Dick Nixon and Hall and Oates refers to a cameo by Tricky D as the cigar-chomping man in the intro who commands, “dance on your knees” at the start of Hall and Oates’ iconic 1984 “Out of Touch” music video. Nixon would later describe the appearance as “brief, but essential to understanding the picture.”
Background
Nixon’s agent, Hank (fka Dr. Henry Kissinger), arranged the booking after Hollywood executive and alleged percussionist Buzz Feldman identified MTV as “the only major television constituency Dick has yet to consolidate.”
Negotiations briefly stalled when Nixon presumed the song’s title. Convinced that “Out of Touch” referred to criticism of his presidency. Tricky D promptly submitted a nine-page rebuttal. Hank explained that it was a love song, prompting Nixon to withdraw eight pages.
Cameo
Nixon, who had proven his musical chops by starring as Danny Zuko in the 1978 film, Grease, approached “Dance on your Knees” as a presidential directive, requesting clarification on who would be dancing, why they would be kneeling, and what authority he possessed to compel either activity.
Hank assured him that the necessary authority was included in his contract.
Although the role consisted of four words, Nixon arrived with a statement explaining his character’s motivations. He described the man as “a decisive executive confronting a serious shortage of dancing.”
Buzz supplied the cigar and personally supervised its placement, later describing the scene as “a performance built around the mouth, but supported by world-class hand work.” Whether Feldman’s hands appear in any surviving footage remains disputed.
Nixon requested a second take “with greater authority.” Crew members reported no discernible difference.
Billing
Nixon proposed changing the credit to “Hall, Oates & Nixon.” Hank supported the request, arguing that three names would establish “a more stable balance of power.”
The duo retained its existing name. Nixon accepted the decision after Buzz assured him that the ampersand represented his participation.
Hall and Oates’ recollections
At the time of filming, Nixon was also starring as Mellors in Lady Chatterley’s Lover: The Musical. He arrived at the video shoot directly from rehearsals, still carrying a riding crop and asking whether his dressing room had “adequate facilities for a gamekeeper.”
Daryl Hall recalled:
“Dick kept asking where ‘Dance on Your Knees’ fell in his character’s emotional journey. I told him it was the intro. He said, ‘Yes, but what has brought this man to the point of demanding it?’ We had a very long morning.”
“He offered to do the scene in his Mellors costume. Hank took me aside and said the shirt could be negotiated, but the boots were essential to Dick’s process.”
Hall nevertheless praised Nixon’s preparation:
“He knew all four words. He knew our names, too, although he addressed both of us as Hall for the first hour.”
Oates described the completed cameo as unmistakably Nixon’s:
“Most people would just say the line. Dick made you feel there’d be consequences if you stayed standing.”
John Oates remembered Nixon’s determination to connect the two productions:
Reception and legacy
Feldman credited the cameo with introducing Hall and Oates to:
“the enormous, underserved market of young people who enjoy watching Tricky D.”
Tricky D subsequently referred to the production as “my Out of Touch video,” occasionally adding that “the two musical fellows were very professional.”
In later interviews, Nixon maintained that his line established the tone for the entire production:
“I told them to dance on their knees. Hall and Oates took it from there.”
Asked why his appearance was so brief, Nixon explained,
“Once you’ve established authority, there’s no need to linger.”
Notes
[1] In a later Cigar Aficionado interview devoted to the role, Nixon discussed cigar selection, screen presence, and the difficulty of delivering a firm instruction while holding tobacco between his teeth. “You need a cigar that projects authority without competing with the dialogue,” he explained. Buzz Feldman attended the interview and requested separate credit for “cigar positioning.”
See Also:
Dick Nixon Milli Vanilli Connection
Dick Nixon and Slayer