Def, Dumb & Blonde | ||||
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![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 16, 1989 | |||
Recorded | 1987–1989 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 63:55 (CD) | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
Deborah Harry chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | B+ [2] |
Hi-Fi News & Record Review | A:1 [3] |
New Musical Express | 7/10 [4] |
Record Mirror | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Smash Hits | 8/10 [6] |
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 professional name. Harry worked with a variety of producers on the album, including Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins and Mike Chapman who had previously produced the last four Blondie albums. "I wanted to do certain things that were reminiscent of Blondie," she stated. [7]
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.[ citation needed]
The song " I Want That Man", which was written by Tom Bailey and Alannah Currie of the Thompson Twins, was released as a lead single. It made the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart and was Harry's biggest solo chart success in Australia, where it reached number 2. Other singles released from the album included " Kiss It Better", " Brite Side", " Sweet and Low" and " Maybe for Sure". Ian Astbury sings backing vocals on two songs.
In late 1989, Harry toured for the first time as a solo artist extensively in Europe and the United States to support the album. Due to lack of record company promotion the album was not a commercial success in Harry's native United States peaking at number 123 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. It did much better in Australia and the UK, peaking at numbers 10 and 12 respectively, and has been certified Silver by the BPI.
Hi-Fi News & Record Review commented that "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," (although Stein had actually been heavily involved as both a songwriter and musician in Harry's previous two solo LPs). The magazine awarded the album an "A:1" rating, noting that "[Stein] adds songwriting and instrumental punch to the songs, while Chapman's production sends the material flying from the speakers." [8]
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, Leigh 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 |
"Bike Boy and "Comic Books" are bonus tracks on both the cassette and CD versions; while "I'll Never Fall in Love" and "Forced to Live" are bonus tracks on the CD version only.
All tracks written by Deborah Harry and Chris Stein, unless otherwise noted.
Side A
Side B
Side A
Side B
Side A
Side B
Chart (1989) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums ( ARIA) [9] | 10 |
European Albums ( Music & Media) [10] | 53 |
New Zealand Albums ( RMNZ) [11] | 9 |
UK Albums ( OCC) [12] | 12 |
US Billboard 200 [13] | 123 |
Def, Dumb & Blonde | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 16, 1989 | |||
Recorded | 1987–1989 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 63:55 (CD) | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
Deborah Harry chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | B+ [2] |
Hi-Fi News & Record Review | A:1 [3] |
New Musical Express | 7/10 [4] |
Record Mirror | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Smash Hits | 8/10 [6] |
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 professional name. Harry worked with a variety of producers on the album, including Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins and Mike Chapman who had previously produced the last four Blondie albums. "I wanted to do certain things that were reminiscent of Blondie," she stated. [7]
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.[ citation needed]
The song " I Want That Man", which was written by Tom Bailey and Alannah Currie of the Thompson Twins, was released as a lead single. It made the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart and was Harry's biggest solo chart success in Australia, where it reached number 2. Other singles released from the album included " Kiss It Better", " Brite Side", " Sweet and Low" and " Maybe for Sure". Ian Astbury sings backing vocals on two songs.
In late 1989, Harry toured for the first time as a solo artist extensively in Europe and the United States to support the album. Due to lack of record company promotion the album was not a commercial success in Harry's native United States peaking at number 123 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. It did much better in Australia and the UK, peaking at numbers 10 and 12 respectively, and has been certified Silver by the BPI.
Hi-Fi News & Record Review commented that "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," (although Stein had actually been heavily involved as both a songwriter and musician in Harry's previous two solo LPs). The magazine awarded the album an "A:1" rating, noting that "[Stein] adds songwriting and instrumental punch to the songs, while Chapman's production sends the material flying from the speakers." [8]
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, Leigh 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 |
"Bike Boy and "Comic Books" are bonus tracks on both the cassette and CD versions; while "I'll Never Fall in Love" and "Forced to Live" are bonus tracks on the CD version only.
All tracks written by Deborah Harry and Chris Stein, unless otherwise noted.
Side A
Side B
Side A
Side B
Side A
Side B
Chart (1989) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums ( ARIA) [9] | 10 |
European Albums ( Music & Media) [10] | 53 |
New Zealand Albums ( RMNZ) [11] | 9 |
UK Albums ( OCC) [12] | 12 |
US Billboard 200 [13] | 123 |