Band lore states that their name came from both a flippant reference to Adolf Hitler's dog Blondie as well as vocalist Harry's bright blond hair. Previously having been a Playboy Bunny, Harry fronted the early version of the band. initially known as "Angel and the Snakes". They built up underground fame in NYC. Blondie released their first album, 'Blondie', in 1976. The album was mildly successful and spawned the Australian hit single "In The Flesh". Gary Valentine left the band later that year, and they continued briefly as a foursome, recording 'Plastic Letters' and gaining more airplay with their track "Denis". Still in touch with their punk roots, having played in clubs such as CBGBs and hung out with rock artists such as the Ramones, the band broke out into other, more diverse influences such as older dance and pop music, particularly interested in Phil Spector's 'wall of sound' technique.
Valentine was replaced by Los Angeles-based musician Frank Infante (guitar, bass guitar) in 1977. Infante had already played guitar on one track on 'Plastic Letters'. The band went out playing live with Infante and Stein swopping between playing guitar and bass guitar throughout each concert. The band also added British born but LA-based Nigel Harrison (bass guitar), making Blondie a six piece group for the first time. Harrison was a former member of the glam rock band Silverhead.
In 1978, they released the album that would make them international stars, titled 'Parallel Lines'. The album spawned several hit singles, including the number one hit "Heart Of Glass", "Sunday Girl", "Hanging On The Telephone" (a cover of the famous power pop track by The Nerves), and "One Way Or Another". The success of the heavily disco influenced "Heart of Glass", a song sometimes censored for its use of strong language for the time and considered by the band as tongue-in-cheek, proved controversial among many fans of the band's punk background, but it managed to break them through at a massive level.
They released three more albums (1979's Eat To The Beat, 1980's Autoamerican (containing the number one singles "The Tide Is High" and "Rapture") and 1982's The Hunter) as well as a number one single "Call Me", from the score of the 1980 film "American Gigolo".
In 1980, Harrison contributed several unused Blondie songs to ex-Silverhead singer Michael Des Barres solo album I'm Only Human. In 1981, Harry released a solo album Koo Koo, Destri released a solo album Heart On A Wall. Burke recorded and played live with the Eurythmics, and Stein started a record label named Animal Records.
In 1982, health problems for Stein, declining sales and inter-band tension caused the band to split. Harry kept a low profile for a few years while she nursed (now former) boyfriend Stein through a serious illness, but then continued a solo career as an actress/singer.
Reformation plans begun in 1997 with a line-up that included Harry, Stein, Destri, Burke, Valentine, and Harrison. Infante was not invited to the reunion. Valentine and Harrison were eventually (and unceremoniously, they claim) replaced by Paul Carbonara (guitar) and Leigh Foxx (bass).
The band released No Exit in 1998, which did quite well in both US and UK charts and contained the number one hit single "Maria".
The album did not include any song contributions from Valentine or Harrison, despite them recording early sessions for the album and Valentine being assured by Stein that they would use his already recorded song "Amor Fati". Harrison and Infante later filed an unsuccessful lawsuit claiming breach of contract for not including them in the reunion.
The Curse Of Blondie was released in 2003 and, while not matching its predecessor in sales, was critically acclaimed and spawned the global dance hit "Good Boys".
Destri retired from touring in 2004. Kevin Patrick (keyboards), Destri's former keyboard tech and assistant, replaced him soon followed by Matt Katz-Bohen in 2008.
The band's 2006 induction ceremony into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was the scene of an awkward moment between Infante and Harry, during which he asked that the former members be allowed to play along with fellow inductees Harry, Stein and Burke during the band's set, since it was the original band that was being inducted. Harry replied "Can't you see my band is up there?" prompting Infante to counter "I thought it was Blondie that was being inducted."
In 2006, the band toured as the opening act for The New Cars on the "Road Rage Tour." Although Harry was more than 60 years old, the band still managed incendiary versions of their old hits, while playing with enough fire to remind the audience of their punk roots.
In 2007, the band embarked on a tour of Europe, to coincide with the DVD release of the first ever music video album "Eat To The Beat".
Harry has since resumed her solo career, releasing 2007's Necessary Evil.
On June 5, 2008, Blondie commenced a world tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Parallel Lines with a concert at Ram's Head Live in Baltimore, Maryland. The tour covered some Eastern and Midwestern US cities throughout the month of June. In July, the tour took the band overseas to Israel, the UK, Russia, Europe and Scandinavia, wrapping up on August 2, 2008 at Rockefeller in Oslo, Norway.
Clem Burke and Paul Carbonara both recently told interviewers that the band is working on another record, which would be their first new album since the release of The Curse of Blondie in 2003. Carbonara described it as "a real Blondie record.
Blondie undertook a North American tour of mid-sized venues with Pat Benatar and The Donnas in the summer of 2009. Following the tour, in October, the band began recording sessions for their ninth studio album with producer Jeff Saltzman in Woodstock, New York. In December 2009, the band released the song "We Three Kings" to coincide with the Christmas holiday.
The new album, to be titled Panic of Girls, which was being mixed at the time, was said to follow in 2010. Chris Stein stated that Dutch artist Chris Berens will provide the cover art. In April 2010, it was announced that guitarist Paul Carbonara had amicably left Blondie to pursue other projects and was replaced by Tommy Kessler. Panic of Girls is tentatively set to be released in 2010/2011.
In June 2010, Blondie began the first leg of a world tour named "Endangered Species Tour", which covered the United Kingdom and Ireland, supported by UK band Little Fish. The set lists featured both classics and new material from the forthcoming Panic of Girls. After a break in July the tour will resume in August and cover the United States and Canada over a course of six weeks. Blondie is then set to take the "Endangered Species Tour" to Australia and New Zealand in November and December. It was revealed that the bands album will be released on the Australian Sony label in November 2010, and elsewhere in January 2011.
Songfacts reports that Mother, the first single from Panic of Girls received its global premiere on BBC Radio on March 17th, 2011 and was made available for purchase on May 23, 2011.
In May 2017 a new album was released named Pollinator with the single "Long Time" which saw the daylight in March.
In 2021, the band released a short film along with a soundtrack EP titled Vivir en la Habana. They also released an alternate version of their song Rapture titled “Yuletide Throwdown” which featured Fab 5 Freddy.
In 2022, Blondie released a Sunday Girl EP consisting of an unreleased demo and live version
of the song as well as the previously released french version of the track in honor of Record Store Day. The band went on a UK tour with support from Johnny Marr followed by a US tour with support from The Damned titled “Against The Odds Tour”, which Chris Stein did not attend due to health problems. They also announced the release of their first archival project and box set, titled Against The Odds: 1974 - 1982, which took six years to compile, began recording their twelfth studio album and remastered their music videos in HD.
Look Good In Blue
Blondie Lyrics
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It matches your skin your eyes dripping with pain
Someone like you, getting off on the lies
'Cause it dulls your surprise again
If it's alright with you, I could give some head
And shoulders to lie on
You look good in blue
I know what you mean when, you say you've seen the end
You knew what was up in the end
If it's alright with you
I could give some head and shoulders to lie on
Throw your weight on me baby
Don't complain on me baby
Escape in me next to me
I'm tired always tired and I got not place to sleep
Don't mind dividing down the line
Can't say that I'm complaining
'Cause I got no place to play yeah
Don't mind dividing down the line
You look good in blue
It matches your skin your eyes dripping with pain
If it's alright with you
I could give some head and shoulders to lie on
Yes I could give some head
And shoulders to lie on
The lyrics to Blondie's song Look Good In Blue are captivating, with the melancholic tone effortlessly paired with the vivid use of colors to paint a picture of agony, deceit, and void. The title of the song refers to the color blue, which is often used to represent sadness, and pain. The opening line "You look good in blue" highlights the contrast between the physical appearance of the person and their inner turmoil. Blue not only matches the skin tone and eye color of this person but also seems to embody their emotions. The next line, "It matches your skin your eyes dripping with pain," further emphasizes the role of blue in representing the sadness and agony that the person is experiencing.
The lyrics then move to paint a picture of someone who is accustomed to lies and has almost become numb to the shock of being deceived. The line "Someone like you, getting off on the lies'Cause it dulls your surprise again" demonstrates the sad reality of people getting habituated to lies and finding it difficult to confront reality. The lines "If it's alright with you, I could give some head And shoulders to lie on" is an offer from the singer to be a support system to the person who is facing pain and lies. The phrase "Head and shoulders" can be interpreted both physically and figuratively, implying that the singer is willing to provide physical support and emotional support "to lie on."
The later lines "I'm tired always tired and I got no place to sleep" and "Don't mind dividing down the line" showcase a sense of exhaustion and desperation. The repeated offer to "give some head and shoulders to lie on" may be an invitation to find solace in the arms of the singer. In conclusion, the song "Look Good In Blue" by Blondie is a haunting song that uses powerful images and metaphors to describe the pain and struggle of someone who is facing lies and deceit.
Line by Line Meaning
You look good in blue
The color blue complements your physical features.
It matches your skin your eyes dripping with pain
Your skin and eyes reflect a sense of immense suffering.
Someone like you, getting off on the lies
People like you enjoy living in deceit, deception, and illusions.
'Cause it dulls your surprise again
This deception is essential in reducing the intensity of the feeling of shock you constantly face.
If it's alright with you, I could give some head
I am willing to be emotionally supportive for you.
And shoulders to lie on
I will be there for you to rely on whenever you need it.
I know what you mean when, you say you've seen the end
I understand the message you are conveying when you say that you have reached the brink of an intolerable situation.
Someone like you been at it again
You have been acting in typical behavior, once again.
You knew what was up in the end
You knew the exact outcome of what was happening at the very end.
Throw your weight on me baby
You can rely on me and trust me enough to share your emotional baggage and troubles.
Don't complain on me baby
Don't worry about burdening me with your complaints or troubles, since I am here to support you.
Escape in me next to me
You can look up to me as a means of mental relief and stress-free escape.
I'm tired always tired and I got not place to sleep
I'm sleepy, physically and emotionally drained, and I have nowhere to seek solace.
Don't mind dividing down the line
I don't mind sharing the burden of your emotional troubles and worries.
Can't say that I'm complaining
I am not complaining, nor do I think that it is troublesome to share your worries.
'Cause I got no place to play yeah
Since I have no other sources of enjoyment or happiness, I am willing to devote my time to support you.
Yes, I could give some head
I am willing to provide you with the necessary support and understanding.
And shoulders to lie on
I am willing to lend a listening ear and emotional support whenever you need it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Jimmy Destri
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kc
on Accidents Never Happen
Judging from the cultural framework at the time i read it as lies being exposed for the middle income layers of the society who ere led to believe that if they follow certain codes they will be happy and prosperous but so many fail so accidents nver happen is a mockery