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.
Undone
Blondie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La la la la la la la
La la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
Was that an invitation
Can you explain, I'm so impatient
Hey, rise to the occasion
Why you took a second look, a second look
[Chorus:]
I saw you once, met you twice
Oh, your presence feels so nice
You're silent, get your tongue untied
When the night goes still you open wide
You've got to say uh huh
Before I come undone
You got a sweet expression
Is that the spot that I should kiss on
Hey tell me, can you hear me
You've got to raise your voice
Because the music's loud
You've got to shout, spit it out
It seems like you've got a funny way
Eyes that tell her you can't say
I sure would like to read your mind
You're speechless and I've tried and tried
You've got to say uh huh
Before I come undone
Right from the start
Your kissing lips are undone
If you just say something
I won't tell you to shut it up
La la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
It's like an application
You fill it in the open spaces
Because I've been over taking
And I'm so sick of waiting
One, two, three, answer me, answer me
[Chorus: x2]
The lyrics of Blondie's song "Undone" seem to address the frustration of trying to communicate with someone who is unwilling or unable to speak their mind. The first verse seems to be addressed to that person, asking for an explanation and trying to get them to speak up. The chorus, with its repetition of "you've got to say uh huh, before I come undone" reinforces this frustration, emphasizing the importance of clear communication in avoiding misunderstandings or emotional breakdowns.
The second verse seems to address the physical aspect of the relationship, with the singer asking if there is a particular spot that they should kiss, and encouraging their partner to speak up over the loud music. The final verse takes a more aggressive turn, demanding answers and insisting on communication in order to avoid repeating past mistakes.
Overall, the message of the song seems to be that communication is essential in any relationship, and that without it frustrations can build up and even cause emotional harm. The upbeat, danceable music of the song contrasts with its more serious theme, underscoring the importance of clear communication in every aspect of life.
Line by Line Meaning
La la la la la
The singer is humming to entice the person she is interested in to make a move.
Was that an invitation
The singer is asking if the person is giving a signal that she is welcome to approach.
Can you explain, I'm so impatient
The singer is requesting the person to clarify their intentions because she is eager to know.
Hey, rise to the occasion
The singer is encouraging the person to meet the challenge and respond to her advances.
Can you explain the reason
The singer is asking the person for a specific motive that prompted them to show interest in her.
Why you took a second look, a second look
The singer is questioning why the person had a second glance at her.
I saw you once, met you twice
The singer is expressing that she has seen the person more than once and would like to know why they are not communicating.
Oh, your presence feels so nice
The singer is admiring the physical presence of the person.
You're silent, get your tongue untied
The singer is asking the person to break the silence and express themselves freely.
When the night goes still you open wide
The singer thinks that the person is more talkative in quieter environments.
You've got to say uh huh
The singer is urging the person to respond and acknowledge her presence.
Before I come undone
The singer implies that she will lose her confidence and withdraw if the person does not cooperate.
You got a sweet expression
The singer is complementing the person's facial expression and trying to initiate contact.
Is that the spot that I should kiss on
The singer is using playful language to flirt with the person and hinting that she is into them.
Hey tell me, can you hear me
The singer is prompting the person to give a response and encouraging communication.
You've got to raise your voice
The singer is asking the person to speak louder because she is having trouble hearing them over the music.
Because the music's loud
The singer is making an observation that the music is too loud to communicate well.
You've got to shout, spit it out
The singer is urging the person to express themselves more clearly and loudly.
It seems like you've got a funny way
The singer is suggesting that the person has a strange approach to expressing themselves.
Eyes that tell her you can't say
The singer is reading into the person's body language and supposes that they are physically expressive but are not communicating well verbally.
I sure would like to read your mind
The singer is expressing that she wishes that she could know the thoughts going on in the person's mind.
You're speechless and I've tried and tried
The singer is stating that despite her attempts to communicate with them, the person remains unresponsive.
Right from the start
The singer is indicating that this lack of communication has been happening since the beginning of their interactions.
Your kissing lips are undone
The singer is saying that the person is being held back by something that is not allowing them to express their desire freely.
If you just say something
The singer is making a final plea for the person to express themselves.
I won't tell you to shut it up
The singer is assuring the person that even if they say something that might be uncomfortable, she won't judge and discourage them from speaking up.
It's like an application
The singer is using a metaphor to describe the process of trying to communicate, saying it feels like filling out segments of a form.
You fill it in the open spaces
The singer is stating that the communication has to happen by answering questions and completing missing pieces in the conversation.
Because I've been over taking
The singer is acknowledging that she has been the one taking the lead in communication and is looking for the other person to take a more active role.
And I'm so sick of waiting
The singer is frustrated with the lack of progress in their communication and is becoming impatient.
One, two, three, answer me, answer me
The singer is literally counting down to prompt the person to reply to her questions.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BARTOCK, HARRY, VITALI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nicholas colby
This was a great album , almost every song works for me , but I think this is my favourite ❤
Bill C
I actually liked this album. I even bought the import from Best Buy. I liked a lot of tracks on first listen.
Marc Ovens
Bill C best album they done bud
Gabriel Villafuerte
La adoro ❤️
Wayne Dunn
I saw blondie the first time they came to Australia they really punked up there songs for the show it was an awesome show love you Deb
Mitch
This song reminds me of my meeting with Debbie Harry at an after concert party at the Palladium in New York back in 1978.
She was so sweet and kind. She was my first french kiss and told me she would've done me if Chris weren't in the next room.
She actually took me to the Blitz Benefit as her date a week after the Palladium show. She performed a couple of songs with Blondie and Robert Fripp. She wore my Blondie shirt for the show which I had given to her the night at the Palladium. I was the first person at the stage for the show I still have a half used bottle of Chardonnay which we shared. Her lips were the last to drink from it. I love you Debbie and always will!!!!!
secpac58chichi
me too !
Scottietoohottie 52
You guys just met as a fan after show you then ended up hanging out with her around town? Omg
Moonchild
One of the most amazing and sexy fan stories ever :D !
Lee
This is one favorite tunes of Curse of Blondie