Customer Reviews

Def Dumb & Blonde

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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+++++++.

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.

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!

Deborah Harry's smash album "Def Dumb & Blonde" has to be the best album ever made . This album may not have charted past the Top 100 in the U.S. (because it was ignore by critcs all over in the U.S.) it did however go Platinum in the U.K. and in Australia . if you are either a Debbie solo or Blondie fan then you will go crazy for this album . Mike Chapman produced most of this wonderful album . He was the production genious who produced Platinum selling albums "Parallel Lines" , "Eat To The Beat" , "Auto American" , "The Best Of" and the not so main stream , yet fantastic semi hit album "The Hunter" for Blondie . "Def" did however contain two semi chart hits for the U.S. and they were both Top 10 dance floor sensations "I Want That Man" and "Sweet And Low" . it also contianed 2 U.K. Top hits singles "Briteside" and "Maybe For Sure" . "Def" has such a wonderful poppy sound , yet contains the awesome pop/metal/poem smash tune "End Of The Run" , speed alternative metal tune "Bike Boy" , calypso tune "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" , sex sensation pop tune "Kiss It Better" and my all time favorite Debbie Harry solo Blondie-esq pop tune "He Is So" . This has to be the best album any one could ever want to listen to or want to buy . I am so glad it was re-released for all new Debbie Harry fans worldwide to grab up and for old fans that did not pick it up the last time round . Please !!!! I urge you all grab this album up before it is gone for good . All I can say is "Def Dumb & Blonde" is Debbie Harry at her finest =-)

This is still Ms Harry's best solo work,a strong tilt towards "parallel lines with some 80s style rap,the re-issue has two extra tracks."comic book" and "bikeboy" are the best tracks, while "get your way" is rap for laughs. Look forward to next blondie cd,and hopefully UK tour

I agree with other reviewer. This is the best Debbie CD ever. However, some of the other reviewer's info is wrong. I Want That man hit Top 10 in UK, Top 3 in Australia, and #2 on the Alternative Billboard Chart in the USA. Kiss It Better hit Top 15 on Billboard's Top Alternative Chart as well. Sweet and Low hit Top 20 on Billboard's Dance Chart. Brite Side and Maybe For Sure were issued as singles in the UK, and both just missed their Top 40. This CD hit Top 10 in both UK and Australia, as well as other countries around the globe. Debbie's record label, Sire (at the time) did not put any effort in supporting this CD in the USA. It was on Chrysalis Records in other countries, and sold like hot cakes. Brite Side was featured in TV's Wise Guy, but got passed over by US Radio. Billboard commented on what a mistake that was, and the state of radio at the time (Rap, Rap, Rap). I Want That Man and Kiss It Better were written for Debbie by The Thompson Twins. Ian Asbury of The Cult appears on Lovelight. Calmarie is a standout track for me. Love it!!! This CD has recently been re-released. I highly recommend this CD to everyone out there.

Without a doubt, Debbie's best solo album, and definately a worthy addition to any Blondie lover.

A good mix of pop / rock / punk and ballads.

This cd spawned some strong singles, the pop genius of "I want that man", the gorgeous 'Brite Side', and the brilliant 'Sweet and Low'.
Its filled with great songs, 'Kiss It Better', the beautiful 'maybe for sure' and 'Calmarie', 'He is so' (check out the violins on this pop gem), the sweet jamaican lilt of 'I'll never fall in love again' and the final track 'End of the run', which is one of her strongest moments, and a truly emotional track.

A great album, worthy of a space in any pop collection.

Track listing as follows:

1. I Want That Man
2. Lovelight
3. Kiss It Better
4. Bike Boy (CD only)
5. Get Your Way
6. Maybe For Sure
7. I'll Never Fall In Love (CD only)
8. Calmarie
9. Sweet And Low
10. He Is So
11. Bugeye
12. Comic Books (CD only)
13. Forced To Live (CD only)
14. Brite Side
15. End Of The Run

This is very difficult for an ardent Blondie fan to admit. This albumn, Debby's own Def, Dumb & Blonde, may have been made without Clem Burke. Yet, this albumn is in the running with Parallel Lines! Def, Dumb and Blonde is awesome and totally overlooked by most. A MUST for any Blondie collector!

Def, Dumb and Blonde is the Deborah Harry solo album that should have gone platinum here in the USA. The tracks are comparable to the power pop of Blondie's Parallel Lines. I was lucky to find this on CD because it contains tracks not available on the tape or vinyl copies released in 1989. 'I Want That Man,' 'Kiss It Better', 'Get Your Way,' 'Maybe For Sure,' 'I'll never Fall In Love,' 'Calmarie,' 'Sweet and Low,' 'Bugeye,' 'Forced To Live,' 'Brite Side,' and 'End of the Run' are among some of the best tracks not only on this album, but superbly crafted songs in all of Deborah Harry's solo career. This is a must have CD for all Blondie and Deborah Harry fans as well as those who enjoy classic punk/new wave from the 1980's. I agree with a previous reviewer...If only No Exit were this good!!!

I can still flashback to 17 years ago this week when this release was reaching it's peak position of #123 on the Billboard Album charts. It spent a total of eight weeks on the charts and Debbie was touring the U.S. to promote the album. I had the pleasue of seeing her live in New York City. Harry did an amazing show with all the Blondie classics, but she also thankfully included most of the songs from this wonderful collection. I consider this one to be Debbie's lost masterpiece, and definitely the one that stands out among all her solo efforts. I'm sure Def, Dumb, & Blonde would have garnished more attention had it included the Blondie name because the songs resemble the Blondie sound and capture the roots of diversity that Harry made so acceptable in pop music. Most of these songs are creations of Harry and former Blondie guitarist Chris Stein. Harry even told Rolling Stone in 1989 that one of the songs, "Maybe For Sure," was actually written during the height of Blondie's success. Former Blondie producer Mike Chapman also produced most of these tracks. The songs not produced by Chapman also hold up amazingly well, including "Kiss it Better," a great dance number and one of the two songs that was produced by the Thompson Twins, but rather than go through each song in detail, I encourage all fans of Blondie to invest in this CD and enjoy an era when this blonde bombshell was living a truly progressive period as an artist.