I love punk rock, I love Blondie, and I especially love this hauntingly beautiful song. They had an exceptionally diverse range, aided by arguably the most exceptional vocalists in popular music.
one of the most powerful song by blondie and i love debbie's voice in this song as you can hear her Accent just amazing, that is why they are my favorite band ever !!
@vrujovrujo Debbie's range is actually very limited but she has a sweet and distinctive high and low pitch. The actual range is tiny compared to say, Bjork for example. However there are many who would prefer to listen to Harry and who can blame them for that?
@vaynites-Don't think I agree with you about her range; she managed to pull of a wide array of music very effectively. But you are onto something about the sound of her voice being distinctive to the ears. It's why their songs sound so good. It doesn't matter what your range is if your voice isn't pleasing to listen to within the range that you are singing.
@vaynites-I'm not sure what your source is. Octave range can be tricky. One site that specializes in vocal ranges noted a surprising range variation, noting that she could even sing on the baritone (A2) level. I found no indication of what her range actually was, but I was very surprised at the quality of her singing when I first started listening to them. Put it this way: for someone with such alleged vocal handicaps she magically handled an awfully wide range of singing styles.
@ihasch Singing styles have very little to do with octave range. She has a nice lower pitch and a very sweet higher pitch. Her middle range is far weaker actually- like Madonna's. But this is of no detriment to her talent which is being able to produce an amazingly cool sound. I would listen to Debbie over many 'great' singers like Mariah Carey or Celine Dion for example. I adore her!
@vaynites The question is does she need more than what she's got vocally to sing her own songs? The answer is no so why bother saying things like she's not a great singer or vocally challenged? She could never sing Aretha Franklin songs better than Aretha and Aretha or anyone on this planet for that matter could never sing Blondie songs the way debbie does. It's all relative.
This was one of the songs I practiced to sing nearly everyday after school for two months straight, I later took the lyric sheet with me to school to get better at it in deserted halls.
I realized the day I nailed it was when I was singing it a bit too loudly to myself on an empty staircase or so I thought about an audience of six students were listening below, I never would've seen them if somebody didn't cough and I looked down to find them. They clapped and left. No insults.
Fripp was on this?! No wonder it's not like most of the rest of Blondies stuff. Tripped out rather than popped up punk. One of my fave Blondie tracks. Brilliant.
The first album and my first love interest at age 13. This was the best one she ever did in my view. Years later, after becoming a core King Crimson freak I find out it was Fripp on this track. Nice.
Love the guitar and sounds especially the begining and at 3:31. I call this sound :Yummie." Not a musical word, BUT tells the gals out there this is a great band. ;-) Love the voice and lyrics are sad, and soooo true. Peace and Love!!
This song is another reason Blondie has been my all time favorite band for the last 32 years! Chris Stein is a master composer and Debbie Harry is Debbie Harry. Enough said!
I never paid any attention to this song because I was completely unfamiliar with it, but I am so glad I ran into this. Thanks for the upload! Great, great song!!! Should have been a big hit!-- just like Blondie's "Union City Blue" should have been a super hit.
I am so with you on that page: Did you watch the film: Union City Blues? You should check it out...'tis odd and unsettling whilst inspiring and ... and..FRUSTRATING...GRR..
(I love it: if you needed telling...!
Please come back with opinions..All gladly received...
Totally amazing song from a totally amazing group in a totally amazing era. Simply the amazingest. A major shout out to Clem Burke too, the drums go completely nuts in many parts but the whole thing is super mellow... rad.
This song is just astounding! The moment I listened to it on Parallel Lines I suddenly stopped with a WTF? Expression. It literally had me in tears. It is beautiful, haunting, hypnotic and totally original.
This is one of the most interesting and 'different' blondie songs - perhaps closer to their original 'art pop' aspirations than some of the better-known tracks. I have it on the B-side of the yellow-vinyl single "Picture This".
Like Carlos Castaneda becoming one with the pole, I became one with this song the first time I experimented with psilocybin mushrooms. Every time I listen to this, it reminds me of an essential darkness within myself that has been painted with a neon blue glow.
Yep amazing lines in this song, Debbie is a hugely underrated songwriter. Some of the lines she wrote for Shayla, Union City Blues, English Boys, Angel on the balcony....absolutely brilliant and poignant!
IMHO, the most outstanding part of this recording in Debbie's vocal performance. It really showcases her strengths. Listen to the nuance and the inflections. I'm a drummer, and I usually focus on the drums, but these vocals are magic. I loved this album!
I think this is one of her most interesting works, yes she is diverse, so thats not suprising. Sounds strangely camp musical to me, rather "Rocky Horror". Love it
seductive track..
gymrachel 4 months ago
Or... or this is just really cool music and you shouldn't be such a bunch of geeks about it.
Pooknottin 5 months ago
blondie
2008Sameoldfitup 5 months ago
Comment removed
ihasch 7 months ago
My alltime favorite on "parallel lines" as it`s so deep & atmospheric.
warminator 9 months ago
@lapispinoza In fact a whole list that I can't be bothered to type out. Harry's range is limited but I love her!
vaynites 9 months ago
I love punk rock, I love Blondie, and I especially love this hauntingly beautiful song. They had an exceptionally diverse range, aided by arguably the most exceptional vocalists in popular music.
habanaman 9 months ago
Let's hear Kate Bush cover Debbie Harry
vrujovrujo 10 months ago
@vrujovrujo Or Debbie singing Wuthering Heights? Some things just won't work. They both do their own thing very well.
vaynites 9 months ago
one of the most powerful song by blondie and i love debbie's voice in this song as you can hear her Accent just amazing, that is why they are my favorite band ever !!
yepeelf 10 months ago
I know of no other women with the the vocal range of Debbie Harry
vrujovrujo 11 months ago
@vrujovrujo Debbie's range is actually very limited but she has a sweet and distinctive high and low pitch. The actual range is tiny compared to say, Bjork for example. However there are many who would prefer to listen to Harry and who can blame them for that?
vaynites 9 months ago
@vaynites-Don't think I agree with you about her range; she managed to pull of a wide array of music very effectively. But you are onto something about the sound of her voice being distinctive to the ears. It's why their songs sound so good. It doesn't matter what your range is if your voice isn't pleasing to listen to within the range that you are singing.
ihasch 9 months ago
@ihasch She is one of my favourite vocalists but she does not even stretch to two octaves. I love her voice though- sweet and punky!
vaynites 7 months ago
@vaynites-I'm not sure what your source is. Octave range can be tricky. One site that specializes in vocal ranges noted a surprising range variation, noting that she could even sing on the baritone (A2) level. I found no indication of what her range actually was, but I was very surprised at the quality of her singing when I first started listening to them. Put it this way: for someone with such alleged vocal handicaps she magically handled an awfully wide range of singing styles.
ihasch 7 months ago
@ihasch Singing styles have very little to do with octave range. She has a nice lower pitch and a very sweet higher pitch. Her middle range is far weaker actually- like Madonna's. But this is of no detriment to her talent which is being able to produce an amazingly cool sound. I would listen to Debbie over many 'great' singers like Mariah Carey or Celine Dion for example. I adore her!
vaynites 7 months ago 4
@vaynites The question is does she need more than what she's got vocally to sing her own songs? The answer is no so why bother saying things like she's not a great singer or vocally challenged? She could never sing Aretha Franklin songs better than Aretha and Aretha or anyone on this planet for that matter could never sing Blondie songs the way debbie does. It's all relative.
doetim 4 months ago
@doetim Actually I was replying to the original post.
vaynites 3 months ago
This song is awesome and this whole record is awesome.
WestalSage 11 months ago
My favourite track from Parallel Lines!
JohnnyTheWolfLupino 11 months ago
Blondie + Robert Fripp = amazing :-)))
subatan 1 year ago
I was only 7 when I heard this song for the first time and fell in love with it.
Amazing!
"FA&R" and "Heart of glass" will live in me forever.
sorelelay 1 year ago
One of my favorite Blondie songs.
PorroFirst 1 year ago
I love this song!
PoindexterX 1 year ago
I love this song. So much.
Stargirl13445 1 year ago
This was one of the songs I practiced to sing nearly everyday after school for two months straight, I later took the lyric sheet with me to school to get better at it in deserted halls.
I realized the day I nailed it was when I was singing it a bit too loudly to myself on an empty staircase or so I thought about an audience of six students were listening below, I never would've seen them if somebody didn't cough and I looked down to find them. They clapped and left. No insults.
moxie96 1 year ago
This songs a bit trippy :L...
christovskymck 1 year ago
This is one of the highlights of the Parallel lines album
smokeverbs 1 year ago
love it-(blondie fan)
smcmillan2309 1 year ago
Has a certain Pink Floyd quality.
EscapeNewJersey 1 year ago
@EscapeNewJersey I'd say more like a King Crimson quality....?
toolkien 1 year ago
Jimmy Destri's favorite blondie song!
EscapeNewJersey 1 year ago
I don't know about this song.It just doesn't grab me.
I like to be grabbed..
MrRcirillo 1 year ago
Brilliant!
Gois93 1 year ago
FRIPP RULES!
jlnosnews 1 year ago
Fripp was on this?! No wonder it's not like most of the rest of Blondies stuff. Tripped out rather than popped up punk. One of my fave Blondie tracks. Brilliant.
spizzardo 2 years ago
I just came from seeing Blondie in concert and she is beautiful..it was awesome!!
jcruz411 2 years ago 3
there are no frippertronics here
hantonjavi 2 years ago
The first album and my first love interest at age 13. This was the best one she ever did in my view. Years later, after becoming a core King Crimson freak I find out it was Fripp on this track. Nice.
chickenlampbrent 2 years ago 2
Love the guitar and sounds especially the begining and at 3:31. I call this sound :Yummie." Not a musical word, BUT tells the gals out there this is a great band. ;-) Love the voice and lyrics are sad, and soooo true. Peace and Love!!
nancyl2 2 years ago
No credit, certain Robert Fripp plaied guitar.
pardon my broken English
I`m Japanese
Lisadell1010 2 years ago
yes thats Robert Fripp on guitar this style of gutiar is what Fripp calls Frippertronics
chinasherry1961 2 years ago
Actually, Frippertronics is looping, not what's on this song.
BucksStudent 1 year ago
arigato :)
pitcalco 2 years ago
great guitar work by the master robert fripp from king crimson
abebg 2 years ago
true ;-)
subatan 2 years ago
This song is another reason Blondie has been my all time favorite band for the last 32 years! Chris Stein is a master composer and Debbie Harry is Debbie Harry. Enough said!
JORGEPSOUSA911 2 years ago 21
This is definitely Blondies best song!
Mr010101010101 2 years ago
Comment removed
Pidger123 2 years ago
Omg. The start to this sounds like the buffy theme tune...
Awesome song (:
PrincessYumil 2 years ago
love this track, seductive!
gymrachel 2 years ago
i recognize that sound instantly. the movie was called "videodrome".
cshargeit 2 years ago
One of their best-takes me back to when I was young and everything was Star Wars. Blondie rock!
blue84able 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
this song is like no fun to hear, well, the band Blondie have active songs like One Way Or Another & Hanging On The Phone.
ankoky 2 years ago
Chris Stein is a great writer. Everything about this song is great and it all comes together so perfectly =)
dreamzeppelinarcher 2 years ago 3
I never paid any attention to this song because I was completely unfamiliar with it, but I am so glad I ran into this. Thanks for the upload! Great, great song!!! Should have been a big hit!-- just like Blondie's "Union City Blue" should have been a super hit.
SkidmarkIndustries 2 years ago
I am so with you on that page: Did you watch the film: Union City Blues? You should check it out...'tis odd and unsettling whilst inspiring and ... and..FRUSTRATING...GRR..
(I love it: if you needed telling...!
Please come back with opinions..All gladly received...
vazjam x
vazjam 2 years ago
I'm so glad to see this track so well appreciated, I think it's just fantastic, saw Blondie last year Debbie is more beautiful than I could imgine!
therelaxationstation 2 years ago
Totally takes me back to beautiful times. Now I'm 42!
maddyweb 2 years ago
Totally amazing song from a totally amazing group in a totally amazing era. Simply the amazingest. A major shout out to Clem Burke too, the drums go completely nuts in many parts but the whole thing is super mellow... rad.
hohohaha999 2 years ago
This song is just astounding! The moment I listened to it on Parallel Lines I suddenly stopped with a WTF? Expression. It literally had me in tears. It is beautiful, haunting, hypnotic and totally original.
tomateradio 2 years ago 2
This is another one of those simple tunes that just...RULES :D
Heart and soul!
ThePipersNicks 3 years ago 2
Mr. Robert Fripp on guitar
3IK2W 3 years ago 18
Really?...Never knew that..
Amazed anyway...Always...
vazjam 2 years ago
@3IK2W yes thee greatest guitarist of all time , check him out on Heavy ConstrucKtion , ...
ahitler1000 1 year ago
@3IK2W I just found this out today! I love King Crimson and I love Blondie so my mind was blown.
Rukafucker 4 months ago
masterpiece.
TypeWriterABCD2000 3 years ago 4
This song still sounds great even though it's 30 years old now.Debbie Harry was stunning in her day.
oaksyboy44 3 years ago 2
Ms Harry was straight out of the top drawer.
21shergar 3 years ago 3
Fade away and radiate = James Byron Dean
GypsyFairy69 3 years ago
Died in 1955 =]
kcrhk 3 years ago
love this song,makes me want 2 watch some stuff from the silver screen era,love the reggae tinged ending..
75andalive 3 years ago
This is one of the most interesting and 'different' blondie songs - perhaps closer to their original 'art pop' aspirations than some of the better-known tracks. I have it on the B-side of the yellow-vinyl single "Picture This".
mikealx68 3 years ago
This song is about the magic of the silver sceen era. It's vibe and culture...doods.
dlsmithson 3 years ago
Like Carlos Castaneda becoming one with the pole, I became one with this song the first time I experimented with psilocybin mushrooms. Every time I listen to this, it reminds me of an essential darkness within myself that has been painted with a neon blue glow.
jas16899 3 years ago 2
This is an amazing song. I love Blondie, and this one is one of my favourite songs by her.
It doesn't make much sense, but it sounds beautiful and I love the tune. xD
RadioStarrr15 3 years ago
This is in my top 5 Blondie songs... Just amazing
Dustylove 3 years ago 2
superb lyrics :) years ahead :)
neverbeen2 3 years ago 4
Always strikes me that this (a) is superb and (b) would have made an excellent Bond theme.
One of my most treasured possessions is a copy of Parallel Lines on white vinyl.
21shergar 3 years ago 4
Robert Fripp on guitar, hell yeah!
beritadnor 3 years ago
One-of-a-kind, this song.
"Dusty frames that still arrive
Die in nineteen fifty-five"
ribogok 3 years ago 3
Yep amazing lines in this song, Debbie is a hugely underrated songwriter. Some of the lines she wrote for Shayla, Union City Blues, English Boys, Angel on the balcony....absolutely brilliant and poignant!
guyinsf 2 years ago 2
Agree, but this song was written by Chris Stein alone.
StephanJK 2 years ago
You are correct StephanJK .
Thanks.
guyinsf 2 years ago
IMHO, the most outstanding part of this recording in Debbie's vocal performance. It really showcases her strengths. Listen to the nuance and the inflections. I'm a drummer, and I usually focus on the drums, but these vocals are magic. I loved this album!
circuitdesign 2 years ago 2
>>in Debbie's vocal performance. Should be "is" Debbie's vocal performance.
circuitdesign 2 years ago
I think this is one of her most interesting works, yes she is diverse, so thats not suprising. Sounds strangely camp musical to me, rather "Rocky Horror". Love it
liquidfedundead 3 years ago
que hermosa cancion muy melancolica
derbyhh 3 years ago
wow ! i love this song <3
neoTEXy 3 years ago
wow..havent heard this one in ages... :D
cbrf3redline 3 years ago
cross over into the light children..there is peace and serenity in the light...cross over
merryjing 3 years ago 3