Backfired
Encyclopedia
Backfired is the debut solo single from the American singer-songwriter and Blondie
vocalist Debbie Harry
. Released in 1981, it was taken from her debut solo album KooKoo
.
having two number one singles ("The Tide Is High
" and "Rapture
") and a top 10 album (Autoamerican
) within the previous twelve months, "Backfired" failed to make a significant impact on any of the charts, peaking at #32 in the UK. On the U.S. charts, "Backfired" peaked at number forty-three, where it was Harry's highest charting solo single on the Billboard Hot 100
and peaked at number seventy-one on the soul charts . On the dance charts, "Backfired" peaked at number twenty-nine .The single managed to become a hit in only a few other countries such as Sweden and Australia.
In an attempt to distinguish herself as a solo artist, Harry's image upon the single's release was quite different from her established image with Blondie
. She had dyed her hair darker and had a new sci-fi inspired look, as seen in the music video for the song directed by H.R. Giger.
Produced by Nile Rodgers
and Bernard Edwards
of the Chic Organisation
who had just produced a huge hit album for Diana Ross
, "Backfired" further developed Harry's experimentation with dance music as seen in some of Blondie's material (the Chic-inspired "Rapture" having been a No. 1 hit for them earlier the same year), this time delving more into funk
music.
The 7" edit of "Backfired" appears on the Chrysalis Records
/EMI
compilation Most of All - The Best of Deborah Harry
. A remix of the track by Bruce Forrest and Frank Heller was included on the 1988 Blondie
/Debbie Harry
remix compilation Once More into the Bleach
. The original extended 12" mix from 1981 appears as a bonus track on both the 1994 and 2005 CD re-issues of the album Koo Koo
.
12"
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
vocalist Debbie Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
. Released in 1981, it was taken from her debut solo album KooKoo
Kookoo
Kookoo is a Persian dish similar to the Italian dish frittata or an open-faced omelet. Iranians make many different types of Kookoos with a variety of flavorings...
.
Song information
Despite BlondieBlondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
having two number one singles ("The Tide Is High
The Tide Is High
"The Tide Is High" is a 1967 song written by John Holt and originally performed by The Paragons with John Holt as lead singer. The song went mainly unnoticed in the rest of the world until it was rediscovered in 1980 when it became a US/UK number 1 hit for the band Blondie...
" and "Rapture
Rapture (song)
"Rapture" is a single by the American new wave band Blondie. It was released in January 1981 and was the second and final song to be released from the band's 1980 top 10 album Autoamerican, the first being "The Tide Is High", which had topped the chart in the US and UK. "Rapture" went on to reach...
") and a top 10 album (Autoamerican
Autoamerican
Autoamerican is the fifth studio album by the US new wave band Blondie. It was released in November 1980 and reached #3 in the UK charts, #8 in Australia and #7 in the US....
) within the previous twelve months, "Backfired" failed to make a significant impact on any of the charts, peaking at #32 in the UK. On the U.S. charts, "Backfired" peaked at number forty-three, where it was Harry's highest charting solo single on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and peaked at number seventy-one on the soul charts . On the dance charts, "Backfired" peaked at number twenty-nine .The single managed to become a hit in only a few other countries such as Sweden and Australia.
In an attempt to distinguish herself as a solo artist, Harry's image upon the single's release was quite different from her established image with Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
. She had dyed her hair darker and had a new sci-fi inspired look, as seen in the music video for the song directed by H.R. Giger.
Produced by Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers
Nile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, producer, composer, arranger, and guitarist.-Biography:...
and Bernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards
Bernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass player and record producer, both as a member of the Funk/Disco band Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
of the Chic Organisation
Chic (band)
Chic was an African American disco and R&B band that was organized during 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It is known best for its commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " , "Everybody Dance" , "Le Freak" , "I Want Your Love" , "Good Times"...
who had just produced a huge hit album for Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, "Backfired" further developed Harry's experimentation with dance music as seen in some of Blondie's material (the Chic-inspired "Rapture" having been a No. 1 hit for them earlier the same year), this time delving more into funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
music.
The 7" edit of "Backfired" appears on the Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
/EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
compilation Most of All - The Best of Deborah Harry
Most of All - The Best of Deborah Harry
Most of All – The Best of Deborah Harry is a compilation album of recordings by Debbie Harry, released by Chrysalis Records/EMI shortly after the reformed Blondie had topped the charts all over the world with their comeback single "Maria"....
. A remix of the track by Bruce Forrest and Frank Heller was included on the 1988 Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
/Debbie Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
remix compilation Once More into the Bleach
Once More into the Bleach
Once More into the Bleach is a remix album released in 1988 by the band Blondie and Debbie Harry. The thirteen-track compilation contains remixes of Blondie songs and material from Debbie Harry's solo career. It was issued as a double vinyl album, double cassette, and compact disc...
. The original extended 12" mix from 1981 appears as a bonus track on both the 1994 and 2005 CD re-issues of the album Koo Koo
Koo Koo
KooKoo is the debut solo album by the American singer Debbie Harry, released in 1981.-Album information:KooKoo was made while Harry and boyfriend Chris Stein were taking a year long break from the band Blondie...
.
Track listing
7"- "Backfired" (7" Edit) (Deborah HarryDebbie HarryDeborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
, Chris SteinChris SteinChristopher "Chris" Stein is co-founder and guitarist in the New Wave band, Blondie. He is also a producer and performer for the classic soundtrack of the hip hop film Wild Style....
) - 3:34 - "Military Rap" (Bernard EdwardsBernard EdwardsBernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass player and record producer, both as a member of the Funk/Disco band Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
, Nile RodgersNile RodgersNile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, producer, composer, arranger, and guitarist.-Biography:...
) - 3:47
12"
- "Backfired" (12" Mix) (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) - 6:23
- "Military Rap" (Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers) - 3:47
Chart positions
| Chart (1981) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
43 |
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
32 |
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
23 |
| Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
16 |