Soft Cell worked hard to cultivate an image of sleaze, with albums titles like Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret and This Last Night in Sodom. I’m not sure what sleazy image they’re trying to promote here in the official video for their first big hit, Tainted Love: Marc Almond’s pawing of the young girl seems almost paedophilic

I’m sure that wasn’t the intention and that particular bit was just slotted in along with all the other meaningless foppery.

Dodgy video notwithstanding, Tainted Love served them well. When it was originally recorded the studio had made it quite clear there’s be no more records unless this one was a hit. Fortunately for the boys, it turned out to be a resounding success and guaranteed them an eternal place in pop history – even though they did split up three years later.

https://youtu.be/ZeJkbqjQvnk