Throwback Video Of The Week: Rod Stewart “Young Turks”
In a week that saw Rod Stewart make headlines for punching a security guard, let’s look back at a time when he received media attention for a better reason: his music.
“Young Turks” was the second single from Rod’s 1981 album Tonight I’m Yours. The term young Turk, which originates from an early 20th-century political party in Turkey, is slang for a rebellious youth who acts against the grain of normal society. Sort of like Rod Stewart and his son were behaving in Florida on New Year’s Eve. However, the phrase “Young Turks” was not written into the lyrics. The chorus includes the words “young hearts be free tonight,” which has confused many about the song’s title.
The video for “Young Turks” was filmed in Los Angeles during the summer of 1981. It has a West Side Story feel. A young couple runs away together and they encounter people dancing in the streets, in alleys, on cars, and in a rail yard. This was also the first video containing breakdancing to be played by MTV.
By the way, Rod Stewart just announced that he’ll be touring with Cheap Trick this summer. Their only stop in the Carolinas will be on August 21st in Raleigh. Tickets go on sale Saturday, January 11th at 10:00 AM.
