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.
Rapture
Blondie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dancing very close
Barely breathing
Almost comatose
Wall to wall
People hypnotized
And they're stepping lightly
Hang each night in rapture
Back to back
Sacroiliac
Spineless movement
And a wild attack
Face to face
Sightless solitude
And it's finger popping
Twenty-four hour shopping in rapture
Fab Five Freddy told me everybody's fly
DJ spinnin' I said, "My my"
Flash is fast, Flash is cool
François c'est pas, Flash ain't no dude
And you don't stop, sure shot
Go out to the parking lot
And you get in your car and drive real far
And you drive all night and then you see a light
And it comes right down and it lands on the ground
And out comes a man from Mars
And you try to run but he's got a gun
And he shoots you dead and he eats your head
And then you're in the man from Mars
You go out at night eatin' cars
You eat Cadillacs, Lincolns too
Mercurys and Subaru
And you don't stop, you keep on eatin' cars
Then, when there's no more cars you go out at night
And eat up bars where the people meet
Face to face, dance cheek to cheek
One to one, man to man
Dance toe to toe, don't move too slow
'Cause the man from Mars is through with cars
He's eatin' bars, yeah wall to wall
Door to door, hall to hall
He's gonna eat 'em all
Rapture, be pure
Take a tour through the sewer
Don't strain your brain, paint a train
You'll be singin' in the rain
Said don't stop to punk rock
Well now you see what you wanna be
Just have your party on TV
'Cause the man from Mars won't eat up bars where the TV's on
Now he's gone back up to space
Where he won't have a hassle with the human race
And you hip-hop, and you don't stop
Just blast off, sure shot
'Cause the man from Mars stopped eatin' cars and eatin' bars
And now he only eats guitars, get up
Blondie's "Rapture" is a hybrid of electronic and rock music and is one of the rare songs that brought hip-hop into mainstream music. The lyrics portray a world where people are lost in the moment, and the man from Mars adds a sci-fi dimension to the picture.
The song starts with "Toe to toe, Dancing very close, Barely breathing, Almost comatose," depicting a crowded club where people are dancing to the music, captured in the hypnotic rhythm. Debbie Harry sings, "Wall to wall, People hypnotized, And they're stepping lightly Hang each night in rapture" - creating an image of people entranced by the beat and losing themselves in the moment.
As the song progresses, Debbie Harry introduces a rap into the lyrics. She sings about "Fab Five Freddy " and "DJ spinnin' " representing the hip-hop and DJ culture fragmenting into the lyric of the song.
The lyrics become increasingly surreal as Harry sings about a man from Mars who comes to earth and eats up cars to survive. However, he ultimately ends up consuming guitars and leaves behind the earthly lifestyles of eating and drinking.
The song ends with the lines "And you hip-hop, and you don't stop / Just blast off, sure shot / 'Cause the man from Mars stopped eatin' cars and eatin' bars / And now he only eats guitars, get up." The lines encourage the music of the era to keep evolving, with a unique blend of rock, electronic, and hip-hop sounds.
Line by Line Meaning
Toe to toe
Two people dancing very closely together.
Dancing very close
The two people are embracing and dancing tightly together.
Barely breathing
The dancing is intense and close, leaving the two people breathless.
Almost comatose
The intensity of the dancing has put the two people in a state of near-unconsciousness.
Wall to wall
The surrounding people are packed tightly together, covering every inch of available space.
People hypnotized
The tightly packed crowd is under the spell of the music and dancing.
And they're stepping lightly
Despite the intensity of the crowd, people are still dancing with care and grace.
Hang each night in rapture
Everyone is fully immersed in the music and dancing, returning every night for more.
Back to back
Two bodies are pressed back to back, moving together in unison.
Sacroiliac
A reference to the lower back and pelvic area, which are being used in the dance movements.
Spineless movement
The dance movements are fluid and flexible, with no rigidness in the spine.
And a wild attack
The dancing is fierce and energetic, with a sense of abandon.
Face to face
Two people are dancing directly in front of each other, intimately close.
Sightless solitude
Despite their physical closeness, the two people are in their own isolated dance worlds.
And it's finger popping
One of the dancers is rhythmically snapping their fingers in time with the music.
Twenty-four hour shopping in rapture
The euphoria of the music and dancing is all-consuming, with people experiencing it around the clock.
Fab Five Freddy told me everybody's fly
The artist has heard from Fab Five Freddy that everyone at the dance is cool and fashionable.
DJ spinnin' I said, "My my"
The singer is feeling overwhelmed by the music and excitement of the crowd.
Flash is fast, Flash is cool
A reference to the rapper Grandmaster Flash and his legendary status.
François c'est pas, Flash ain't no dude
A nod to Grandmaster Flash's real name, which is not François.
And you don't stop, sure shot
The party and the music show no signs of slowing down or stopping.
Go out to the parking lot
The partygoers leave the building and head to the parking lot.
And you get in your car and drive real far
They drive away from the party, seeking new adventures and experiences.
And you drive all night and then you see a light
The artist is driving for hours and then sees a bright light in the distance.
And it comes right down and it lands on the ground
The source of the light is a UFO, which descends to the ground.
And out comes a man from Mars
An extraterrestrial emerges from the UFO.
And you try to run but he's got a gun
The singer tries to flee but the alien has a weapon.
And he shoots you dead and he eats your head
The alien kills and consumes the artist.
And then you're in the man from Mars
The artist becomes a part of the alien, assimilated into its being.
You go out at night eatin' cars
The alien takes on a new form, consuming cars rather than humans.
You eat Cadillacs, Lincolns too
The alien consumes any car it comes across, regardless of make or model.
Mercurys and Subaru
The alien has a particular affinity for Mercury and Subaru vehicles.
And you don't stop, you keep on eatin' cars
The alien consumes cars constantly, never stopping.
Then, when there's no more cars you go out at night
Once all the cars are gone, the alien must find a new source of sustenance.
And eat up bars where the people meet
The alien starts consuming bars and nightclubs, where it can find crowds of people to assimilate.
Face to face, dance cheek to cheek
The alien assimilates people by dancing with them in close proximity.
One to one, man to man
The alien connects with people on a personal, individual level.
Dance toe to toe, don't move too slow
The alien favors fast-paced dances with quick, rhythmic movements.
'Cause the man from Mars is through with cars
The alien has evolved beyond consuming mundane terrestrial objects like cars.
He's eatin' bars, yeah wall to wall
The alien now consumes entire bars, rather than just people or cars.
Door to door, hall to hall
The alien invades buildings and individual rooms, consuming everything in its path.
He's gonna eat 'em all
The alien is a never-ending consuming force, always on the lookout for new sources of assimilation.
Rapture, be pure
The chorus encourages the listener to embrace the all-consuming feeling of rapture, letting themselves be carried away by the music and dance.
Take a tour through the sewer
The artist suggests seeking out new experiences and avenues of excitement, even if they seem dirty or grimy.
Don't strain your brain, paint a train
The chorus encourages not overthinking or intellectualizing the experience, but instead allowing oneself to be fully immersed in the moment.
You'll be singin' in the rain
The artist suggests embracing the joy and excitement of the moment, even if it seems silly or frivolous to others.
Said don't stop to punk rock
The chorus encourages the listener to keep the party going, not getting bogged down by negativity or over-intellectualizing the experience.
Well now you see what you wanna be
The artist suggests that the listener should follow their own desires and passions, not worrying about conforming to others' expectations.
Just have your party on TV
The singer suggests sharing their own experiences and passions with others, even if it means broadcasting them on television.
'Cause the man from Mars won't eat up bars where the TV's on
The alien doesn't consume people who are passively watching TV, only those fully immersed in the moment.
Now he's gone back up to space
The alien has finished assimilating everything it can on Earth and is now returning to its own world.
Where he won't have a hassle with the human race
The alien doesn't have to deal with the difficulties of integrating into human society on its own planet.
And you hip-hop, and you don't stop
The chorus encourages the listener to continue embracing new experiences and enjoying life, with no interruptions or stops.
Just blast off, sure shot
The listener is encouraged to launch themselves into new experiences with confidence and enthusiasm.
'Cause the man from Mars stopped eatin' cars and eatin' bars
The alien has moved beyond its previous consumption habits and is now focused on extending the reach of its assimilation experiences.
And now he only eats guitars, get up
The alien has evolved even further, consuming entire musical instruments and seeking out new challenges and experiences.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Deborah Harry, Christopher Stein
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