Let's Hear It For The Ladies

My last entry, had me thinking about the female song writers/singers who have inspired me,my life,my writing through their work. So, in some small way I will pay homage to them. Maybe introduce to readers some female artists who they have never heard of before but should check out. Today I will discuss the effect that Deborah (Debbie) Harry of the punk rock band BLONDIE had on me.


Deborah Harry

When I was a kid, I idolized my cousin Marion. She was a teenager,cool and beautiful. All of her friends were totally cool too. She would let me hang out with them. Fond memories of being placing into the car trunk outside the movie drive in just to sneak me through into an R rated movie. Coming over Saturdays to my grandmothers house to spend the day with us and she would always bring her records for us to listen to.

She introduced me to BLONDIE. She had the album "Parallel Lines" and once I heard "Heart Of Glass","One Way Or Another","Picture This","Hanging On The Telephone", "Fade Away And Radiate"....... I was hooked. Begging for my own "Parallel Line" album, I finally got it and learned every word to every song on it. I remember Marion would beg me to sing for her and her friends and I always would. Her cool teen age friends and herself got a kick out of a seven year old knowing word by word every popular BLONDIE lyric. Later came the "AutoAmerican" album, and the singles "Rapture", "The Tide Is High" and "Live It Up." I Learned them too. How cool was it to have Darth Vader of *Star Wars in a music video (The Tide Is High) !!!!!

I remember the first time I looked at that cover of Marion's Parallel Lines album. The lady singing (Deborah Harry) was so beautiful. Her voice amazing. With the song "Rapture", Deborah Harry introduced a form of music that was not even heard of universally at that period of time. That being Rap Music. Rapture was one of the first songs, if not the first song containing Rap lyrics that was a top 10 hit. ( My Ex Tom would know that answer I am sure) "Fab Five Freddy's On Everybody's Side, D.J. Spinning I Said My My, Flash Is Fast, Flash Is Cool"....what great memories they conjure.

I enjoy Deborah Harry's vocalist style. The way she phrases her lyrics. The eclectic range of music she sings. Blondie expiremented with alot of different sounds. Reggae,punk,disco,pop. They never settled. They kept their quest to explore all venues of music genre open. They didn't care if they had a #1 hit, or a flop. If they were happy with their finished product themselves then it was all worth it. It was all about the music. Deborah Harry defied all the rules. A woman,lead vocaling a punk band in a male dominated punk scene. But who's presence demanded and got all the attention.

Here's some BLONDIE/ Deborah Harry trivia for you.
When the band first formed they were seeking a name. On the way to a rehearsal one day, Debbie Harry ran across the street causing a taxi cab driver to stop and scream to her "Hey Blondie.....Watch it Will Ya'!!!!" THAT'S how the band was named.

Another interesting fact of Deborah Harry is that she was nearly a victim to the serial killer Ted Bundy. While walking home after a rehearsal she was offered a ride. Getting in and noticing the inside of the car was stripped and the door had now handle to roll the window down,she escaped. Later, she learned it was Ted Bundy. You can read about that HERE.

Marion and I have seperated. She now lives in Dallas and has a family and sadly I never see her anymore unless it is a funeral or some other sad family event. But whenever I listen to Deborah Harry it warms me. It reminds me of a time when life was simple. When my entire world was based on Saturdays and her visits to my grandmothers. Still today, Blondie lives on. Still recording, making new music. Maybe even inspiring some other wild eyed kid with a head full of dreams.