BLONDIE

HEART OF GLASS
(ORIGINAL 12" DISCO VERSION)
(INSTRUMENTAL DUB VERSION)
(BLONDIE VS EDISON VOCAL MIX)
(BLONDIE VS EDISON QUATTRO MIX)

Heart of Glass was originally recorded in 1975 under the name "Once I Had a Love," and was much slower with a blues/reggae vibe to it. The song was frequently performed on tours, then was re-recorded with the same title in 1978, when the song was made a bit more rock-oriented. When Blondie recorded the album Parallel Lines, disco was big on the music scene, and producer Mike Chapman decided to give the song the disco twist that made the song what it is today, and one of the best-known Blondie recordings. For the single release the track was remixed by Chapman with the double-tracked bass drum even more accentuated. The song was released in January 1979, and reached number one in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The versions appearing on the 7" single issued in early 1979 varied from country to country, some used the regular album version, others an edited album version and others an edited version of the 12" Disco Mix, which is the one usually found on current hits compilations.

Almost immediately after its release, "Heart of Glass" became the subject of controversy because of its disco sound. At the time, Blondie was one of the bands at the forefront of New York's growing New Wave musical scene. Suddenly they found themselves accused of "selling out" for releasing a disco song and made the band pariahs in the eyes of many of their fellow musicians in the New York music scene. The band was accused of pandering to the mainstream that many punk/new wave bands at the time were actively rebelling against.

There was also the issue of the use of the expression "pain in the ass" within the lyrics which, at the time, did not sit easily with the hierarchy at the British BBC. The radio version changed it to "heart of glass." In Australia, the song was banned from radio for its "strong language."

HEART OF GLASS (ORIGINAL 12" DISCO VERSION)

HEART OF GLASS (INSTRUMENTAL DUB VERSION)

HEART OF GLASS (BLONDIE VS EDISON VOCAL MIX)

HEART OF GLASS (BLONDIE VS EDISON QUATTRO MIX)

The accompanying music video was filmed at Studio 54 in New York City.