Heart of Glass (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Heart of Glass" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by Blondie | ||
| from the album Parallel Lines | ||
| B-side(s) | Rifle Range | |
| Released | 1978 | |
| Recorded | 1978 | |
| Genre | Disco | |
| Length | 4:12 | |
| Label | Chrysalis Records | |
| Writer(s) | Deborah Harry and Chris Stein | |
| Producer(s) | Mike Chapman | |
| Chart positions | ||
| Blondie singles chronology | ||
| "Hanging on the Telephone" (1979) |
Heart of Glass (1979) |
"Sunday Girl" (1979) |
"Heart of Glass" is the tenth track from the 1978 Blondie album Parallel Lines. The song is Blondie's biggest chart hit and arguably their most famous song, as well as their most controversial due to its disco sound.
[edit] History
"Heart of Glass" was originally recorded in 1975 under the name "Once I Had a Love (also known as The Disco Song)", and was much slower with a blues/reggae vibe to it. The song was frequently performed on tours, then was re-recorded with the same title in 1978, when the song was made a bit more rock-oriented. When Blondie recorded the album Parallel Lines, disco was big on the music scene, and producer Mike Chapman decided to give the song the disco twist that made the song what it is today, and probably one of the best-known Blondie songs ever.
The song was released in January 1979 and reached number one in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The B-side to this single was "Rifle Range" from Blondie's debut self titled album. There was also an instrumental version of the song, available on the 12" version of the single.
The song was also remixed and re-released in July 1995 reaching number fifteen in the United Kingdom. It has been covered by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, on their album Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah.
The song was covered by Paris Hilton for her debut album Paris, Skye Sweetnam for her debut album Noise from the Basement, French fusion band Freedom For King Kong, Nouvelle Vague on their second album Bande à Part and The Bad Plus on their albums These Are the Vistas and Blunt Object - Live In Japan.
[edit] Controversy
Almost immediately after its release, "Heart of Glass" became the subject of controversy due to its disco sound. Blondie (at the time was one of the bands at the forefront of the growing new-wave/punk musical movement coming out of New York City) found themselves accused of "selling out" for recording a disco song, let alone releasing the song as a single. According to Blondie frontwoman Deborah Harry, the song made the band pariahs in the eyes of many of their fellow musicians in the New York music scene and the band was accused of pandering to the mainstream that many punk/new wave bands at the time were actively rebelling against.
Despite the controversy, the song was a huge hit and helped propel Blondie from cult group to mainstream icons. The band itself has acknowledged the success of the song in helping their careers and have downplayed criticism of the song by pointing out that Blondie has always experimented with different styles of music and that "Heart of Glass" was their take on disco. The band itself has jokingly taken to referring to the song as "The Disco Song" when referring to it in interviews, as a means to laugh at the controversy.
| Preceded by "Knock on Wood" by Amii Stewart |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single April 28, 1979 |
Succeeded by "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb |
| Preceded by "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" by Ian Dury & The Blockheads |
UK number one single January 28, 1979 |
Succeeded by "Tragedy" by Bee Gees |
