Addicted To Love

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove to Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer from his 1985 album Riptide! This track’s iconic music video, directed by Terence Donovan, is a cultural staple of the '80s, featuring Palmer fronting a band of mannequin-like models in heavy makeup, dressed in sleek black outfits. The video’s concept was so influential that Palmer reused it for other hits like I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On and Simply Irresistible. Fun fact: the models weren’t musicians, and a pro was hired to teach them basic guitar fingering, but he gave up after an hour, leaving their instrument-playing as pure visual flair. One model, Kathy Davies, shared in a 2013 interview that during the shoot, she accidentally hit Palmer in the head with her guitar while tipsy on wine, causing his face to smack the microphone. She jokingly noted being placed in the back as the drummer because “the naughty ones always get sent to the back,” but she didn’t mind, as she thought Palmer “had a good bum.”

Another juicy tidbit: Addicted to Love was meant to be a duet with Chaka Khan, whose vocal arrangement contributions are credited, but her label, Warner Bros., blocked her participation due to Palmer being on Island Records. Khan later told the Toronto Star in 2008 that her original vocals are still in her former label’s vaults, and she’s been working to reclaim them. The song’s riff came to Palmer in a dream, as he revealed to Q magazine in 1988, prompting him to rush downstairs to record it before heading back to bed. The track’s unique 7/4 time signature in the intro drum solo shifts to a standard 4/4, adding to its infectious energy. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1986, earning Palmer a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance in 1987, and its cultural impact is evident in parodies like “Weird Al” Yankovic’s Addicted to Spuds and references in Shania Twain’s Man! I Feel Like a Woman video.

Robert Palmer’s journey to stardom began in Batley, West Yorkshire, where he was born in 1949. His family moved to Malta when he was a baby due to his father’s work in British naval intelligence, exposing young Robert to blues, soul, and jazz via American Forces Radio. Back in England by age 12, he took guitar lessons and joined his first band at 15. By 19, he was a professional musician with the Alan Bown Band, followed by a stint in Dada, which became Vinegar Joe, a soul-rock outfit that released three albums in the early '70s. After Vinegar Joe disbanded, Palmer went solo with his 1974 debut Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley, blending Caribbean rhythms with rock, a style he’d refine living in the Bahamas near Compass Point Studios. His early hits like Every Kinda People and Bad Case of Loving You built his reputation, but his 1985 supergroup The Power Station, with Duran Duran’s Andy and John Taylor and Chic’s Tony Thompson, catapulted him to MTV fame, paving the way for Riptide’s massive success.

Though Robert Palmer passed away in 2003, his legacy lives on through his music and fan communities. His official website, www.robertpalmer.com, offers a deep dive into his discography and career highlights. You can connect with fans on his official Facebook page, where updates and tributes keep his memory alive. His Instagram account shares nostalgic photos and video clips, perfect for Zoo Freaks craving '80s vibes. On X, fans and the official account post about his enduring influence. For deeper fan engagement, check out the Robert Palmer Fan Group on Facebook, where enthusiasts share stories, rare photos, and concert memories. Another great spot is the fan-run site robertpalmer.org, packed with detailed discographies, articles, and fan contributions celebrating his suave style and genre-blending sound.