Def, Dumb & Blonde

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Def, Dumb & Blonde
DeborahHarryDefDumb&BlondeAlbumCover.jpg
Studio album by Deborah Harry
Released October 16, 1989
Recorded 1989
Genre Pop
Length 63:55 (CD)
Label Sire (US)
Chrysalis (UK)
Producer Mike Chapman, Chris Stein, Deborah Harry, Toni C., Tom Bailey, Arthur Baker, Eric Thorngren, Ben Grosse
Deborah Harry chronology
Once More into the Bleach
(1988)Once More into the Bleach1988		 Def, Dumb & Blonde
(1989)		 The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry and Blondie
(1991)The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry and Blondie1991
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4.5/5 stars[1]
Robert Christgau B+[2]

Def, Dumb & Blonde is the third solo album by the American singer Deborah Harry. Released in October 1989 on Sire Records in the US and Chrysalis Records in the UK, the album saw Harry reverting from "Debbie" to "Deborah" as her professional name. Harry worked with a variety of producers on the album, including Mike Chapman who had previously produced the last four Blondie albums. "I wanted," she remarked, "to do certain things that were reminiscent of Blondie."[3]

It was also revealed that the original title of the album was "Dream Season" but it was changed due to a similarly titled Pat Benatar album – presumably the previous year's Wide Awake in Dreamland.

Due to lack of record company promotion the album was not a commercial success in Harry's native United States peaking at #123 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. However, the album peaked at #10 in Australia and #12 in the UK and has been certified "Silver" by the BPI.

In late 1989, Harry toured for the first time as a solo artist extensively in Europe and the United States to support the album.

Singles

This album contained the hit single "I Want That Man" which was written by Tom Bailey and Alannah Currie of the Thompson Twins. Bailey also co-produced the track and played keyboards on it. The single made the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart, and was her biggest solo chart success in Australia, where it reached #2. Other singles released from the album included "Kiss It Better", "Brite Side", "Sweet and Low" and "Maybe For Sure".

Track listing

CD

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "I Want That Man"   Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie Tom Bailey, Eric Thorngren 3:43
2. "Lovelight"   Chris Stein Mike Chapman 3:56
3. "Kiss It Better"   Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, Deborah Harry Tom Bailey, Eric Thorngren 4:19
4. "Bike Boy §"   Deborah Harry, Chris Stein Mike Chapman 2:47
5. "Get Your Way"   Deborah Harry, Chris Stein Mike Chapman 6:13
6. "Maybe For Sure"   Deborah Harry, Chris Stein Mike Chapman 4:30
7. "I'll Never Fall In Love ‡"   Walter Ward, Thomas Bush Mike Chapman 3:19
8. "Calmarie"   Mario Tolédo, Naná Vasconcelos, Deborah Harry Mike Chapman 4:42
9. "Sweet and Low"   Toni C., Deborah Harry Chris Stein, Toni C., Deborah Harry 4:49
10. "He Is So"   Deborah Harry, Chris Stein Mike Chapman 5:10
11. "Bugeye"   Deborah Harry, Chris Stein Mike Chapman 4:06
12. "Comic Books §"   Miki Zone, Paul Zone, Armand Zone Mike Chapman 2:34
13. "Forced To Live ‡"   Deborah Harry, Lee Foxx Mike Chapman 2:02
14. "Brite Side"   Deborah Harry, Chris Stein Chris Stein, Deborah Harry 4:34
15. "End of the Run"   Deborah Harry, Chris Stein Mike Chapman 7:04

§ = Bonus tracks on both Cassette & CD versions; ‡ = Bonus tracks on CD version only.

Vinyl album

All tracks written by Deborah Harry and Chris Stein, unless otherwise noted.

Side A
  1. "I Want That Man" (Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie) – 3:43
  2. "Lovelight" (Stein) – 3:56
  3. "Kiss It Better" (Bailey, Currie, Harry) – 4:19
  4. "Maybe For Sure" – 4:30
  5. "Calmarie" (Toledo, Vasconcelos) – 4:42
  6. "Get Your Way" – 6:13
Side B
  1. "Sweet and Low" (Toni C., Harry) – 4:49
  2. "He Is So" – 5:10
  3. "Brite Side" – 4:34
  4. "Bugeye" – 4:06
  5. "End Of The Run" – 7:04

Cassette

Side A
  1. "I Want That Man" (Bailey, Currie) – 3:43
  2. "Lovelight" (Stein) – 3:56
  3. "Kiss It Better" (Bailey, Currie, Harry) – 4:19
  4. "Bike Boy" – 2:47
  5. "Get Your Way" – 6:13
  6. "Maybe For Sure" – 4:30
  7. "Calmarie" (Toledo, Vasconcelos) – 4:42
Side B
  1. "Sweet and Low" (Toni C., Harry) – 4:49
  2. "He Is So" – 5:10
  3. "Bugeye" – 4:06
  4. "Comic Books" (Mick Zone, Paul Zone, Armand Zone) – 2:34
  5. "Brite Side" – 4:34
  6. "End Of The Run" – 7:04

Cassette (Other Version)

Side A
  1. "I Want That Man" (Bailey, Currie) – 3:43
  2. "Lovelight" (Stein) – 3:56
  3. "Kiss It Better" (Bailey, Currie, Harry) – 4:19
  4. "Comic Books" (Mick Zone, Paul Zone, Armand Zone) – 2:34
  5. "Maybe For Sure" – 4:30
  6. "Calmarie" (Toledo, Vasconcelos) – 4:42
Side B
  1. "Sweet and Low" (Toni C., Harry) – 4:49
  2. "He Is So" – 5:10
  3. "Bugeye" – 4:06
  4. "Brite Side" – 4:34
  5. "Get Your Way" – 6:13
  6. "Bike Boy" – 2:47
  7. "End Of The Run" – 7:04

Reception

"The crucial returns which left this set far above her two previous (and disappointing) solo LPs are those of Chris Stein and producer Mike Chapman," observed Hi-Fi News & Record Review, awarding the album an "A:1" rating. "[Stein] adds songwriting and instrumental punch to the songs, while Chapman's production sends the material flying from the speakers."[4]

Chart performance

Chart (1989) Peak
position		 Total
weeks
Australian Albums Chart[5] 10 20
New Zealand Albums Chart[6] 9 9
UK Albums Chart[7] 12 7

Personnel

Additional personnel

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Rolling Stone, precise date unknown, 1989
  4. ↑ Hi-Fi News & Record Review, precise date unknown, 1989
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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