146. Blondie, "Parallel Lines"

 


I think I first realized I was straight from looking at Debbie Harry on the cover of this album (or maybe this issue of Hit Parader, who knows), an incredibly fun and even groundbreaking album that fused new wave and punk and pop and still sounds totally fresh today.

Of course, Blondie emerged from the new wave scene in New York in the 70's because where else.  This was their third album, their first real success, and it went on to sell something like 20 million copies.  "Heart of Glass," the big single, dropped right into the middle of an America hungry for disco and cocaine and sex and of course went to number 1.  Drummer Clem Burke says the backing beat was inspired by the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" and you can certainly hear that.  Listening to it yesterday, I was struck by just how good a song it is.  Not just the beat, but the backing tracks - especially a great guitar tone - and of course Harry's vocals.  You could write a book about her singing on this album, how it goes from cooing to shrill to strong to vampy, often all in the same song.  The melody in "Heart of Glass" dips and swirls into something totally memorable and catchy and brilliant.

There are so many good songs on this album.  "One Way or Another" is closer to power pop than new wave, telling a story of stalking so much better than "Every Breath You Take":

One way, or another, I'm gonna see ya
I'm gonna meet ya, meet ya, meet ya, meet ya
One day, maybe next week
I'm gonna meet ya, I'm gonna meet ya, I'll meet ya
I will drive past your house
And if the lights are all down
I'll see who's around

Harry has explained that the lyrics were inspired by a real life stalking incident when an ex wouldn't leave her alone.  Her vocals are super aggressive and growly, as befits the subject matter.  

On "Picture This," she changes from a soft croon to a wail, set against a guitar solo that sounds ahead of its time (the whole song does, in fact - more like 1997 than 1979).  And I dearly love "Sunday Girl," which echoes 60's girl-pop, but with Harry's magnificent voice cutting through the pop sweetness.  "Will Anything Happen" gets a bad rap but it's a totally cool, frantic new wave song with a great, ballsy chorus.

There are some songs that aren't as good ("11:59" and "Just Go Away" come to mind) but the dropoff in quality is so slight it's hard to complain about.  Producer Mike Chapman made the wise in retrospect decision to leave Harry's vocals relatively dry, with little reverb or other effects, so they really pop out of the mix.  Although the band was unsure about working with him, the result absolutely shines.  

Does this album deserve to be in the Top 500? Absolutely.

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