DON'T WALK AWAY
Directed by David Mallet

According to US


This is not one of my favorite videos.  I think my main problem with it is, I just don't get it.  I can't figure out what kind of concept they were going for in this one.  I do kind of like the opening frame, with Rick rising out of the water, yet is all dry.  Kind of like a backward Baptism.   He just seems a little too psychotic in the video.  And the point of the song is basically that he's so in love with this one woman and that she's the one and only woman for him, yet there are 3 different women within the video.  I guess maybe it's supposed to be 3 different time periods (or 3 different lifetimes) or something.  I have no clue. The best part is that his wife makes a short appearance in the video, so it gives it some historical value and they have a great kissing scene (guess there was no holding back on that one).  I never think of the video when I hear the song, I always think of the scene from the movie where it was playing. - rlh

footnote - this video was filmed in the UK
This is my favorite of the 3 videos that came out of Hard To Hold! I love the imagery and the paintings around Rick's studio that come to life. I've always been a fanatic over art and especially art in the form of a painting, so this one appeals to me in that way. The opening scene is interesting the way Rick appears to be under water and we see his face surface to the top. Normally I wouldn't be too keen on a video created in all black and white, but I think there are some videos that just `call' for it. This is one of those videos/songs in my opinion. 

I think it's awesome how Rick's wife makes an appearance. I'm guessing there wasn't much need in rehearsing for their warm embrace and long kiss by the airplane. ;-) SWEET! As much as I do like this video, I found a few factors to be odd. For instance, why didn't Barbie just play the role of the woman for the whole video? That would've been much nicer. Instead there are 3 different women here. Maybe the intention was to symbolize that he had loved and lost with more than one woman. I'm not sure…

I like the scenes where Rick looks like he's full of angst and despair. The one near the beginning is good. He's clinging to the table cloth and his face is so desperate, pleading. (But I wonder…what is that on his face that is shiny looking? Is it supposed to be tears or maybe sweat?!) 

One scene in particular that I really like is when he's chasing the `runaway bride' and he nearly stumbles off the cliff. I wonder if this relates to fears he or his wife had over the marriage commitment? She climbs aboard a rowboat and Rick watches from the cliff. Suddenly he's surprised to see that the woman has jumped `ship.' All that's left is part of her dress still floating on top of the water. I know that some things in life can make you feel like you're alone on a small row boat in the middle of the ocean. And often times we feel like we row and row, but all the while we're sinking fast. (or we just feel the need to jump overboard & drown in our sorrows) That is the symbolism that comes to me during this scene. 

Rick seems to be wandering around aimlessly in this video for the most part, which in a sense is fitting to the song. It's a sad song and it gives me a feeling of being `lost,' and not knowing what to do next with your life. I like how Rick is back at his studio and he grabs hold of the bars near his bed, looking almost like a prisoner in his own space.
In the next scene we have Barbie. Rick is looking quite lonely standing by the fence, near the airplane. She sees him and runs to him. He grabs her up, spinning her around, and they share an embrace and a kiss. But then she hops the plane and looks sadly out the window at him as it taxis down the runway. Again…he's looking through `bars' (the fence) as if he's caged up and cannot break free from the pain he`s feeling.

Once again…in the next scene, another woman is running away from him. Rick chases the woman to a train and once she's on board, their hands are touching, but they lose contact as the train pulls out. She even gives him an almost hateful or hurt look. What is UP with all these women running from Rick Springfield?! The next scene needs to show the women in counseling! (or in the psyche ward!) LOL! 

My favorite (quick) shot of Rick comes next. He's balled up in his studio, arms wrapped around himself, sitting on the floor. He's dressed all in black (which is always nice on Rick!) and he's looking up at the camera as he sings. Ok, so the man looks like he needs a hug here! He's been dumped by way too many girls, and he just needs a big hug! :-P 

A painting is lying on the bench behind where he sits. It has a scene of an old brick church, and like many of the other paintings, it comes to life. But sadly, there is a funeral service being held outside. Rick is shown here with gray hair and looking like he's an older man. He hobbles across the grass using a cane and looks over the shoulder of the minister, and into the grave. Someone throws what appears to be flower petals into the hole and Rick walks away from the group, still using his cane. So my question has always been…is the "dead" person supposed to represent where he thought he'd be if he couldn't find true love? Not in the literal sense of course, but meaning…dead spiritually and emotionally? That question still remains unanswered for me. But I cannot for the life of me figure out what else the grave would represent. The funny thing is…when I first saw this video in the 80's, I seriously thought to myself…"So maybe this is what Rick will look like when he's old." lol And so I find it comical that Rick IS an older man now as I write this, and what he portrayed in that scene was way off base for him! He is a long way from using a cane at this point. The man has more vitality and energy than I have, and I haven't even hit 40 yet! I just thought I'd throw that into the review, because it's quite cute how Rick's 'projection' of himself in the video isn`t the reality he now has. And thankfully, he isn't alone in life either. ;-) - Kelley Pearson