What videos were the Robert Palmer girls in?

Answer 1

The songs Simply Irresistible and Addicted to Love both prominently featured women with a distinctive look. Addicted To Love was the first video with "The Girls", released in early 1986 it topped the US Charts in May and hit the Top 5 in the UK, also becoming one of MTV's most requested videos.

Palmer's follow up single "Hyperactive" did not get a video and did comparatively poorly sales wise. In August of 1986 Island Records issued "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" as a single, once again using "The Girls" in the video, the only twist being that this time Palmer not only fronted the mannequin like all female band on stage, but some of the girls are seen at times in the video acting as a directors. The single hit US#2 and UK #9 and the video again became a very requested clip at MTV during the fall of 1986.

Once Palmer switched to EMI Records, "The Girls" were resurrected one last time, for "Simply Irresistible". This time Palmer fronts an abbreviated version of the mannequin band on stage (just guitar players) but there are girls in Pink dresses (basically looking just like the girls in the black mini skirts who appear in all three video, only wearing pink) and at least girl that gets splashed with water wearing a pink bathing suit. Not surprisingly the song became another big hit, at least in the US where it peaked at No. 2 In Sept 1988.

After that the concept, created by Terrance Donnavan due to Palmer's dislike for filming videos (they involved very little performance wise from him) was shelved, in part because Palmer did not think it fit other songs. "She Makes My Day" which was a big hit for Palmer in the UK was a romantic Ballad and his remake of The Gap Band's "Early In The Morning" had much heavier lyrical content, thus he used different concepts for their videos.

There is a scene in the video for "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming" (US#60 1989) in which there are females in the audience of a club as Palmer and his band perform that are dressed like "The Girls" (Palmer said in interviews this was common in the late 80's). The video for the novelty song "Change His Ways" which was a UK only single in 1989 features a cartoon version of "The Girls" who appear to startle Palmer as he sings the bridge in the song, a comical moment in an intentionally funny video.

J.M.G.: I only wanted to add to this VERY complete answer - that the model in the beginning wrote a short note (2013) on her experience and that they were all off in another studio while Robert Palmer was some where else. I haven't been able to find it again after searching for it. But to me she was the most beautiful - among all of Aphrodite's young women who partook - when her eye's were closed and then opened. Hey, - I guess the music was "OK" too!

I thought I'd be able to add on by myself - so I hope the author of all above "JMG" - with all the information they've gathered and answered with - is not in anyway thinking this is a "correction" or that I claim it as my own - but an addition is all I thought others could find interesting. I didn't write down your screen name - but hope it shows up somewhere since it should be credited to you. My ignorance shouldn't belie your documentation. Sincere apologies. Thank you.

Answer 2

PATTY KELLY, JULIE PANKHURST, KATHY DAVIES, MAK GILCHRIST, and JULIA BOLINO