Def, Dumb & Blonde

Debbie Harry

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 12, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Wounded Bird Records
• ASIN: B0009RQRKG
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,626 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Reissue of her 1989 Release Produced by Former Blondie Producer Mike Chapman. Her Finest Solo Effort to Date. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yeah. The other reviewers are right. This one rocks., February 14, 2006

By	I'm With The Band (Colorado) - See all my reviews

I've had this album since it's original release and I'd have to say it's on my desert island top 5. All these years later it still endures. Something about the writing and production gelled in a way that ended up with a final product that truly deserves attention. How this brilliant little gem slipped under the radar is a mystery. This "solo" effort actually represents the true "Best" of Blondie (given that Debbie & Chris represent the heart of the band). Def, Dumb & Blonde is as solid as Eat To The Beat. For fans of the Blondie sound who haven't heard this yet, you're in for a rare treat.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Debbie's Parallel Lines-- Solo cd wise., August 3, 2005

By	K. Eisenberger "dance music freak!" (Defiance, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I played this cd from the time I bought it in 1989 until I bought Debravation in 1993 (every day and never got bored once). The cd features the best work that Debbie did solo wise (also so was Debravation) but this collection had the hits to back it up. Okay not in the US but they were hits. The first time this was issued in 1989 there was the lp version that had less songs, the cassette that had 2 more songs and the cd with the full 4 songs bonus put on that the LP didn't have.
The hits from this cd are "I Want That Man " which was number 2 on the Modern Rock Charts (held out by Ian McCullogh's "Faith & Healing" ) number 13 on the UK and number 2 on the Australian charts. "Kiss It Better " was only issued as a promo track to college radio where it reached number 12 and "Sweet And Low" which was issued 2 times as a 12" single going to number 17 on the club play charts in 1990. The two other singles are "Brite Side" and "Maybe For Sure" . If you are a Debbie freak like me then you probably own the picture discs, 12" singles and 45's of these singles from the UK where Debbie Harry is considered the Queen that she is. If you don't have any picture discs from this album then look on Ebay because they are worth it.
Now onto the cd itself. What can be said about this collection-- listen to "LoveLight" which melds Debbie with Ian Astbury of The Cult quite well. The Punk of "Comic Books", "Bike Boy" and the thrash metal of "Forced To Live". The Spanish/latin beauty that is "Calmarie" , the fun that is "Bugeye", the rap/dance that is "Get Your Way" and what I consider the best vocal Debbie has put on record -- "I'll Never Fall In Love" - she just glows. Plus you get what I consider the most personal song Debbie Harry and Chris Stein ever wrote-- "The End Of The Run" about the break up of their long union and of basically the fall of the original punk rock scene. The song is very very deep . So besides the hits and the songs listed you also get the great cover art and the fact that this is the only cd of any work that had songs produced by Debbie Harry herself. The cd originally reached only 123 here in the US but got to number 12 in the UK and did well throughout Europe and Australia speaks well for the foreign markets than it does the US or Warner that did squat for this excellent collection. I have so many copies of Def,Dumb & Blonde and they are all well worth buying again and again. A+++++++.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rock on Debbie!, January 26, 2007

By	Mandi (Indiana) - See all my reviews

This is definitely the best Debbie Harry solo album, and it easily earns its five stars! I decided to buy it after I heard "I Want That Man." Besides the singles, it has all different types of music, much like the Blondie albums, and that is what makes it so enjoyable to listen to. There are songs like "Bike Boy," "Comic Books," and "Forced to Live" that sound like they could have come straight from an early Blondie album. Then, there are those that sound more mainstream like "I Want That Man" and "Kiss It Better." "Calmarie" is a bit of an unusual song, but it has a nice sound to it. "Brite Side" and "End of the Run" are slower songs, but they are also pleasant to listen to. Whether you are a fan or Blondie or just Debbie Harry, this album is certainly a must-have!