Atomic (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Atomic”
“Atomic” cover
Single by Blondie
from the album Eat to the Beat
Released 1980
Format Vinyl record 7" & 12"
Recorded 1979
Genre New Wave
Length 3:48
Label Chrysalis Records
Producer Mike Chapman
Certification Gold (UK)
Blondie singles chronology
"Call Me"
(1980)		 "Atomic"
(1980)		 "The Tide Is High"
(1980)
Music sample
"Atomic"
Problems? See media help.
Alternate cover
European edition of the "Atomic" single with the famous picture of Debbie Harry wearing her "Andy Warhol's BAD" T-shirt, in 1981 used for the free fold-out poster that came with the hits compilation The Best of Blondie.
European edition of the "Atomic" single with the famous picture of Debbie Harry wearing her "Andy Warhol's BAD" T-shirt, in 1981 used for the free fold-out poster that came with the hits compilation The Best of Blondie.


"Atomic" was the third single from the 1979 album Eat to the Beat by Blondie. It was written by Debbie Harry and Jimmy Destri and the track was produced by Mike Chapman.

The song was produced as a mixture of new wave and disco which had proved to be so successful in their #1 hit from earlier in 1979, "Heart of Glass". The guitar riff is directly influenced by the one in the Neil Diamond song "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon".

The 1980 single version of "Atomic" was in fact a remix. The original 4:35 version as featured on Eat to the Beat and also on the first greatest hits album The Best of Blondie in 1981 opens with an intro inspired by nursery rhyme "Three Blind Mice" and includes an instrumental break with a bass guitar solo. The 7" version mixed by Mike Chapman omits the "Three Blind Mice" intro and replaces the instrumental break with a repeat of the verse.

The song reached number 1 in the UK for two weeks in February 1980 and number 39 in the US. The B-side was "Die Young, Stay Pretty", also from the album Eat to the Beat, which was Blondie's first attempt at reggae, a style they would perform again in "The Tide Is High". The UK 12" single contained a live version of Bowie's "Heroes" featuring Robert Fripp on guitar recorded at London's Hammersmith Odeon just a month before. The track was included on 1993's rarities compilation Blonde and Beyond.

"Atomic" was remixed and re-released in September 1994, where it reached number one on the Billboard dance charts and reached number 19 in the UK. The 1994 remix was included on compilations The Platinum Collection, Beautiful - The Remix Album and Remixed Remade Remodeled - The Remix Project . The track was remixed again four years later for UK compilation Atomic - The Very Best of Blondie and the '98 Xenomania mix was later included on the first Queer as Folk soundtrack album.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

UK 7" (Chrysalis CHS 2410)
US 7" (Chrysalis CHS 2410)
  1. "Atomic" (7" Mix) (Deborah Harry, Jimmy Destri) - 3:48
  2. "Die Young Stay Pretty" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) - 3:27
UK 12" (Chrysalis CHS 12 2410)
  1. "Atomic" (7" Mix) (Deborah Harry, Jimmy Destri) - 3:48
  2. "Die Young Stay Pretty" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) - 3:27
  3. "Heroes" (Live) (David Bowie) - 6:28
  • Recorded live at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, on January 12, 1980. Produced by C. Stein, J. Destri and P. Maloney.

[edit] Chart peaks

Chart (1980) Peak
Position
UK 12
Ireland 3
Austria 5
Norway 5
New Zealand 7
Australia 12
Netherlands 29
US 39
Germany 20
USA Dance 1
USA Dance 19(remix)

[edit] Party Animals

“Atomic”
“Atomic” cover
Single by Party Animals
from the album Party@worldaccess.nl
Released 10 May 1997
Genre Happy Hardcore, Gabber
Length 3:27
Label Mokum Records
Producer Flamman & Abraxas
Party Animals singles chronology
"We Like to Party"
(1997)		 "My Way"
(1997)

"Atomic" is the fifth single of the Party Animals from their second album Party@worldaccess.nl. The song was released in 1997 and was a minor success in Hong Kong. The song is a cover version of the Blondie song remade with a gabber beat. The song peaked at number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

[edit] Track listing

# Title Length
1. "Atomic (Flamman & Abraxas radio mix)" 3:31
2. "Mocht Ik onder het Hakkûh Bezwijken" 5:32
3. "Atom-X" 4:52
4. "Total Smash" 5:15

[edit] References

Preceded by
"Coward of the County" by Kenny Rogers		 UK number one single
February 24, 1980		 Succeeded by
"Together We Are Beautiful" by Fern Kinney
Preceded by
"Never Get Enough" by Waterlillies		 Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
April 8, 1995		 Succeeded by
"Heartbeat" by Jimmy Somerville
v • d • e
Blondie
Debbie Harry · Clem Burke · Jimmy Destri · Chris Stein
Leigh Foxx · Paul Carbonara · Kevin Patrick · Gary Valentine · Frank Infante · Nigel Harrison
Studio albums
Compilations
Live albums
Singles
Remixes
Related articles
Languages