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July 29, 2008

Video Hangover: Robin Thicke - "When I Get You Alone"

Every week, we dig in the archives for videos that we find noteworthy, memorable, or just unbelievably stupid. And then, Jon McMillan breaks 'em down for you. Why Video Hangover? Because when you watch as many videos as we do, you're going to feel it afterwards.

"When I Get You Alone"
Robin Thicke, 2002

It's a dick on a bike.

Right, that's not fair. I don't even know Robin Thicke! And while it's true that his repeated use of the same sample might class him as the blue-eyed Crazy Town, this video has a goofy, unpretentious charm that's totally at odds with the genre. The hair? The goatee? The noticeable lack of gyrating women? And when was the last time you saw Timberlake do any manual labor? "When I Get You Alone" is also a master class in pacing and editing. Every time it looks like Robin is about to stall out in a spasm of Jackson-esque tics, the camera cuts away and zooom! He's racing through midtown, popping wheelies, and getting smacked in the face with roses. As a New Yorker, I appreciate the attention to detail -- the way he goes to and from Brooklyn via the Brooklyn Bridge, for example, or how he decides to develop the film in the package he can't deliver, which is totally how they do it around here (it's the law).

Got a candidate for Video Hangover? Email tips at stereogum dot com.

Posted at 4:25 PM by Jon in ,
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15 Comments

I remember seeing that video thinking, "what the?" I don't know very many people who remember this song, but I was not fooled when he loss the excess hair, showed up all cleaned up and broke out on his second album. This is still my favorite song from Robin Thicke though. That's a good hangover.

Posted by: Kimberlee Morrison at 07/29/08 5:06 PM  | Reply
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His father wrote the theme songs to Diff'rent Strokes and Facts Of Life! On a bike.

Posted by: Scott profile link at 07/29/08 5:29 PM  | Reply
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im embarassed to admit it but i have the cd single of this song. sad sad sad.

Posted by: annie onymous profile link at 07/29/08 6:05 PM  | Reply
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haha, me too! Yeah, that song was one of like 5 videos they always used to show on American Airlines (along with some Lenny Kravitz video and U2's "Walk On" and after the Everybody Loves Raymond marathon) so I think I must have seen it half a dozen times.
It was pretty exciting to me that he re-sampled ELO's remix. Awesome.

Posted by: historyman68  in reply to annie onymous's comment at 08/10/08 3:26 AM  | Reply
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A friend of mine used this as a pump up song before she got dressed for work. Needless to say, I always give her shit about it.

Posted by: Mike at 07/29/08 6:48 PM  | Reply
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This beat is fucking awesome.

Posted by: jesse at 07/29/08 7:05 PM  | Reply
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always loved this track. a pro jazz singer friend of mine (who shall remain nameless) used to love belting this one out in the car. good memories!

Posted by: tngregory at 07/29/08 7:11 PM  | Reply
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Dude looks like Orlando Bloom. Nice nod to Harlem.

Posted by: mitchell at 07/29/08 7:41 PM  | Reply
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thats just in the mornin'! you all got JT in a wig-n-a-box!! RT is on MY joint tho!!

Posted by: Lil' D'Wayne Carter at 07/29/08 9:07 PM  | Reply
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I loved this song. I'm pretty sure it came out while I was still in middle school.My mom loved it even more. She'd play it whenever she's drop me off at school. Man, you brought back some memories. Good hangover.

Posted by: Lauren at 07/29/08 11:39 PM  | Reply
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The song works well in The Rules Of Attraction. I think they use for the Dressed To Get Screwed Party scene.

Posted by: Gary at 07/30/08 9:49 AM  | Reply
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Robin Thicke is the man.

Posted by: EmanuelV at 07/31/08 2:05 AM  | Reply
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I remember seeing this video on MTV and being completely confused. The song was hot and I did not expect to see the hippie that Robin Thicke seemed to be to be singing a song like that. The video didn't really make sense with the song, but it caught my attention.

Posted by: Melina at 07/31/08 11:58 AM  | Reply
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Dude, I can't believe I didn't see you posted this video. It's just so fun and Robin Thicke, despite being Alan Thicke's son, is pretty hot. It's a great song. I dj it once in a while and people are always a little confused but always dance.

Posted by: Jennifer Kellas at 10/26/08 8:08 PM  | Reply
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This guy is a total freak and he cant friggin sing, he is a common WANNABE

Posted by: jimjammer at 01/09/10 9:18 AM  | Reply
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