FAMILY FODDER -"DEBBIE HARRY" (1980)

The Women of New Wave, Part 2!

See part 1: THE DOLL -"TRASH" (1978)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mf5Mw-ow7Xw


Here's the second wave of New Wave, when MTV broke it through to the mainstream and rewrote modern pop music. The mod clothes and keyboard power pop of Blondie set the template, along with Debbie Harry's rock'n'roll spin on Marilyn Monroe.

BLONDIE w/ Debbie Harry (NYC, 75); Kim Wilde (London, 81); MISSING PERSONS w/ Dale Bozzio (LA,80); BERLIN w/ Terri Nunn (LA,79); ALTERED IMAGES w/ Clare Grogan (Glasgow, 79); postpunk duo FAMILY FODDER w/ Dominique Levillain (Europe, 80); THE GO-GO'S (LA, 78); BOW WOW WOW w/ Anabella Lwin (London, 80); punker HAZEL O'CONNOR (Coventry, 80); art pop diva KATE BUSH (Kent, UK, 78); THE PRETENDERS w/ Chrissie Hynde (Akron/London, 78); PAT BENATAR (Brooklyn, 78); NENA w/ Nena Kerner (Hagen, 81); TONI BASIL (Philadelphia, 82); SCANDAL w/ Patty Smyth (NYC, 81); THE MOTELS w/ Martha Davis (LA, 78); THE WAITRESSES w/ Tracy Wormworth and Patty Donahue (Kent, OH, 81); MARTHA & The MUFFINS (Toronto, 79); ROMEO VOID w/ Debora Iyall (San Francisco, 79); GRACE JONES (Jamaica, 77); EURYTHMICS w/ Annie Lennox (London, 80); BLUE ANGEL (NYC, 80) which unleashed CYNDI LAUPER (83); DONNA SUMMER (Boston, 76); THOMPSON TWINS w/ Alannah Currie (London, 77); Wendy & Lisa from PRINCE & The REVOLUTION (Minneapolis, 84); Debbie's heir apparent MADONNA (Detroit, 82); TIL TUESDAY w/ Aimee Mann (Boston, 85); soul sisters Aretha Franklin & Annie Lennox; TINA TURNER in "MAD MAX III: BEYOND THUNDERDOME" (85); THE BANGLES (LA, 81); DIVINYLS w/ Christina Amphlett (Sydney, 80); ANIMOTION w/ Astrid Plane (USA, 83); BANANARAMA (London, 79); GIRLS NEXT DOOR who led to AMERICAN GIRLS, featuring m.v.p. Brie Howard (Fanny) (LA, 86); Blondie-redux TRANSVISION VAMP w/ Wendy James (London, 88); Bjork and THE SUGARCUBES (Iceland, 86); and GOODBYE MR. MACKENZIE w/ Shirley Manson (before Garbage) (Edinburgh, 84).

They are the mothers of Garbage, The Cardigans, The Sounds, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Le Tigre, Mary J. Blige, Meshell Ndegeocello, The Gossip, Metric, Polysics, Gravy Train, and Peaches.


FAMILY FODDER was a postpunk collective centered around Alig Pearce, with Dominique Levillain singing. Of all their eclectic works, it's her "Debbie Harry" they're remembered for, with its obsessive idol worship and crazed lines blurring homage and satire.

(All rights reserved by the copyright owners. Fan-made non-profit video to promote awareness of the artists.)
tym stevens

Category:

Music

Tags:

• NewWave80s
• Blondie
• Eurythmics
• XRaySpex
• LeTigre
• Peaches
• Devo
• TheCars
• MTV

[funknroll]

@schlockhausen

Thanks for posting the lyrics to the song!

[Iceblooo]

The photograph of Thompson Twins (with the fabulous Alannah Currie) is from 1985 not from 1977.

[funknroll]

@Iceblooo

The dates in the INFO only refer to when each act started. Thanks for being vigilant though!

[funknroll]

This is a history in multiple video parts:

70s Punk=X-RAY SPEX -"The Day the World Turned Day-Glo" (1978)

80s Punk 1=KLEENEX -"Krimi/ You" (1979)

80s Punk 2=TOZIBABE -"Moja Praznina/ Lutke" (1985)

80s PostPunk=LiLiPUT "Eisiger Wind" (1981)

New Wave 1=THE DOLL -"Trash" (1978)

New Wave 2=FAMILY FODDER "Debbie Harry" (1980)

[objectholder]

She goes to the bathroom! That's no place for me!

[2008Sameoldfitup]

rw

[schlockhausen]

Deborah Harry I'm aiming at you

You got your raygun and I got mine too

I'm gonna stun you with my transgalactic lasers

I'm gonna blast you with CONTROLLED VECTOR PHASERS

Well, here we go again

She's a small mobile intelligent unit

Got what it takes and she knows how to use it

Bankers and agents can't find her door exactly

Men try to kiss her and get no reaction

[schlockhausen]

Baby is AC/DC, Baby is AC/DC Baby is AC/DC, she tries to make a myth out of me It's so confusing for me Debbie's complexion is shielded by x-rays Switch off her sex gun she can't sleep for days Holy subtraction, I'm losing control now Switch off the lights babe, and let's have a row She goes to the bathroom—that's no place for me She goes to the bedroom—that's no place for me Tell her that I love her—she says she loves me Tells me that she reads about democracy

[schlockhausen]

Deborah Harry I'm having your baby

Help me to live in a life without slavery

Help me to squander my love indirectly, honey

Help me to live in a world without money

Help me live with your small imperfections, honey

She's a small mobile intelligent unit

Got what it takes and she knows how to use it

Bankers and agents can't find her door exactly

Men try to kiss her and get no reaction

[mollyandbenb]

others i've been able to recall:

debbie's complexion is shielded by x-rays

switch off her sex gun she can't sleep for days

holy subtraction i'm losing control now

switch off the lights baby, let's have a row

deborah harry, i'm aiming at you

you've got your ray gun and i've got mine too

i'm gonna stun you with my transgalactic laser

i'm gonna blast you with my vector-control phaser

[OctaneHugo]

@mollyandbenb Wow, that's awesome dude, sorry to hear about the disease.

[mollyandbenb]

i played drums with family fodder when they reunited in 1999; i was 21 years old at the time, had been a huge fan for years, and felt fortunate beyond words. sadly, undiagnosed MS took hold and crippled my playing. but i love them and know some words. the first verse (all that'll fit; i'll do more soon):

she's a small mobile intelligent unit

got what it takes and she knows how to use it

planets and places don't mean nothing to her

muggers and miners are waiting to use her