We had the family round for a curry on Saturday night when Union City Blue by Blondie popped up on the i-pod.
Someone thought that it was from Parallel Lines but I was able to correct them by saying it was from the 1979 follow up Eat to The Beat. The fact that I had played Parallel Lines a day or so ago helped.
When I featured Parallel lines a couple of years ago both Drew and Echorich commented that although it was a great album they both preferred the follow up.
I didn't pick up Eat to the Beat at the time and was only really familiar with the singles until I picked up a second hand copy from Cancer Research for £3(I know that as there is a sticker to that effect which will damage the sleeve if I try to remove it).
I've given it a couple of spins since the weekend and am quite taken by how raw and energetic some to the tracks are - almost harking back to the days of the Blondie and Plastic Letters albums.
Blondie - Union City Blue
Blondie - Eat to the Beat
Blondie - Living in the Real World
AN album I would nevr have thought of buying because of Union City Blues (a song that just goes nowhere, for ever) but those other two tracks are rather good!
ReplyDeleteGreat album. Unlike George I love Union City Blues which is always my favourite Blondie song until I hear Dreaming again.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about opinions!
ReplyDeleteLove it
Union City Blue (no 's') was the first single I ever bought, if you choose to believe my story: http://isthis-thelife.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-first-record-conundrum_14.html
ReplyDeleteThe s has been duly removed.
DeleteFirst gig i went to was Blondie 1979 December, first song live i heard was Dreaming, that did it for me..if i get to see a gig this year that would be 5 decades of going to gigs, i was 14 at the time
ReplyDeleteFor me Eat To The Beat is the pinnacle of Blondie's career. The celebrity that Heart of Glass brought them, also brought a lot of ego's and drugs into the recording studio for ETTB. But it also gave the license to incorporate so many wonderful styles into their music. I am to this day smitten by Shayla. The tragic story in the song that is filled with pathos with Debbie's delivery. The updated girl group meets kitchen sink dramas of Union City Blue, Atomic and Victor are really powerful.
ReplyDeleteHat's off to the person who can split the difference between Parallel Lines and Eat To The Beat. They're both bloody great albums and I just can't see a winner. Dead heat for me. I also have a soft spot for Union City Blue. You said it was all about opinions. How right. I'd have subbed ETTB and LITRW with Shayla and Accidents Never Happen. Great post though.
ReplyDelete