Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble; July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached on the US charts between 1979 and 1981. Born in Miami, Florida, Harry was adopted as an infant and raised in

Hawthorne, New Jersey Hawthorne is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 18,791 Playboy Bunny A Playboy Bunny is a waitress who works at a Playboy Club and selected through standardized training. Their costumes were made up of lingerie, inspired by the tuxedo-wearing Playboy rabbit mascot. This costume consisted of a strapless corset te ...

and a secretary (including at the BBC in New York)—before her breakthrough in the music industry. Harry co-formed Blondie in 1974 in New York City. The band released its eponymous debut album in 1976, and released a further three albums between then and 1979, including ''

Parallel Lines In geometry, parallel lines are coplanar straight lines that do not intersect at any point. Parallel planes are planes in the same three-dimensional space that never meet. ''Parallel curves'' are curves that do not touch each other or int ...

'', which spawned six singles, including " Heart of Glass". Their fifth album, ''

Autoamerican ''Autoamerican'' is the fifth studio album by American rock band Blondie. It was released in November 1980 and reached in the UK charts, in the US, and in Australia. Background The album was a radical departure for the band, with the openin ...

'' (1980), afforded Harry and the band further attention, spawning such hits as a cover of "

The Tide Is High "The Tide Is High" is a 1967 rocksteady song written by John Holt, originally produced by Duke Reid and performed by the Jamaican group the Paragons, with Holt as lead singer. The song gained international attention in 1980, when a cover vers ...

", and " Rapture", the latter of which is considered the first rap song to chart at number one in the United States. Harry released her debut solo album, ''

KooKoo ''KooKoo'' is the debut solo album by American singer Debbie Harry, released on July 27, 1981, by Chrysalis Records. Produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic, the album was recorded whilst Harry took a break from her band Blondie. I ...

'', in 1981. During a Blondie hiatus, she embarked on an acting career, appearing in lead roles in the neo-noir '' Union City'' (1980) and in David Cronenberg's

body horror Body horror or biological horror is a subgenre of horror that intentionally showcases grotesque or psychologically disturbing violations of the human body. These violations may manifest through aberrant sex, mutations, mutilation, zombification, ...

film ''

Videodrome ''Videodrome'' is a 1983 Canadian science fiction body horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg and starring James Woods, Sonja Smits, and Debbie Harry. Set in Toronto during the early 1980s, it follows the CEO of a small UHF televis ...

'' (1983). She released her second solo album, 1986's ''

Rockbird ''Rockbird'' is the second solo studio album by American singer Debbie Harry. It was released in November 1986 by Geffen Records in the United States and Chrysalis Records in the United Kingdom. Background ''Rockbird'' was released four years ...

'', and starred in

John Waters John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including '' Multiple Maniacs'' (1970), '' Pink Flamingos'' (1972) and '' Fe ...

's cult dance film ''

Hairspray Hairspray may refer to: * Hair spray, a personal grooming product that keeps hair protected from humidity and wind * ''Hairspray'' (1988 film), a film by John Waters ** ''Hairspray'' (1988 soundtrack), the film's soundtrack album ** ''Hairspray ...

'' (1988). Harry went on to release two more solo albums between then and 1993, after which she returned to film with roles in a

John Carpenter John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer. Although he worked in various film genres, he is most commonly associated with horror, action, and science fiction films of the 1970s and 1980s. He ...

-directed segment of the horror film '' Body Bags'' (1993), and in the drama ''

Heavy Heavy may refer to: Measures * Heavy (aeronautics), a term used by pilots and air traffic controllers to refer to aircraft capable of 300,000 lbs or more takeoff weight * Heavy, a characterization of objects with substantial weight * Heavy, ...

'' (1995). Blondie reunited in the late 1990s, releasing ''

No Exit ''No Exit'' (french: Huis clos, links=no, ) is a 1944 existentialist French play by Jean-Paul Sartre. The play was first performed at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in May 1944. The play begins with three characters who find themselves waiting ...

'' (1999), followed by ''

The Curse of Blondie ''The Curse of Blondie'' is the eighth studio album from the American rock band Blondie. It was released in October 2003, and peaked at #36 in the UK. Background and recording The band departed from bankrupt Beyond Records and signed with S ...

'' (2003). Harry continued to appear in independent films throughout the 2000s, including ''

Deuces Wild ''Deuces Wild'' is a 2002 American crime drama film directed by Scott Kalvert and written by Paul Kimatian and Christopher Gambale, who also created the story. The film stars Stephen Dorff, Brad Renfro, James Franco, Matt Dillon, and Fairuza Ba ...

'' (2002), ''

My Life Without Me ''My Life Without Me'' is a 2003 Spanish-Canadian drama film directed by Isabel Coixet and starring Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, Scott Speedman, and Leonor Watling. Based on the 1997 short story collection ''Pretending the Bed Is a Raft'' by Nanci ...

'' (2003) and ''

Elegy An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, and in English literature usually a lament for the dead. However, according to ''The Oxford Handbook of the Elegy'', "for all of its pervasiveness ... the 'elegy' remains remarkably ill defined: sometime ...

'' (2008). With Blondie, she released the group's ninth studio album, ''

Panic of Girls ''Panic of Girls'' is the ninth studio album by the American rock band Blondie. It was the band's first album of new material in nearly 8 years, since 2003's ''The Curse of Blondie''. The album was first released digitally on May 30, 2011, follow ...

'', in 2011, followed by ''

Ghosts of Download ''Blondie 4(0) Ever'' is a double album by American rock band Blondie. It was released on May 12, 2014, by Noble ID in celebration of the band's 40th anniversary. The two-disc package consists of ''Greatest Hits Deluxe Redux'', a collection of r ...

'' (2014). The band's eleventh studio album, 2017's '' Pollinator'', charted at number 4 in the United Kingdom.

Life and career

1945–1965: Early life

Harry was born Angela Trimble on July 1, 1945, in Miami, Florida. At the age of three months, she was adopted by Catherine (née Peters) and Richard Harry, gift shop proprietors in

Hawthorne, New Jersey Hawthorne is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 18,791Hawthorne High School, graduating in 1963. She graduated from Centenary College in

Hackettstown, New Jersey Hackettstown is a town in Warren County, New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 10,248. Hackettstown was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 9, 1853, from portions of Inde ...

, with an Associate of Arts degree in 1965. Before beginning her singing career, she moved to New York City in the late 1960s, and worked there as a secretary at

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering ...

's office for one year. Later, she was a waitress at

Max's Kansas City Max's Kansas City was a nightclub and restaurant at 213 Park Avenue South in New York City, which became a gathering spot for musicians, poets, artists and politicians in the 1960s and 1970s. It was opened by Mickey Ruskin (1933–1983) in Decembe ...

, a

go-go dancer Go-go dancers are dancers who are employed to entertain crowds at nightclubs or other venues where music is played. Go-go dancing originated in the early 1960s at the French bar Whisky a Gogo located in Juan-les-Pins. The bar's name was taken ...

in a

discothèque A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music. Nightclubs gener ...

Union City, New Jersey Union City is a city in the northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2020 United States Census the city had a total population of 68,589,Playboy Bunny A Playboy Bunny is a waitress who works at a Playboy Club and selected through standardized training. Their costumes were made up of lingerie, inspired by the tuxedo-wearing Playboy rabbit mascot. This costume consisted of a strapless corset te ...

1966–1975: Early projects; formation of Blondie

In the late 1960s, Harry began her musical career as a backing singer for the

folk rock Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...

group

The Wind in the Willows ''The Wind in the Willows'' is a children's novel by the British novelist Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. It details the story of Mole, Ratty, and Badger as they try to help Mr. Toad, after he becomes obsessed with motorcars and get ...

, which released an eponymous album in 1968 on Capitol Records. In 1973, Harry joined the Stilettoes with Elda Gentile and Amanda Jones. Shortly thereafter, the band added guitarist Chris Stein, who became her boyfriend. In her memoir, ''Face It'', Harry describes having been

rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ...

d at knifepoint during a burglary of the home she shared with Stein. In 1974 Harry and Stein left the Stilletos (along with the band's bassist and drummer) and formed Angel and the Snake with Tish Bellomo and Snooky Bellomo. Shortly thereafter, they changed the name of the band to Blondie, named after the catcall men often directed at Harry after she bleached her hair blonde. The band quickly became regulars at Max's Kansas City and

CBGB CBGB was a New York City music club opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal in Manhattan's East Village. The club was previously a biker bar and before that was a dive bar. The letters ''CBGB'' were for '' Country'', '' BlueGrass'', and '' Blues'', Kr ...

in New York City. Blondie (Debbie Harry) (12215548)

1976–1980: Global success

With her beauty, daring choice of clothing, and two-tone bleached-blonde hair, Harry quickly became a punk icon. Blondie released their self-titled debut album in 1976; it peaked at in Australia and (later, in 1979) in the United Kingdom. Their second album, ''

Plastic Letters ''Plastic Letters'' is the second studio album by American rock band Blondie, released in February 1978 by Chrysalis Records. An earlier version with a rearranged track listing was released in Japan in late December 1977. Overview This is ...

'', garnered some success outside the United States, but their third album, ''

'' (1978), was a worldwide hit and catapulted the group to international success. It included the global hit single " Heart of Glass". Riding the crest of disco's domination, the track made in the US and sold nearly two million copies. It also reached in the UK and was the second highest-selling single of 1979. In June 1979, Blondie was featured on the cover of ''Rolling Stone''. Harry's persona, combining cool sexuality with streetwise style, became so closely associated with the group's name that many came to believe "Blondie" was the singer's name. The difference between the individual Harry and the band Blondie was emphasized by a "Blondie is a group"

button A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole. In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood, o ...

campaign by the band in 1979. The band's success continued with the release of the platinum-selling ''

Eat to the Beat ''Eat to the Beat'' is the fourth studio album by American rock band Blondie, released on September 28, 1979, by Chrysalis Records. The album was certified Platinum in the United States, where it spent a year on the ''Billboard'' 200. Peakin ...

'' album (UK , US ) in September. ''

'' (UK , US ) was released in 1980. Blondie had further hits with " Call Me" ( ''American Gigolo'' soundtrack) (US and UK ), " Atomic" (''Eat to the Beat'' album) (UK ), "

" (US and UK ), and " Rapture" (US ). During this time, both Harry and Stein befriended

graffiti Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...

artist

Fab Five Freddy Fred Brathwaite (born August 31, 1959), more popularly known as Fab 5 Freddy, is an American visual artist, filmmaker, and hip hop pioneer. He is considered one of the architects of the street art movement. Freddy emerged in New York's downtown ...

, who introduced them to the emerging hip-hop scene in the Bronx. Freddy is mentioned in "Rapture" and appears in the video. Through Fab Five Freddy they were also able to connect with Grandmaster Flash who is played by Jean-Michel Basquiat in the video as his label did not allow him to appear. "Rapture" became the first rap-oriented song to reach in the US ''Billboard'' charts. Harry was immortalized by

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the Art movement, visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore th ...

in 1980, who produced a number of artworks of her image from a single photoshoot at

the Factory The Factory was Andy Warhol's studio in New York City, which had four locations between 1963 and 1987. The Factory became famed for its parties in the 1960s. It was the hip hangout spot for artists, musicians, celebrities and Warhol's superstar ...

. The artist created a small series of four acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas portraits of the star in different colors, as well as Polaroids and a small number of rare

silver gelatin The gelatin silver process is the most commonly used chemical process in black-and-white photography, and is the fundamental chemical process for modern analog color photography. As such, films and printing papers available for analog photography ...

prints from the shoot. Stein was also present that day to capture Warhol photographing Harry in a series of his own photographs, exhibited in 2013 in London. Her collaboration and friendship with Warhol continued and she was his first guest on the MTV show ''

Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes ''Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes'' is an American talk show hosted by artist Andy Warhol, that aired on MTV from 1985 to 1987. One of the network's earliest series, it featured interviews with up-and-coming musicians such as Courtney Love. Other suc ...

''. The first episode opened with Harry announcing the theme: "Sex, Vegetables, Brothers and Sisters". Harry said of her relationship with Warhol, "I think the best thing ndy Warholtaught me was always to be open to new things, new music, new style, new bands, new technology and just go with it. Never get mired in the past and always accept new things whatever age you are."

1981–1996: Solo work and acting

In 1981, Harry issued a press release to clarify that her name was not "Debbie Blondie" or "Debbie Harry" but rather Deborah Harry, though Harry later described her character in the band as being named "Blondie", as in this quote from the ''No Exit'' tour book: Harry began her solo career with the album ''

'' (1981). Produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of

Chic Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Pronounced Chick. Etymology '' Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English diction ...

, the album peaked at in the US and in the UK; and was later certified gold in the US and silver in the UK. The album's cover art was controversial, and many stores refused to stock it. "

Backfired "Backfired" is the debut solo single from American singer and Blondie vocalist Debbie Harry. Released in 1981, it was taken from her debut solo studio album, ''KooKoo''. Song information "Backfired" peaked at number 32 in the UK, and number 43 ...

", the first single from the album, had a video directed by

H.R. Giger Hans Ruedi Giger ( ; ; 5 February 1940 – 12 May 2014) was a Swiss artist best known for his airbrushed images that blended human physiques with machines, an art style known as " biomechanical". Giger later abandoned airbrush for pastels, mark ...

(who also created the album's front cover featuring Harry's face with metal skewers through it). The single reached on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, on the Hot Dance Club Songs, and on the UK Singles Chart. "

The Jam Was Moving "The Jam Was Moving" is the second single from Debbie Harry's debut solo album, ''KooKoo''. It was released in 1981 with no video and little promotion after Harry's debut solo single, "Backfired", failed to become a big hit. Background The singl ...

" was lifted as the second single and peaked at No. 82 in the US. After a year-long hiatus, Blondie regrouped and released their sixth studio album, '' The Hunter'' (1982). The album was not as successful as their previous works, and a world tour was cut short due to slow ticket sales. It was around this time that Stein also fell seriously ill with the rare autoimmune disease

pemphigus Pemphigus ( or ) is a rare group of blistering autoimmune diseases that affect the skin and mucous membranes. The name is derived from the Greek root ''pemphix'', meaning "pustule". In pemphigus, autoantibodies form against desmoglein, whi ...

. His illness, along with declining record sales and internal struggles, caused the band to split up. In June 1982, Harry contributed backing vocals to The Gun Club's second album ''

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

'', being credited as 'D.H. Lawrence Jr' while Chris Stein also produced the record, and is credited as 'bongos' and 'cover photos/design'. The Gun Club's singer

Jeffrey Lee Pierce Jeffrey Lee Pierce (June 27, 1958 – March 31, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and author. He was one of the founding members of the band The Gun Club, and released material as a solo artist. Biography Early life Pierce ...

was an ardent fan, emulating Harry's hairstyle and founding the West Coast Blondie Fan Club, before becoming friends with the band in New York. After Blondie split up in 1982, Harry's solo output slowed down as she cared for ailing partner Chris Stein. She released the single "Rush Rush" in 1983 (produced by Giorgio Moroder and taken from the film '' Scarface''), but it was commercially unsuccessful. The same year, Harry had a leading role in David Cronenberg's

film ''

'' (1983), playing the sadomasochistic lover of a television producer who uncovers an underground video output of

snuff film A snuff film, or snuff movie, or snuff video, is a type of film that shows, or purports to show, scenes of actual homicide. The concept of snuff films became known to the general public during the 1970s, when an urban legend alleged that a cland ...

s. Harry received rave reviews for her performance in the film. Critic Howard Hampton noted in a retrospective that Harry "carries herself with the wry, burned-out, but still titillated instincts of a voyager buying a one-way ticket for the outer limits. A vivid, smallish part can either anchor or undo a risky, conceptually spiky film like David Cronenberg's viscerally deranged phantasia: Harry's presence grounds it in acute, self-aware reality." A new single, "Feel The Spin" (taken from the film ''

Krush Groove ''Krush Groove'' is a 1985 American musical comedy-drama film distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures that was written by Ralph Farquhar and directed by Michael Schultz (who also produced the movie, along with George Jackson and Doug McHenry). This ...

''), was released as a limited 12" single in 1985, but it was unsuccessful. In 1986, Harry released her second solo album, called ''

'', which peaked at in the US, and in the UK (where it has been certified gold for 100,000 sales by the BPI). The single " French Kissin' in the USA" gave Harry her only UK solo top 10 hit () and became a moderate US hit (). Other singles released from the album were "

Free to Fall "Free to Fall" is a song by American singer Debbie Harry from her second solo studio album, ''Rockbird'' (1986). It was released as the second single in the United States and the United Kingdom. Suffering from lack of record company promotion, t ...

" and "

In Love with Love "In Love with Love" is a 1987 song recorded by the American singer Debbie Harry. It was taken from her second solo album ''Rockbird'' and released as the third single in 1987. Song information Lyrically, the song is the sequel to Blondie's " H ...

", with the latter completely re-recorded in London with hit British producers

Stock Aitken Waterman Stock Aitken Waterman (abbreviated as SAW) are an English songwriting and record production trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Pete Waterman. The trio had great success from the mid-1980s through the early 1990s. SAW is considere ...

(SAW). The track hit on the US Dance Charts and was released with several remixes. Harry also recorded another track with SAW during the same sessions, "Mind Over Matter", which was never officially released. In 1987, Harry starred opposite Alec Baldwin in the comedy mystery film '' Forever, Lulu'', playing the title character. "Liar, Liar" was recorded by Harry for the soundtrack album ''

Married to the Mob ''Married to the Mob'' is a 1988 American crime comedy film directed by Jonathan Demme, and starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Matthew Modine, Dean Stockwell, Mercedes Ruehl, and Alec Baldwin. Pfeiffer plays Angela de Marco, a gangster's widow from B ...

'' in 1988 and was produced by Mike Chapman. It was their first collaboration since the 1982 Blondie album ''The Hunter''. The same year, Harry starred as Velma Von Tussle in

's satirical dance film ''

''. Her next solo venture was the album ''

Def, Dumb and Blonde ''Def, Dumb & Blonde'' is the third solo studio 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 profe ...

'' in 1989. At this point Harry reverted from "Debbie" to "Deborah" as her professional name. The first single " I Want That Man" was a hit in Europe and Australia and on the US Modern Rock Charts. The success of the single propelled the album to on the UK chart, where it earned a silver disc. However, with little promotion from her record company in the US, it peaked at . She followed this up with the ballad " Brite Side" and the club hit " Sweet and Low". " Maybe for Sure", a reworked version of "Angel's Song" she'd recorded for the ''

Rock and Rule Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

'' animated film, was the fourth single released from the album in June 1990 to coincide with a UK tour (her second in six months). The track "

Kiss It Better "Kiss It Better" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her eighth studio album, ''Anti'' (2016). It was written and produced by Jeff Bhasker and Glass John, with additional writing by Teddy Sinclair and Rihanna. The song was serviced to rad ...

" was also a Top 15 Modern Rock single in the US. Harry also appeared in film during this time, with a supporting part in '' Tales from the Darkside: The Movie'' (1990). From 1989 to 1991, Harry toured extensively across the world with former Blondie guitarist Chris Stein,

Underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underwor ...

Karl Hyde Karl Hyde (born 10 May 1957) is an English musician and artist. He is a founding member of British electronic group Underworld. Hyde has also released a solo album, made albums with Brian Eno and Matthew Herbert, and contributed towards the sco ...

, and future Blondie bassist Leigh Foxx. In July 1991 she played Wembley Stadium, supporting INXS. In 1991, Chrysalis released a new "best of" compilation in Europe entitled '' The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry and Blondie'', containing hits with Blondie as well as her solo hits. The collection reached in the UK album chart and earned a gold disc. The album also included her duet with Iggy Pop of the Cole Porter song " Well, Did You Evah!" from the 1990 ''

Red Hot + Blue Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...

'' AIDS charity album. In 1992, Harry collaborated with German

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad music genre, genre of Punk Music, punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde s ...

band

Die Haut Die Haut (German for ''the skin'') were an experimental German post-punk and post-rock band in Berlin during the 1980s and 1990s, with such records as the Nick Cave collaboration '' Burnin' the Ice''. The only constant member was Christoph Dreh ...

on the track "Don't Cross My Mind" and released the song " Prelude to a Kiss" on the soundtrack to the film of the same name. She also released a cover of "

Summertime Blues "Summertime Blues" is a song co-written and recorded by American rock artist Eddie Cochran. It was written by Cochran and his manager Jerry Capehart. Originally a single B-side, it was released in August 1958 and peaked at number 8 on the ''Bi ...

" from the soundtrack to the film ''

That Night ''That Night'' (originally titled ''One Hot Summer'') is a 1992 American coming-of-age romantic drama film written and directed by Craig Bolotin and starring C. Thomas Howell and Juliette Lewis. It is based on the 1987 novel of the same name ...

'' in Australia. Her fourth solo album, ''

Debravation ''Debravation'' is the fourth solo album by American singer Deborah Harry, released in July 19, 1993. It was the final album Harry made whilst signed to the Chrysalis label, thus ending a successful partnership that began with her time as a mem ...

'', was released in July 1993. The album peaked at #24 in the UK, but was less successful in the US. The album's first single was "

I Can See Clearly "I Can See Clearly" is a song by American singer Debbie Harry, released in June 1993 as the first single from her fourth solo album, ''Debravation'' (1993). Release After taking a brief hiatus from her solo music career, Harry released the tra ...

", which peaked at in the UK and on the US dance charts. This was followed by " Strike Me Pink" in September. Controversy surrounded the latter track's promotional video, which featured a man drowning in a water tank, resulting in its being banned. US editions of the album feature two additional tracks recorded with prerecorded music by

R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...

: "Tear Drops" and a cover of

Skeeter Davis Skeeter Davis (born Mary Frances Penick; December 30, 1931September 19, 2004) was an American country music singer and songwriter who sang crossover pop music songs including 1962's " The End of the World". She started out as part of the Davis S ...

's 1961 hit " My Last Date (with You)". Also in 1993, Harry had a supporting role in a

-directed segment of the anthology horror film '' Body Bags''. In November 1993, Harry toured the UK with Stein, guitarist Peter Min, bassist Greta Brinkman, and drummer James Murphy. The set list of the Debravation Tour featured an offbeat selection of Harry material including the previously unreleased track "Close Your Eyes" (from 1989) and "Ordinary Bummer" (from the Stein-produced Iggy Pop album '' Zombie Birdhouse'', a track that, under the moniker Adolph's Dog, Blondie covered in 1997). Tentative plans to record these shows and release them as a live double CD never came to fruition. However, covers of

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...

' " Wild Horses" and David Oliver's "

Love TKO "Love T.K.O." is a song written by Cecil Womack and Gip Noble, Jr. It was written for soul singer David Oliver, and appeared first on his album '' Here's to You'' in 1980. Teddy Pendergrass recording "Love T.K.O." is mainly associated with ...

" exist as bootlegs. In early 1994, Harry took the Debravation tour to the US. In the UK, Harry's long tenure with Chrysalis Records also came to an end after ''Debravation'' lackluster sales, but the label released all of Blondie's albums and Harry's ''KooKoo'' album (for the first time on CD) as remastered editions with bonus tracks. In the mid 1990s, Harry worked as a guest vocalist on several projects: She joined the avant-garde jazz ensemble

the Jazz Passengers The Jazz Passengers are an American jazz group founded in 1987 by saxophonist Roy Nathanson and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes. The band grew out of a partnership between Nathanson and Fowlkes in 1987, after the two had played with John Lurie's band ...

in 1994, appearing on their album ''In Love'' (1994). Harry also reunited with Blondie keyboardist Jimmy Destri for a cover of

Otis Blackwell Otis Blackwell (February 16, 1931 – May 6, 2002) was an American songwriter whose work influenced rock and roll. His compositions include " Fever" (recorded by Little Willie John), " Great Balls of Fire" and " Breathless" (recorded by Jerr ...

's "Don't Be Cruel" for the 1995 album ''Brace Yourself! A Tribute to Otis Blackwell''. During this period, she also recorded a duet with actor Robert Jacks titled "Der Einziger Weg (The Only Way)", a theme for the horror film '' Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation'' (1994), which was recorded in German and in English. Harry also served as a vocalist in the

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talki ...

' side project the Heads' 1996 release ''

No Talking, Just Head ''No Talking, Just Head'' is an album released in 1996 by the Heads, a band composed of Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Frantz of Talking Heads, joined by a variety of guest singers. Its name may be seen as an allusion to the fact that ...

'', followed by the Jazz Passengers' ''Individually Twisted'' (1997). The same year, she collaborated with Jazz Passengers' Bill Ware in his side project Groove Thing, singing lead vocals on the club hit "Command and Obey". Another Jazz Passengers collaboration, "

The City in the Sea :The City in the Sea ''is also the title of a science fiction novel by Wilson Tucker'' "The City in the Sea" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. The final version was published in 1845, but an earlier version was published as "The Doomed City" in 1831 ...

", appeared on the

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wid ...

tribute album ''

Closed on Account of Rabies ''Closed On Account of Rabies'' (1997) is a double- CD with poems and tales of Edgar Allan Poe performed by various artists, and produced by Hal Willner. It is one of numerous multi-artist tribute albums that Willner has produced, as well as one ...

'' (1997). In film, Harry co-starred with

Pruitt Taylor Vince Pruitt Taylor Vince (born July 5, 1960) is an American character actor. He became best known for his roles in the films '' Shy People'' (1987) and ''Mississippi Burning'' (1988). He also appeared in ''Jacob's Ladder'' (1990), '' Nobody's Fool'' ...

and

Liv Tyler Liv Rundgren Tyler (born Liv Rundgren; July 1, 1977) is an American actress, producer, singer and former model. She began a modeling career at age 14. She later decided to focus on acting and made her film debut in ''Silent Fall'' (1994); she ...

James Mangold James Allen Mangold (born December 16, 1963) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for the films ''Cop Land'' (1997), ''Girl, Interrupted'' (1999), ''Walk the Line'' (2005), '' 3:10 to Yuma'' (2007), '' The Wolverine'' (2013) and ''Logan'' ( ...

's directorial debut ''

'' (1995), playing a misanthropic waitress at an upstate New York restaurant. The following year, she filmed Mangold's ''

Cop Land ''Cop Land'' is a 1997 American neo-noir crime drama film written and directed by James Mangold. It stars an ensemble cast that includes Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, and Robert De Niro, with Peter Berg, Janeane Garofalo, Robe ...

'' (1997), a neo-noir thriller in which she portrayed a bartender.

1997–2007: Blondie reformation and solo output

Blondie (Roskilde Festival 1999) (3668215198)

In 1997, Blondie began working together again for the first time in 15 years. The four original members (Harry, Stein, Clem Burke and Jimmy Destri) began sessions for what would become Blondie's seventh studio album, ''

'' (1999). The lead single from the album, "Maria (Blondie song), Maria", debuted at in the UK, giving Blondie their sixth UK hit. "Maria" also reached in 14 countries, the top 10 on the US Dance Charts, and Top 20 on the US Adult Top 40 Charts. ''No Exit'' debuted at in the UK and in the US. Harry appears on the 2001 Bill Ware album ''Vibes 4'' singing the track "Me and You" as well as on former The Police, Police guitarist Andy Summers's album ''Peggy's Blue Skylight'' on the track "Weird Nightmare". A techno cover of Stan Jones (songwriter), Stan Jones' "Ghost Riders in the Sky" was featured on the soundtrack to the 1998 film ''Three Businessmen'', and was available on her website to download. Harry sings on two tracks on Andrea Griminelli's ''Cinema Italiano'' project: "You'll Come to Me" (inspired by ''Amarcords main theme) and "When Love Comes By" (from ''Il Postino''), as well as on a tribute album reinterpreting the music of Harold Arlen, on which she sings the title track "Stormy Weather (song), Stormy Weather". In May 2002, she accompanied the Jazz Passengers and the BBC Concert Orchestra in a performance of her jazz material at the Barbican Centre in London. In 2003, she was featured vocalist on the song "Uncontrollable Love" by DJ duo Blow-Up (DJ duo), Blow-Up. She also sang on the version of "Waltzing Matilda" recorded by Dan Zanes and Friends, released on the 2003 album ''House Party''. The same year, Blondie released the album ''

'' (2003). In 2006, Harry started work in New York City on her fifth solo album, ''Necessary Evil (Deborah Harry album), Necessary Evil'' (released in 2007). Working with production duo Super Buddha (who produced the remix of Blondie's "In the Flesh (Blondie song), In the Flesh" for the 2005 ''Greatest Hits: Sound & Vision, Sound and Vision'' compilation), the first music to surface in was a hip-hop music, hip-hop track titled "Dirty and Deep" in which she spoke out against rapper Lil' Kim's incarceration. Throughout 2006, a number of new tracks surfaced on Harry's Myspace page, including "Charm Alarm", "Deep End", "Love with a Vengeance", "School for Scandal", and "Necessary Evil", as well as duets she recorded with Miss Guy (of Toilet Böys fame), "God Save New York" and "New York Groove". A streaming version of the lead single, "Two Times Blue", was added to Harry's Myspace page in May 2007. On June 6, 2007, a downloadable version was released via her official website. In 2007, Harry delineated the different personae (Blondie the band, her role in the band, and Deborah Harry the singer) to an interviewer who asked why she played only solo music on the 2007 True Colors World Tour with Cyndi Lauper: "I've put together a new trio with no Blondie members in it. I really want to make a clear definition between Debbie's solo projects and Blondie, and I hope that the audience can appreciate that and also appreciate this other material." Harry's fifth solo album, ''Necessary Evil (Deborah Harry album), Necessary Evil'' (2007), was released after she completed the True Colors World Tour. The first single, "Two Times Blue", peaked at on the US Dance Club Play chart. The album peaked at in the UK and in the US Billboard Top Independent Albums chart. Harry performed "Two Times Blue" on various talk shows to promote the album. She also started a 22-date US tour on November 8, lasting until December 9, playing small venues and clubs across the country. On January 18, 2008, an official music video for "If I Had You (Debbie Harry song), If I Had You" was released.

2008–present: Further musical endeavors

Harry contributed to Fall Out Boy's 2008 album ''Folie à Deux (album), Folie à Deux'', singing on the chorus of the album's closer "West Coast Smoker". In 2010, Harry began a series recordings (featuring solo songs and duets with Nick Cave and others) for Jeffrey Lee Pierce, The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Project. Blondie released their ninth studio album, ''

'', in July 2011. In 2014, Harry made a guest appearance with Arcade Fire at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, The following month, Blondie released their tenth studio album ''

'' (2014). In 2015, Blondie members Debbie Harry and Chris Stein made a guest appearance alongside The Gregory Brothers in an episode of ''Songify the News'', and they collaborated again to parody the United States presidential election debates, 2016. In March 2015, Harry held a residency of several weeks at the Café Carlyle in New York. Blondie's eleventh studio album, '' Pollinator'', was released in May 2017, and debuted at in the UK. In October 2019, Harry released a memoir, ''Face It'', through Dey Street Books. In 2020, Harry cameoed on the third episode of the romantic comedy web television series ''High Fidelity (TV series), High Fidelity''.

Personal life

Harry was in a relationship with the Blondie guitarist Chris Stein. The pair split up in 1987, but remained friends. In 2011, Harry said that she and Stein were both drug users during their relationship, and that they had spent time in a rehabilitation clinic and no longer used drugs. Harry is godmother to Stein's two daughters. In 2014, Harry revealed that she had had several relationships with women in her youth. In her 2019 memoir, ''Face It'', Harry describes having been raped at knifepoint during a burglary of the home she shared with Stein. She also wrote in ''Face It'' that during the early 1970s, the serial killer Ted Bundy lured her into his car in New York City, but she escaped. Harry's description of the white vehicle stripped on the inside and missing the passenger door handle matched the 1968 Volkswagen, VW Bundy was driving, but authorities believed him to be in Florida at the time. Ann Rule, an author of the Bundy biography ''The Stranger Beside Me'', commented that erroneous claims of Bundy abductions are fairly common. As of 2019, Harry lives part-time in New York City and part-time in Monmouth County, New Jersey, together with her four dogs.

Philanthropy

BlondieLPhairVans200718-59 (44467491101)

In a 2011 interview, Harry said that "After witnessing Elton John and his tireless efforts against HIV/AIDS", she had been inspired to make philanthropy her top priority. She said, "These things are important to my life now. I have the privilege of being able to get involved, so I do. I applaud people like Elton John, who have used their position to do so much good." Some of Harry's preferred charities include those devoted to fighting cancer and endometriosis.

Discography

Studio albums * ''

'' (1981) * ''

'' (1986) * ''Def, Dumb & Blonde'' (1989) * ''

'' (1993) * ''Necessary Evil (Deborah Harry album), Necessary Evil'' (2007) Compilations and other albums * ''Once More into the Bleach'' (1988, Debbie Harry and Blondie) * '' The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry and Blondie'' (1991, Deborah Harry and Blondie) * ''Deborah Harry Collection'' (1998) * ''Most of All: The Best of Deborah Harry'' (1999)

Filmography

Bibliography

* ''Making Tracks: The Rise of Blondie'' (1982) by Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and Victor Bockris International Standard Book Number, ISBN-10: /-13: * Foreword to ''Debbie Harry and Blondie: Picture This'' (2011) * ''Face It'' (2019) by Debbie Harry, HarperCollins International Standard Book Number, ISBN-10: /-13:

References

Sources

* *

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Harry, Debbie Debbie Harry 1945 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American women singers Actresses from Miami Actresses from New Jersey Actresses from New York City American adoptees American women pop singers American pop rock singers American women rock singers American women singer-songwriters American film actresses American new wave musicians American people of Scottish descent American punk rock singers American rock songwriters American television actresses American video game actresses American voice actresses American women in electronic music Bisexual women Blondie (band) members Centenary University alumni Chrysalis Records artists Women new wave singers Women punk rock singers Geffen Records artists Bisexual musicians Musicians from Miami People from Hackettstown, New Jersey People from Hawthorne, New Jersey Singer-songwriters from Florida Singer-songwriters from New Jersey Singers from New York City Sire Records artists The Jazz Passengers members 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers Singer-songwriters from New York (state)