"Liar, Liar" is a song written by James Donna and Denny Craswell, and originally recorded by American rock band the Castaways in 1965.

Original version

"Liar, Liar" was the first and only hit single by the Castaways. The song peaked at number 12 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1965. The producer for the track was Timothy D. Kehr. Guitarist Robert Folschow contributed the distinctive falsetto vocal on "Liar, Liar". The Castaways performed "Liar, Liar" in the 1967 beach party film ''

It's a Bikini World ''It's a Bikini World'' is a 1967 American musical comedy film starring Tommy Kirk, Deborah Walley and Bobby Pickett. The film features cameos by the music groups the Gentrys, the Animals, Pat & Lolly Vegas, the Castaways and R&B girl g ...

''. The song also appears on the 1972 compilation album '' Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968''.

Debbie Harry version

"Liar, Liar" was recorded by American singer

Debbie Harry 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 ...

for the

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrac ...

to the 1988 film ''

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 ...

'', and produced by

Mike Chapman Michael Donald Chapman (born 13 April 1947) is an Australian-American record producer and songwriter who was a major force in the British pop music industry in the 1970s. He created a string of hit singles for artists including The Sweet, Suz ...

. It was their first collaboration since the 1982 Blondie album '' The Hunter''. The following year, the two would team up again for Harry's 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 ...

''. A music video, co-directed by

Adam Bernstein Adam Bernstein (born May 7, 1960) is an Emmy Awards, Emmy Award-winning American film director, music video director and television director. For his work on the television show ''Fargo (TV series), Fargo'' in 2014, he received a nomination for ...

, was produced to promote the single. The song debuted and peaked at number 14 on ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-playe ...

chart for the week ending September 10, 1988.

Track listings

*7-inch single :A. "Liar, Liar" – 3:01 :B. "Queen of Voudou" (performed by the Voodooist Corporation) – 3:39 *12-inch single :A. "Liar, Liar" (extended version) – 5:45 :B1. "Liar, Liar" (7″ version) – 3:01 :B2. "Liar, Liar" (instrumental) – 4:50

Charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liar, Liar (Song) 1965 singles 1965 songs 1988 singles American garage rock songs Debbie Harry songs Protopunk songs Reprise Records singles Song recordings produced by Mike Chapman