Words by Jesse Serwer—
It’s been noted on this site before that dancehall videos didn’t really become prevalent until the 1990s. All told, there’s probably only 20 or so proper videos from the genre predating that era which have made it to YouTube. That’s what made it a nice surprise to encounter this clip of Leroy Smart’s “Good Man In Your Life,” dating back to 1987.
The video has a little story to it illustrating the song’s theme of encouraging women to hold onto men who do right by them. But what makes it enjoyable is the dancing. Leroy is clearly relishing the opportunity to be on camera, in what was likely his first video. As dancehall videos grew in number a few years later, the artists featured in them tended to take themselves a little more seriously, their energy a little more self conscious. “Good Man In Your Life” gives us a look into a time when there were no such concerns.