I'm in a very Blondie-circa-Plastic-Letters mood these days. When I was in high school, I worshiped this band. I have all their albums. On vinyl. And imports and bootlegs worth the kind of dough that could fund a small South American putsch. It wasn't so much that I wanted to be Debbie Harry, although her pop cultural cool was unsurpassed. No, what I really wanted was to be was Clem Burke. Most underrated drummer ev-ah.
What I like about this song is that it illustrates perfectly Blondie's roots before achieving super duper mega stardom with Parallel Lines and its hit single, the tongue-in-disco's-cheek "Heart of Glass." Before all that, Blondie was a punk band. Still tongue-in-cheek, but definitely more rough edged.
This is for Mandy in Detroit, who I'm hoping can shed some light on the "442" part of this song:
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13 comments:
Dig that outfit!
Add a riding crop and she's got a real moneymaker there.
weeelll, this explains volumes...
I'm guessing 442 has something to do with a car engine, but that is from listening to "surfer" songs. it's a generational thing, I guess.
ps
check this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_442
It's the motor city baby. Four-four-two refers to the Olds 442, but I see Doris Rose has beaten me to it.
How timely of you to post this, as it's the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit this week, and the avenue is jam-packed full of classic cars and fat people.
Vroom, vroom.
Iamnot: I know, 80s New Wave/Punk fashion was awesome trash/tacky fun! I have the photos to prove it :o)
DorisRose: Oh, snap. Thanks for explaining. And Mandy for confirming. Still, doesn't shed all that much more light on the song, though, does it?
Mandy: Dang, that would be something to see. Half my life is spent jonesing for a handful of select American muscle cars, although Mustang, Schmustang - I'm pretty much Chevy all the way.
You know, she's still looking pretty fabulous.
Did you just say Chevy?
*HEARTS*
I write for Chevy!
*Girl Scream*
AB: She's looking TOTALLY fabulous!!!!
Mandy: No. Way. Be still Moi's heart. So, uh, you're the person I speak to about scoring one of these?
http://www.chevrolet.com/camaro/
I swear, I will go into HOCK for this car. I know it's poleetically incorrect but I gotta have it.
What a rare gem you found. And you're right, Clem Burke was a great drummer. Everyone beat me to the Olds 442 guess.
Basically, it was a standard Fischer Body Cutlass with: 400 ci engine, 4 barrel carberator, 2 exhaust pipes. 442.
Troll: And you broke it down even further, thanks!
LEft ya note back on Summer.
Gotta check this out now...back soon.
uh...okay, I admit it. This is outa mah pay grade. The drums ain't bad, but was that singin'?
I just write about them. I can't score you one. If I could, I wouldn't be driving a Honda with over 100,000 miles on it.
*Sigh*
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