Rock Me Tonite

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove with the Zoo Crew as we spin Billy Squier’s “Rock Me Tonite” from his 1984 album Signs of Life. This track, Squier’s highest-charting U.S. single, hit No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and soared to No. 1 on the Top Rock Tracks chart. But it’s the infamous music video that’s etched this song into rock history. Directed by Kenny Ortega, the video features Squier dancing in a pastel-lit bedroom, wearing a pink tank top, and writhing on satin sheets. Many, including Squier himself, believe its perceived homoeroticism alienated his core fanbase of teenage boys, derailing his career. In the 2011 book I Want My MTV, over 400 industry insiders unanimously dubbed it the worst music video ever, dedicating an entire chapter to its fallout. Yet, MTV VJ Martha Quinn defended it, calling it “a super-fun video and a super-great song,” noting she didn’t recall it being poorly received at the time.

The video’s backstory is as wild as the Zoo Crew’s vinyl collection. Squier envisioned a concept inspired by American Gigolo, showing him and fans getting ready for a concert. But Ortega’s execution veered into what Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott described as cringe-worthy, saying, “Mick Jagger can get away with that … Billy Squier can’t.” Ratt’s Warren DeMartini, touring with Squier in 1984, recalled Squier publicly blaming Ortega on TV. Squier fired his managers and distanced himself from the project, even removing his name from the credits. Despite the backlash, the song itself was a hit, blending Squier’s rock roots with an ’80s techno-pop edge, as AllMusic noted: a “catchy three-parts-pop, one-part-rock final product.” Squier wrote the riff and melody while diving in Mykonos in 1983, shouting to his girlfriend, “I’ve just written the first hit for the record!” Posts on X reflect mixed sentiments—one user giggled at the video’s charm, while Squier himself later said, “The scars aren’t that deep … It’s a bad part of a good life.”

Billy Squier’s journey to rock stardom began in Wellesley, Massachusetts, where he was born on May 12, 1950. His passion for music ignited early, leading to his first performance in 1968 at Boston’s Psychedelic Supermarket nightclub. In 1969, he joined Magic Terry and The Universe, followed by stints with Kicks and The Sidewinders in the early ’70s. By 1976, Squier formed Piper, releasing two albums before going solo with Capitol Records in 1979. His debut, The Tale of the Tape, gained traction with tracks like “The Big Beat,” now one of the most sampled songs in hip-hop, used by artists like Jay-Z and Dizzee Rascal. The 1981 album Don’t Say No catapulted him to fame, bridging power pop and hard rock with hits like “The Stroke” and “Lonely Is the Night.” From 1981 to 1984, Squier was a rock titan, with five Top 10 Mainstream Rock hits and three platinum albums, cementing his status as an ’80s arena rock icon.

Despite the “Rock Me Tonite” video’s impact, Squier’s legacy endures. He continued releasing albums until 1998’s Happy Blue and remains active with occasional live performances, like his 2023 one-night-only show with GE Smith. His music lives on in films, video games, and hip-hop samples, with Big Daddy Kane comparing his influence to James Brown. Connect with Squier on his official website, Facebook (2.14K followers), and X. While he’s not active on Instagram, fans keep the vibe alive on sites like Ultimate Classic Rock and in Billy Squier Fans on Facebook. Zoo Freaks, crank up “Rock Me Tonite” and let’s keep rockin’!