Good Die Young by Divinyls

Music video for 'Good Die Young' (1984) by Divinyls, the lead single from their second studio album What a Life! (Chrysalis Records, 1985).

‘Good Die Young’ captures the ache of knowing too much, too soon. Chrissy Amphlett’s voice – one of the decade’s most potent instruments – summons its full intensity to soar through the chorus, a raw force harnessed with new command. The ascent of the chorus is earned, each note bending to match the song’s emotional arc. Sadness runs through her delivery, too, every word cutting deeper for how carefully it’s placed. Producer Mark Opitz ensures the track never collapses under its own weight, balancing sparse percussion and sharp guitar lines that teeter between hope and heartbreak, unsure whether to surge forward or hold back.

Visually, Divinyls carry the same duality as their music – glamour and grit, allure and defiance. In the video for ‘Good Die Young’, Amphlett’s signature school uniform and torn fishnets remain, but cloaked in a black cape – hero versus anti-hero, hiding versus revealing. The visuals veer between surreal and stark: mimes drift, neon signs fritz, and rooftop fires send smoke signals of urban decay. A giant clock ticks toward midnight (time running out, but not fast enough?), and the sunrise is grimy. In a lesser song, these elements would come across as tired '80s tropes, but they nail the track’s propulsive exhaustion here. Amphlett’s gaze stays constant in lingering, almost accusatory shots, underscoring a battle that can’t be fought with swagger alone.

Read more in 1984: Australia finds its voice, part 2.