Customer Reviews

Blondie Greatest Hits

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What's not to love about a new Blondie compilation with previously unavailable mixes (including a whole NEW version of "In the Flesh'), a second disc with 17 pristine and complete videos (no more of that awful wraparound that's been in every video compliation since 1982's "The Best of Blondie"), and cover artwork that features the LONG LOST original photography for "Plastic Letters"--at L.A.'s Tropicana Hotel in 1977--that we've all heard about for decades but never seen? For those assets alone, this is a must-have for collectors.

The booklet says all the music was digitally remastered in 1998. Comparing it on my iTunes to the remastered back catalogue that came out in 2001, primarily it is LOUDER which is always good, and clearer, although on some tracks I find I prefer the older versions, perhaps just because I have gotten used to them.

In general, all the songs on this compliation are album mixes and not extended mixes. Heart of Glass, thankfully, is missing the weird sound effects that Mike Chapman added on the 1981 "Greatest Hits" compilation that has been used on so many compilations since. Sunday Girl, too, is the album version and not the bi-linqual version. Atomic sheds the "Three Blind Mice" sounding album intro as well as the looping that plagued the remixes through the years, Blondie really was so good at making the 3 minute pop record, I always thought their hits work best short and sweet.

The only songs which feature new mixes are "In the Flesh", "Good Boys" and "Rapture". "In the Flesh" as noted, features a NEW Debbie vocal---it's nice to have this new take on an old favorite, and let's face it, all us Blondie fans have the old one on SOME CD, so I don't think it was a mistake not to include the original "In the Flesh" here. "Good Boys" (Blow Up Mix) to me is inferior to the album/single version, taking a song short on melody to begin with and making it even LESS melodic, and the Rapture remix features the novel idea of combining Blondie's song with Jim Morrison's "Riders on the Storm" so that Jim and Debbie seem to be duetting! I'm not sure the result is successful, but it's atleast fun.

The second disc is all video and features everything from "Best of Blondie" (minus the NYC cabbie wraparound as mentioned)-- plus "The Hardest Part" (always one of my favorite Blondie videos), "Island of Lost Souls", "Maria" and "Good Boys". The early stuff looks incredibly sharp and clear, at last! But the "Eat to the Beat" videos don't look quite as good. I'm surprised at some of the omissions, like "In the Sun" "Shayla", "Eat to the Beat", and "Nothing Is Real But the Girl". But oh well. Maybe one some future box set!

And finally, the cover! For years, I have sniped at the awful graphics on Blondie compilations. Perhaps because the band pushed strongly for it--we finally get something great for a cover--two 1977 shots from the long lost "Plastic Letters" cover shoot which was scrapped by Chrysalis Records, evidently because they did not like the punk look Debbie was sporting in her homemade pillow-case dress with red electric tape binding! I wish there were more than two of these photos in the booklet but hey, who's complaining! Two is better than nothing! Perhaps only because you could not take a bad picture of the band at this time--they are adorable. They also look way ahead of their time. These shots could be on any contemporary album cover. Although from a marketing perspective, the cover that Chrysalis went with--featuring Debbie in a "real" dress leaning with the boys on a police car--are less raw and punkish than these, and therefore were probably more strategic in breaking the band to a bigger audience. I'd like to see the rest of these pictures, hope there will be a book or something some day!

I should note that the videodisc is not encoded for the U.S., so you will not be able to view it properly on your DVD player unless it is an all-region player. (The only all region DVD player I know of is the Cyberhome CH-DVD 300. It's a very inexpensive unit you can get at Best Buy for about $39). Otherwise, wait---if you can stand to---for the U.S. release of this compilation in Spring!

This album has most of Blondie's best hits, all of Blondie's songs are great but i dont think that many could be on one "Greatest Hits" contemplation....The songs on this album are shortend which is a downside, Blondie's hits need to be in the normal state that they were sang (instead of shortend "Atomic" needs to be like it is on "Eat To The Beat")Blondie is at thier best when the songs are in long versions or original verions. The Remixes are Great! exept that the originals of the remixes need to be on this album!!

The music videos are awsome!!i haven't saw the "Eat To The Beat" videos so i can't compare the two. But overall this is a must for Blondie fans!

dvd region code must have a dvd region code PAL * DVD player * 17 videos * x offender and * touched by your presence dear * which was deleted and was not in US set bonus * Rapture Riders video is not include it but the cd includes x offenders I'm always touch by your a presenct dear which makes up for CD & DVD set hello 22 songs on the cd plays any cd player extra songs for your buck

First of all if your going to purchase a Greatest Hits for Blondie this is the one to get. With a front woman like Debbie Harry, Blondie were destined to be a visual band. That's what makes this colelction so great becuase you get 17 of their fabulous Promotional Videos to go with the hits CD. Now you can see and hear Blondie like never before.

The collection on the CD is wonderful and all remastered sound. All are the single versions except where noted if your wondering.

Now onto the the reason to buy this collection, the DVD:

First of all Blondie's recording career began in 1975 and were one of the few artists to have promotional videos to back them up when they weren't touring. That being said most of the early videos here are the band performing to their songs in a studio or back drop with variying degrees of experimentation with angles etc. But the most important part is Debbie's unique and beautiful style as well as the bands ability to seem too cool to care while still entertaining you.

Here's the Videos:

In The Flesh - Thier first hit in Australia which started their world tour. Here the band play in front of a huge back drop of Debbie's face with changing color schemes on the wall. The band each do their own little thing to stand out against each other. Nice little ballad.

X-Offender - This was shot the same day as In The Flesh and Debbie has changed her outfit and the colors on the wall change a lot faster with the beat. There is a TV set playing The New York Dolls' concert from Don Kirshner's Rock Concert series which is where these first two videos were shot. A toy robot and Jimmy Destri's dramatic keyboard playing add to the visual excitement.

Denis - Possibly Blondie's most perfect cover of a bubble-gum pop era hit from the 60's. Here the band play on a stage dressed in beautiful thrift shiek suits with Debbie wearing a ripped bathing suit and blazer and looking ever so stunning while her blonde hair glows in the stage lights.

Detroit 442 - Here Blondie rocks out with this psychedelic rocker. Again on a sound stage and Debbie and the boys are dressed for Rock N Roll.

I'm Always Touched By Your (Presence Dear) - This wonderfuly shot video clip uses primary colors and split screens to present this New Wave pop classic. Again on a stage (this is how videos were before bands realised they could be little movies) Debbie wearing a blue suit, tie, and gloves in front of the boys who get little attantion except for Clem Burke the drummer who always looks like he's having fun.

Picture This - Debbie wearing a yellow secretary dress and volumized hair while lit from behind by a giant spotlight is fantastic. There is a cat walk and the screen splits in three to create a neat visual. The boys again wearing suits back up this new wave hit.

Hanging On the Telephone - in my opinion this type of video format works best for Blondie. Playing on a backdrop of their cover from their album Parallel Lines (the black and white lines) while all closely matching one another. Jimmy Destri strangling himself with one of those classic telephones always gets me laughing. Directed by David Mallet who went on to direct their video album Eat To The Beat and other arts videos like David Bowie. He was a pioneer in directing promotional videos for rock groups.

Heart Of Glass - This iconic video shot in the famous Studio 54 highlights the bands visual appeal and sense of humour. This was a number one song and the video was shown on a lot of early cable channels.
Debbie wears a classic dress designed by the late Stephen Sprouse while the guys all wear matching shirts, also by Stephen Sprouse. A pillow fight, Debbie never looked better, and the disco ball all add to this great video.

Dreaming - This is the first of 12 videos shot for the video album Eat To The Beat(the first ever, a video for each song on the album) and is quite possibly the quentissential Blondie song. Backed by the Blondie fan club and huge stadium like setting this is a great atmosphere.

The Hardest Part. The first video Blondie does without a microphone in hand. This backdrop painted by grafiti artists is fantastic and the band all wear painter's pullups as if they were splashing the wall (see Freeze Frame by The J Geils Band) Debbie wears a dress designed by her friend Anya Phillips witch was torn in all the right places. Also note that Debbie is wearing a brown wig.

Union City Blue - This one is very epic in feeling and sound. Shot on the pier in Union City New Jersey the band plays to hellicopter shots and close-ups. Debbie plays guitar. The end of the video is wonderful as the band run around having fun and goofing off.

Atomic - This one is neat Shots of Atomic Bombs and creative use of filter lenses. The band plays in a wharehouse dressed like freaks from a nuclear holocast (thus Atomic) with the fan club dancing around. Note the Early Super Model Gia can be seen dancing in the video.

The Tide Is High - One of thier early attempts at a video plot. This one is campy and weird but in a good way. Debbie is up in her Manhattan appartment looking bored (as usual) when all of a sudden the tide rises above outside. Watch in horror as fish of all types swim about through her windows (this is very primitive video effects) and the water leaks in while the chorus hits. Suddenly Debbie is being spyed on by what looks liek Darth Vader's twin from another planet. The band show up and Debbie and the boys get the hell outta there. Stock footage of space shuttles and sudeenly debbie and the boys are face to face with her stalker.

Rapture - In heavy rotation on Mtv when they started this classic iconic video is the first to feature rap in a mainstream band and first to go number one on the billbaord charts with a song featuring rap. Debbie dancing with the boys then does her freestyle rap while walking aorund weird extras also featuring The Man from Mars in the White Suit.

Island Of Lost Souls - Blondie's last top 40 hit may sound like a Tide Is High rehash but the video is pure fun. Blondie on a stranded island in a Carmen Miranda dress while the boys swing from palm trees very fun video.

Maria - Blondie's come back vidoe. The band play in another abandoned appartment while a hitman watches and waits for the perfect time to strike. The end features great slow mo shots ofa flying bullet til it reaches Debbie's hand.

Good Boys - I'm not too fond of this video and niether were the studio. It has three different versions. One shot in color, one Shot in Black and White and one with shosts of Debbie with Blonde Hair. The studio didn't like that she had brown hair for the video and so they odred her to shoot smal segments of her with blonde hair singing and dancing. The video has a plot based on the 1934 movie freaks and is located at a circus.

All the videos are remastered and in digital 2.0 sound. As a blondie completist, I must say the videos have never looked more clearer than in this collection.