As an owner of Parallel Lines for 3 plus decades, I was reading this and saying to myself, "why can't I remember this song?" Of course playing it brought it back, but it reminded me how long it's been since I played any album by Blondie in its entirety. Without examining it in the album context, I did quite like this song a lot and find its chorus quite catchy. I'm not sure exactly what you mean when you say that Clem Burke's closing loose-limbed drum fills somewhat lets the song down. Do you mean that being one of rock's iconic drummers, he can usually be counted on playing something more impressive?
Really, for me, it is the last 10 seconds or so. I the drum roll outro just ends rather than go out with a bit more of a flourish, it feels like an idea not quite fully followed through. I find it a bit of an abrupt ending to the song and the album as a whole. A couple more seconds would have satisfied my pickiness!
Seems they could have sequenced side two better to end with a stronger song. Overall a very good album, however, so no biggie. P.S. I think you meant Mike Chapman...
'Twas for this album that I actually bought a Barbie doll (fine, I knew where to get one from before....don't judge me!!), chopped its hair punky-short, dressed it in denim (or the punkest outfit Mattel would allow) and made it the centerpiece in a "Parallel Lines" display at my Houston record store for the week of release!
"PL" flats (or cardboard jacket "dummies") finished it off nicely, providing a fitting backdrop within the peach crate that was my wooden "canvas"! More than a couple customers asked me where I got the "Blondie" doll!
I'm glad you flagged the Plagenhoef quote as (I'm assuming) fairly chuckle-able. In any configuration, there's no way "Just Go Away" (or any Blondie song, IMHO) rises to the level of urgency, and even genre relevance, as the Eddie & the Hot Rods insistent and driving linchpin, or the Gomm/Lowe classic, "Cruel to Be Kind." As for Burke's drum-end, you're right....I was expecting a final bah-da-bump!
My Blondie doll? She's doing very well, thankyouverymuch.😉
That's all it is. Finish the drum-roll, it's the end of the album!
The question I think Scott_Pl and I have is, is this song good enough for someone else to have a hit with in 1978, and are we only being down on it because it isn't as good as the best songs on this album. I don't know the answer!
When it comes to that doll, I do wish we could Picture This!
As an owner of Parallel Lines for 3 plus decades, I was reading this and saying to myself, "why can't I remember this song?" Of course playing it brought it back, but it reminded me how long it's been since I played any album by Blondie in its entirety. Without examining it in the album context, I did quite like this song a lot and find its chorus quite catchy. I'm not sure exactly what you mean when you say that Clem Burke's closing loose-limbed drum fills somewhat lets the song down. Do you mean that being one of rock's iconic drummers, he can usually be counted on playing something more impressive?
Really, for me, it is the last 10 seconds or so. I the drum roll outro just ends rather than go out with a bit more of a flourish, it feels like an idea not quite fully followed through. I find it a bit of an abrupt ending to the song and the album as a whole. A couple more seconds would have satisfied my pickiness!
Seems they could have sequenced side two better to end with a stronger song. Overall a very good album, however, so no biggie. P.S. I think you meant Mike Chapman...
I even sat there and said to myself, "Better make sure I don't write Mark Chapman", so clearly that didn't help - I've fixed it now, thank you!
'Twas for this album that I actually bought a Barbie doll (fine, I knew where to get one from before....don't judge me!!), chopped its hair punky-short, dressed it in denim (or the punkest outfit Mattel would allow) and made it the centerpiece in a "Parallel Lines" display at my Houston record store for the week of release!
"PL" flats (or cardboard jacket "dummies") finished it off nicely, providing a fitting backdrop within the peach crate that was my wooden "canvas"! More than a couple customers asked me where I got the "Blondie" doll!
I'm glad you flagged the Plagenhoef quote as (I'm assuming) fairly chuckle-able. In any configuration, there's no way "Just Go Away" (or any Blondie song, IMHO) rises to the level of urgency, and even genre relevance, as the Eddie & the Hot Rods insistent and driving linchpin, or the Gomm/Lowe classic, "Cruel to Be Kind." As for Burke's drum-end, you're right....I was expecting a final bah-da-bump!
My Blondie doll? She's doing very well, thankyouverymuch.😉
That's all it is. Finish the drum-roll, it's the end of the album!
The question I think Scott_Pl and I have is, is this song good enough for someone else to have a hit with in 1978, and are we only being down on it because it isn't as good as the best songs on this album. I don't know the answer!
When it comes to that doll, I do wish we could Picture This!
While that run of singles remains classic my favourite Blondie album remains their self titled debut.
Mind you, I couldn't honestly claim 'Attack of the Giant Ants' would fare any better as a RoGs track than this one!