Legs (song)
Encyclopedia
"Legs" is a song performed by the band ZZ Top
from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was released as a single in 1984 and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100
in the United States. The Special Dance Mix version of the song peaked at number thirteen on the dance charts .
Although all three members of ZZ Top are credited with playing on the track, only Gibbons was actually present; engineer Terry Manning
was responsible for all the musical parts save the lead guitar.
There, the store owner and the senior salesman both shove her around, while a customer laughs raucously at her misfortune. The cook dashes into the shop and then to the stock room to return the girl's items. She thanks him shyly, but her boss and the salesman burst in, and heave the cook out of the store. The Eliminator pulls up, and the Eliminator girls (Jeana Tomasino
, Kymberly Herrin, and Danièle Arnaud) emerge from the car. They help the cook to his feet, dust him off, then slip into the shoe store's back door. The Eliminator girls find the dejected salesgirl, put her abusers in their place, then present the salesgirl to the ZZ Top band members, who have suddenly appeared to bestow upon her the keys to the Eliminator.
The salesgirl (Wendy Frazier) is whisked away for a complete makeover: new hairstyle, makeup, and sexy new wardrobe, including spike heels from her now-doting boss. The Eliminator arrives at the burger joint, where the salesgirl debuts her confident new self. She strides into the restaurant with the Eliminator girls behind her. With the help of the friendly bikers, the salesgirl gets her man as the Eliminator girls keep the more aggressive men at bay. The happy pair leaves the restaurant hand in hand and rides away in a dune buggy. The Eliminator girls invite some of the friendly bikers to join them and the Eliminator drives away as the ZZ Top band members appear one last time to wave at the camera.
The spinning, furry Dean guitars also premiered in this video.
. This was the first year the award was given. The commercial and music video director, Tim Newman, provided direction and cinematography for this as well as the ZZ Top music videos "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "My Head's In Mississippi" (as well as "I Love LA," for his cousin Randy Newman). Sim Sadler and Bob Sarles
edited "Legs," for which both received nominations for Best Editing in the first MTV Video Music Awards, in the Billboard Music Video Awards, and in the American Music Video Awards that year.
, in which ZZ Top themselves, as well as the Eliminator Girls appeared. In the scene, hospital orderly Luther (Eric Launeville) falls asleep as the radio is playing "Legs", and he dreams the Eliminator girls come to his aid, helping him to seek revenge on senior hospital staff who have oppressed him.
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was released as a single in 1984 and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in the United States. The Special Dance Mix version of the song peaked at number thirteen on the dance charts .
Although all three members of ZZ Top are credited with playing on the track, only Gibbons was actually present; engineer Terry Manning
Terry Manning
Terry Manning is a music producer, songwriter, photographer and recording engineer known for work in rock, rhythm and blues, and pop music genres....
was responsible for all the musical parts save the lead guitar.
Music video
After stepping in a mud puddle and bumping into tough-looking, but polite, bikers at a crosswalk, a pretty, unassuming salesgirl enters a burger joint. She places a take-out order but suffers harassment by everyone there except a handsome and friendly young cook who is bullied by his co-workers as well. The salesgirl takes her order, escapes the place and her tormentors, but leaves her glasses and a food container in her haste. The cook retrieves the items and runs after her to the shoe store where she works.There, the store owner and the senior salesman both shove her around, while a customer laughs raucously at her misfortune. The cook dashes into the shop and then to the stock room to return the girl's items. She thanks him shyly, but her boss and the salesman burst in, and heave the cook out of the store. The Eliminator pulls up, and the Eliminator girls (Jeana Tomasino
Jeana Tomasino
Jeana Tomasino was born on September 18, 1955 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Tomasino graduated from Whitnall High School located in Greenfield, Wisconsin in 1972. When she was younger, she worked as a model and actress...
, Kymberly Herrin, and Danièle Arnaud) emerge from the car. They help the cook to his feet, dust him off, then slip into the shoe store's back door. The Eliminator girls find the dejected salesgirl, put her abusers in their place, then present the salesgirl to the ZZ Top band members, who have suddenly appeared to bestow upon her the keys to the Eliminator.
The salesgirl (Wendy Frazier) is whisked away for a complete makeover: new hairstyle, makeup, and sexy new wardrobe, including spike heels from her now-doting boss. The Eliminator arrives at the burger joint, where the salesgirl debuts her confident new self. She strides into the restaurant with the Eliminator girls behind her. With the help of the friendly bikers, the salesgirl gets her man as the Eliminator girls keep the more aggressive men at bay. The happy pair leaves the restaurant hand in hand and rides away in a dune buggy. The Eliminator girls invite some of the friendly bikers to join them and the Eliminator drives away as the ZZ Top band members appear one last time to wave at the camera.
The spinning, furry Dean guitars also premiered in this video.
Awards
The video won the 1984 MTV Video Music Award for Best Group VideoMTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video was first given out at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards; and in 2007, going along with how the VMAs were revamped that year, the award was renamed Best Group, as it awarded the artist's body of work for the full year rather than a specific video...
. This was the first year the award was given. The commercial and music video director, Tim Newman, provided direction and cinematography for this as well as the ZZ Top music videos "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "My Head's In Mississippi" (as well as "I Love LA," for his cousin Randy Newman). Sim Sadler and Bob Sarles
Bob Sarles
Bob Sarles is a film & television editor, producer & director based in San Francisco and Los Angeles.-Biography:Bob Sarles began making films in 8mm and Super8, and videos on half inch reel to reel video in the early 1970s as a teen in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York...
edited "Legs," for which both received nominations for Best Editing in the first MTV Video Music Awards, in the Billboard Music Video Awards, and in the American Music Video Awards that year.
Parody
The video was parodied in a 1984 episode of St. ElsewhereSt. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
, in which ZZ Top themselves, as well as the Eliminator Girls appeared. In the scene, hospital orderly Luther (Eric Launeville) falls asleep as the radio is playing "Legs", and he dreams the Eliminator girls come to his aid, helping him to seek revenge on senior hospital staff who have oppressed him.
Charts
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... |
6 |
| Belgian VRT Top 30 | 24 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
9 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 35 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 9 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 7 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 16 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
8 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
13 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Rock Tracks | 3 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1984) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report | 42 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 60 |
| U.S. Cashbox Top 100 | 72 |
Personnel
- Billy GibbonsBilly GibbonsWilliam Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, lead vocals - Terry ManningTerry ManningTerry Manning is a music producer, songwriter, photographer and recording engineer known for work in rock, rhythm and blues, and pop music genres....
- Engineer, Mix, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, drums, programming, percussion, backing vocals - Jimi JamisonJimi JamisonJimmy Wayne "Jimi" Jamison is a rock vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer for the band Survivor from 1984–1989 and 2000-2006.- Further biography :...
- backing vocals