Blondie is an American rock band co-founded by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the American new wave scene of the mid-1970s in New York. Their first two albums contained strong elements of these genres, and although highly successful in the United Kingdom and Australia, Blondie was regarded as an underground band in the United States until the release of Parallel Lines in 1978. Over the next five years, the band achieved several hit singles including “Heart of Glass”, “Call Me”, “Atomic”, “The Tide Is High”, and “Rapture”. The band became noted for its eclectic mix of musical styles, incorporating elements of disco, pop, reggae, and early rap music.
Blondie disbanded after the release of its sixth studio album, The Hunter, in 1982. Debbie Harry continued to pursue a solo career with varied results after taking a few years off to care for partner Chris Stein, who was diagnosed with pemphigus, a rare autoimmune disease of the skin. The band re-formed in 1997, achieving renewed success and a number one single in the United Kingdom with “Maria” in 1999, exactly 20 years after their first UK No. 1 single (“Heart of Glass”).
The group toured and performed throughout the world during the following years, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.[5] Blondie has sold around 40 million records worldwide and is still active. The band’s eleventh studio album, Pollinator, was released on May 5, 2017.
The Best of Blondie (released in Germany and the Netherlands as Blondie’s Hits) is the first greatest hits album by American rock band Blondie. It was released on October 31, 1981, by Chrysalis Records. The album peaked at number four in the United Kingdom and number 30 in the United States, while becoming the band’s only number-one album in Australia.
The album was issued in several versions with different track inclusion and running order which varied slightly between North American and international editions of The Best of Blondie, highlighting the popularity of particular songs in different countries. The US and Canadian editions included “One Way or Another”, which was not issued as a single in Europe. The international version of the album included three songs that were not on the North American release: “Denis”, “Picture This” and “Union City Blue”.
Blondie’s producer Mike Chapman remixed three tracks specially for this album. The special mix of “Heart of Glass” is a version that combines elements from the original album version (also the 7″ single mix in the UK) and the instrumental version. The special mix of “In the Flesh” is a Phil Spector-esque mix, with much echo. The special mix of “Sunday Girl” mixes vocals from the previously released French-language version of the song with the original English version. Additionally, “Rapture” appears in an edited version of the 12″ Disco Mix released in the UK and Europe and includes an extra verse that did not appear on the album Autoamerican, on which the song was originally issued.
The album cover was shot in June 1978 by British photographer Martyn Goddard on a rooftop in Midtown Manhattan. (wikipedia)
Although Blondie made several first-rate albums, most of their best songs were released as singles, which makes The Best of Blondie an essential collection. The Best of Blondie glosses over their punk roots — very little from the first album, apart from the vicious “Rip Her to Shreds” and the seductive “In the Flesh” — but the band’s pop hits are among the finest of their era and encapsulate all of the virtues of new wave. Apart from genuine chart hits like “Heart of Glass,” “One Way or Another,” “Dreaming,” “Call Me,” “Atomic,” “The Tide Is High,” and “Rapture,” Best of Blondie picks up several of the group’s best album tracks, like “(I’m Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear” and “Hanging on the Telephone.” The Best of Blondie isn’t all you need to know, but it is an excellent introduction to one of the best new wave bands. (by Stephen Thomas Erlewine)
Personnel:
Clem Burke (drums)
Jimmy Destri (keyboards)
Nigel Harrison (bass)
Deborah Harry (vocals)
Frank Infante (guitar)
Chris Stein (guitar)
Tracklist:
01.Heart Of Glass (special mix) (taken from “Parallel Lines”; 1978) (Harry/Stein) 4.34
02. Denis (taken from “Plastic Letters”; 1977) (Levenson) 2.18
03. The Tide Is High (taken from Autoamerican”; 1980) (Holt) 4.39
04. In The Flesh (special mix) (taken from “Blondie”; 1976) (Harry/Stein) 2.31
05. Sunday Girl (special mix) (taken from “Parallel Lines”; 1978) (Stein) 3.04
06. Dreaming (taken from “Eat To The Beat”; 1979) (Harry/Stein) 3.06
07. Hanging On The Telephone (taken from “Parallel Lines”; 1978) (Lee) 2.22
08. Rapture (taken from Autoamerican”; 1980) (Stein/Harry) 5.35
09. Picture This (taken from “Parallel Lines”; 1978) (Harry/Stein/Destri) 2.57
10. Union City Blue (taken from “Eat To The Beat”; 1979) (Harry/Harrison) 3.22
11. (I’m Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear (taken from “Plastic Letters”; 1977) (Valentine) 2.42
12. Call Me (taken fom “American Gigolo”; 1980) (Moroder/Harry) 3.32
13. Atomic (taken from “Eat To The Beat”; 1979) (Harry/Destri) 4.40
14. Rip Her To Shreds (taken from “Blondie”; 1976) (Harry/Stein) 3.21
The official website:
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