Maybe a. 'Fairchild' component?

[@muppetrowlf1473]

?

[@peggyfranzen6159]

Not Fairchild components?😮

[@fyiaustralia9686]

Thomas Dolby's a genius. This song was amazing for it's time, and what he did afterwards as an internet audio pioneer is even more amazing...

[@ThEoX7893]

The way Legion used this song at the end of episode 2 was perfect

[@ssj3gokou24]

ThEoX7893 binge watching legion. That’s why I’m here, lol

[@ThEoX7893]

ssj3gokou24 same here lol. Stoked for season 2 next week!

[@SnappingTurtle801]

@@ThEoX7893 I miss that show.

[@zejaguar]

I finally was able to see Legion. This song fit perfectly with Legion.

[@Armitage112a]

My favorite Dolby song, right next to "One of Our Submarines". Man was the epitome of "sexy nerd."

[@casandrabullock9497]

This is the genius who helped create the polyphonic ringtone software in cell phones that lets us hear music. Love Thomas Dolby!

[@thombaz]

U wot mate

[@zanleisavnieks3746]

wow

[@shawnstarks1743]

Really?!! Never knew that. (He must be super rich)

[@Lexilium990]

False information

[@casandrabullock9497]

@@Lexilium990 He created polyphonic ringtone software! In the 1990s, Dolby re-created himself as a digital-musical entrepreneur, founding Beatnik, which developed the polyphonic ringtone software used in more than half a billion cell phones. False information? Whatever!

[@LB030377]

I finally found this fucking video. I saw it once in my childhood and I was having such an agonizing time trying to find it again! I only remembered the chorus "something something with my heart" ..so you can guess how that went down. I had to look up "80s music videos "...needle in a haystack. The magic combination was "80s music videos ventriloquist dummy " I was miraculously led to an image leading to a blog post talking about this vid.

[@sunflower-zk4jr]

This song is what ADHD feels like. Sort of. I love it. Glad it exists, thank you Thomas Dolby.

[@the_sky_is_blue_and_so_am_I]

Yep

[@user-rh8iy3dw6o]

I always LOVED this track....and Thomas Dolby.......those were the days.

[@markdriscoll8119]

This video should have millions of views...it was on MTV twice an hour for a year

[@ShikiraPressley]

One of the most experimentally gifted of the Synth-pop world. A session musician, as a technology entrepreneur in Silicon Valley meant that Thomas a short-lived musician yet a 100% silicon chip man of the immediate future.

[@mistersoupmannovember2263]

you know his career didnt end

[@amyconger]

Not quite, op. He released new material as recently as 2011 - and now he’s a professor at Johns Hopkins

[@ajs41]

@@amyconger I wish he'd live here in England.

[@johnran6015]

I just became a fan, after many years of being into Devo, Kraftwerk, Gary Numan, this guy is right up there with them, and I'm also glad it's new to me.

[@reverendbluejeans1748]

This song reminded me of the future. I did not want to see the future I just wanted more 80s

[@lsweeney9390]

Dolby captured the feeling of mania perfectly

[@daniellucena9694]

Nothing compared to the 80's!!!!!!! GENIUS!!!!

[@Cujo_Ate_My_Credit_Card]

Without a doubt one of the most iconic artist of the '80s.

[@khylerin70]

Killer bass line. Listen , it's awesome. Whole composition is awesome 👍👍. Thanks Thomas, you made this early eighties teenager very very happy 👍🥳🥳

[@mcstrangelove]

This was one of my favorite videos as a kid. I remember being so pissed when I'd switch on MTV and it would be nearly over. At the same time, I'd be excited when I'd catch it from the beginning.

[@TheLevicka]

oh my god!!! You don't get crazy stupid funky like this without genius!!! Sense of humor, wit, wicked arrangement. Bassline is disgustingly infectious!!!!! And the man actually gave the trombone and flute player a job!!! Thomas Dolby is god-like and I had many a cut in my collection along with Nik Kershaw and Howard Jones!

[@Oak690]

This bass line NEVER gets old.

[@harristonmiller4399]

a man ahead of his time musically

[@willfomes406]

Love that Slap bass that plays in the background of the song

[@peggyfranzen6159]

and that trombone..

[@Dead-Ball-Situation]

I actually once thought that Dolby Stereo Sound was all to do with Thomas Dolby....I was a kid.

[@xnonsuchx]

Dolby actually tried suing him for the name, but lost...as long as he didn't try marketing a sound system under his name.

[@JR-ib9gy]

🙊

[@buddhafyre]

xnonsuchx Dolby Labs didn't lose the lawsuit against him... They allowed him limited usage which hampered his merchandising opportunities...

[@xnonsuchx]

buddhafyre - I meant lost in that they didn't prevent him from using the name at all, which they originally wanted to do.

[@kingkaza]

Dead Ball Situation i don't blame ya

[@markmaynard1670]

Probably one of the most entertaining videos ever.

[@nicholasmcbride2742]

Love this song. Thomas was underrated.

[@oguzhankarahan1737]

The animations are insane.

[@Dj.D25]

Kind of wish this song was as iconic/popular as She Blinded Me With Science. Hyperactive is more fun to listen to and it would be nice if the classic music radio stations would play it often.

[@KaitainCPS]

When I moved to North America, I was surprised that everyone knew Dolby for "She Blinded Me With Science". It wasn't a big hit in his native UK (where I grew up); "Hyperactive" is/was a lot better known there.

[@Amber90125]

The message of this song is so powerful and more relevant today

[@KimathiDonzooya]

Who's here in August 2024?

[@TRUMPUSA1]

Nobody.....yet

[@DextrousMexican]

I heard this in 1984 didn’t know who sang it, or title of the song. Hell, I only remembered the trombone melody. Heard it on XM radio today and FINALLY found out! Only took 35 years.

[@gregwilson3173]

dont you hate that ! better late than never 😁

[@JeffroNoNothing]

Well known fact: Thomas Dolby is still hyperactive to this very day. And for a long time to come!

[@websurfer1585]

1984 was a great year, and this transports me back there, magic times!

[@TonyWorrallFoto]

Such a clever, fun song. So underrated.

[@fryoung1]

One of my favourite albums of the 80s

[@mpdalyful1]

genius. what a video, thomas dolby is a visionary. this reminds of sundays and music televsion usa with vinnie hanley.

[@adambrunton123]

Mark Daly hows his old man in amongst it

[@mpdalyful1]

mt usa was a groundbreaking music tv show for its day. broadcast on a sunday from new york. ray McNally's son, ray was the producer. the show ran untill its presenter died of aids.

[@cloverfield911]

Same here!!

[@adriancastro3232]

0:03 "canto bajo relieve, nave, tierra, sigo tu voz"

[@nahuelfunes]

Así es amigo!!

[@Maxi-xy2vx]

🌌

[@t3chnod3lic]

He's got a thing about lying on a couch and being asked questions... 'She blinded me with Science' was the same lol

[@spindriftdrinker]

I'm confident that this is the only rock video with nose-powered trombone.

[@jeffersonblackmon]

Thomas Dolby is a creative genius - Love this song.

[@johnbrowneyes7534]

Ohhhh the 80s!!! Such good times and incredible music!

[@brucemacmillan9581]

Dolby was brilliant. And funny. Not much humour in most pop music, but Dolby always brought it.

[@Mekhane]

I wake up to this everyday now for a while. There's just something so incredibly energetic in this track. It's one of the purest tracks that I've had the joy of jamming to. . The video is also ahead of its time, and so dang creative. Never stop playing Dolby

[@sevinatenine4444]

WHAT WEIRD YET WONDERFUL VIDEO

[@xoxxobob61]

It was the 80's! Most of the Videos were "Weird" !

[@andysee6996]

Does anybody else get the feeling that this is the sound of 80s New Wave at absolute full power?

[@fractal97]

It's amazing. I know well music of 80', but you can't place this song into that period. In fact I can't place it in any period after. It's out of its time so advanced that time can't do it a dent.

[@danfrihauf8491]

Flat Earth one of my all time favorite albums. The horns on “I scare myself”.

[@peggyfranzen6159]

Not bad.

[@spacerockwizard]

Masterpiece IMO

[@dylanmurphy572]

I listened to that album for the first time yesterday, was so trippy

[@TheRealist2022]

Fantassssstic.

[@Gibson343088]

Some straight nightmare fuel with a groovy new wave hook. Gotta love mid-80's music

[@doubledown1138]

One of the greatest videos (and songs) ever made. And so ahead of its time!

[@craigthomason2190]

That’s a funky track. 💯

[@adammarsland687]

This is one of my favorite songs of all time.

[@MarcusDude4179]

Brings back memories of being in first grade, and coming home after school and watching this on MTV.

[@Idontknowmaybejohnsmith]

Screw Christmas music. Im blasting 80’s all December long.

[@DiamondTW359]

This is the most 80’s sounding 80’s song of the the 80’s

[@trishacomer3883]

say that 5 times fast, lol

[@lostinmusic5431]

One of my 80's favorite artists.

[@CarlosEddieHernandez]

Todd in the Shadows brought me here, and I am happy he did. I now knwo this song exists and my life is better because of it.

[@performa9523]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who's found some outstanding music thanks to Todd's show!

[@performa9523]

@George Robartes "Todd in the Shadows" is a music review channel here on KZbin, sort of a halfway between a curiosity show and a history show. He puts on a pretty good show, and gives a good primer on various artists and songs. I'm 26, and despite the Internet there's quite a lot of great music out there I haven't heard just yet. Thanks for the recommendations sir, rock on!

[@Siraj75]

Memories of 1985 brought me to this song.

[@imienazwisko9322]

I remember this clip from my childhood. Very often in polish tv in 1984. Greetings from Poland. :)

[@ajs41]

I'm surprised the communist regime was allowing music videos to be shown on TV at the time.

[@imienazwisko9322]

@@ajs41 Why r u surprised? Many, many artists from UK, US was shown on polish tv in 80's. But it wasn't easy to buy their LP's. So, we recorded songs from radio and tv.

[@AJT13421]

When music videos were still art and still creative.

[@Eyesofinsane70]

lol

[@sovietonion72]

I actually found the hand puppet a little creepy 😳

[@MTSGaming]

they still are, you just aren't watching the right ones...get off tiktok and go find some real artists lol

[@User-ge7ni]

Stop being ignorant

[@yourfairyking]

@@sovietonion72 It's kinda out there, sure, but when it starts playing the trombone with its nose, with that goofy ass expression on its face, I lose it.

[@pablovega6937]

When this videoclip was released, video technology was minimum and rudimentary, so, it is a milestone not only musically, but also visually. Thank you Mr. Dolby.

[@julesgosnell9791]

I've loved this song since it first came out - the more I listen to it, the better it gets - still sounds fresh and interesting today - fantastic.

[@prof.badfellow9868]

Thinking back to ‘84 Thomas Dolby wrote this score Better than a monkey shocked before

[@casandrabullock9497]

Brilliant!

[@julesgosnell9791]

"Shock the monkey" - hmmm... both great tracks - not sure I could put one before the other...

[@RiasatSalminSami]

0:23 that bass part, eargasm.

[@Rechtskraft8501]

I think, this "Hyperactive" is the best music movie of MTV!

[@stuartmccormick5372]

cant accept this guy wasnt so much more gigantic

[@simonharris8515]

Wonderful. I was young . My sister played this a lot . Brilliant

[@CosmosTheMouse]

How are there so few views and almost no comments. It's frikin' Thomas Dolby for gosh sakes.

[@yawadrahartad8594]

Yes Indeed 100percent I love Thomas dolby

[@lv2465]

I saw the video once by chance on a kid's ITV morning show, I was just a kid myself at the time I never got the name of who made this track. 30years later I found it was by Thomas Dolby and the tune was Hyperactive. The happiness being able to own this brilliant track.

[@VidGirl88]

This song came up in a conversation with my in-law tonight and we both had a lyric-off. It was glorious.

[@christopherfitch7705]

Do you get how killer the rhythm guitar is on this track? Super funky

[@blackfyre5158]

What a legend

[@superroxyt]

I have always loved this song ! The bass line. Amazing.

[@maxbrown4594]

Thomas Dolby really is Hyperactive in our phones, now.

[@100musiclover4]

Definitivamente fuera de epoca. Thomas un GENIO!!!!

[@stephenwyatt88]

This is so creative.

[@studiobencivengamarcusbenc5272]

Since my childhood I love this song - it has the funk 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

[@paulaharrisbaca4851]

Theme for my childhood, that's for sure.

[@theejuicygoldengoose271]

This song STILL gives me goosebumps. 🥰

[@thrasher66613]

This is definitely an intentionally silly and quirky 80s classic. Thomas Dolby is very talented and intelligent.

[@Lee-cn7yp]

Absolutely brilliant

[@josephramone5805]

The rhythm guitar, synth and horn arrangements are brilliant

[@MoonlightDawnMoolightDawn]

One of the funniest videos I've ever seen -- Brilliant song (I never expected less than brilliant from Dolby in all my years listening to him). Been a listener since the 1980s.

[@lucybennett5282]

Such a talented man. Also did fancy him a bit. Multi talented!

[@SmartBrandon72]

One of my ALL TIME FAVORITES!!

[@DrTomoculus]

One of my favourite songs of any decade, and definitely my favourite Dolby song.

[@jackreed7287]

Like the Talking Heads influence. Great song.

[@wayniewayne]

never get tired of this great tune

[@theaggravateddutchman736]

Another classic from Mr T Dolby. Underrated singer

[@wydstepbro3566]

Timeless music