X-Offender
Encyclopedia
"X Offender" is a song by American
New Wave
band Blondie
. Written by Gary Valentine
and Debbie Harry
for the band's self-titled debut album, Blondie
, the song was released as the album's lead single
on Private Stock
in June 1976.
who had worked with 1960s girl group The Angels and the song is reminiscent of that era in its style.
Private Stock insisted that the name of the single be changed to "X Offender" because they were nervous about the original title. It was released in mid 1976 with the B-side being "In the Sun". The song didn't chart but Chrysalis
heard it with the Blondie album and signed the band. "X Offender" was later the B-side to "Rip Her to Shreds
." Due to the limited copies of the single released and the subsequent popularity of the band, a copy of the original UK Private Stock single "X Offender"/"In the Sun" is a sought-after rarity with copies selling for £750 in collectors' markets since the mixes of both songs on the single are different from those on the Blondie
album. These mixes appear as bonus tracks on EMI
/Capitol Records
' 2001 re-issue of the album. Unfortunately, no master tapes of the Private Stock versions have been kept in the archives, consequently these bonus tracks are direct transfers from vinyl.
US 7" Promo (PS-45.097)
UK 7" (PVT 105)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band 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...
. Written by Gary Valentine
Gary Valentine Lachman
Gary Lachman, born December 24, 1955 in Bayonne, New Jersey, is an American writer and musician. Lachman is best known to readers of mysticism and the occult, in the numerous articles and books he has published...
and 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...
for the band's self-titled debut album, Blondie
Blondie (album)
Blondie is the eponymous debut album by American New Wave band Blondie, released in 1976 on Private Stock Records. The first single "X Offender" was originally entitled "Sex Offender" but since radio stations would not play a song with such a controversial title, the band renamed the song...
, the song was released as the album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
on Private Stock
Private Stock Records
Private Stock Records was a record label which was started in 1974 by Larry Uttal after he was ousted from Bell Records. The label had hit records with singles by David Soul of Starsky and Hutch fame , Starbuck , Austin Roberts , Samantha Sang , Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band , and Frankie...
in June 1976.
Song information
The title of the song was originally "Sex Offender". Bassist Gary Valentine originally wrote the song about an 18-year-old boy being arrested for having sex with his younger girlfriend. Debbie Harry changed the lyrics so that the song was about a prostitute being attracted to the police officer that had arrested her. The track was produced by Richard GottehrerRichard Gottehrer
Richard Gottehrer is an American songwriter, record producer and record label executive.-Career:Gottehrer came to prominence as a songwriter in the 1960s with his most notable songs being "My Boyfriend's Back" and "I Want Candy". As Feldman-Goldstein-Gottehrer , he wrote various songs including...
who had worked with 1960s girl group The Angels and the song is reminiscent of that era in its style.
Private Stock insisted that the name of the single be changed to "X Offender" because they were nervous about the original title. It was released in mid 1976 with the B-side being "In the Sun". The song didn't chart but Chrysalis
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...
heard it with the Blondie album and signed the band. "X Offender" was later the B-side to "Rip Her to Shreds
Rip Her to Shreds
"Rip Her to Shreds" is a song by American New Wave band Blondie, which features on the band's self-titled debut album . It is rumored to be about punk rock singer Cherry Vanilla.- Single information :...
." Due to the limited copies of the single released and the subsequent popularity of the band, a copy of the original UK Private Stock single "X Offender"/"In the Sun" is a sought-after rarity with copies selling for £750 in collectors' markets since the mixes of both songs on the single are different from those on the Blondie
Blondie (album)
Blondie is the eponymous debut album by American New Wave band Blondie, released in 1976 on Private Stock Records. The first single "X Offender" was originally entitled "Sex Offender" but since radio stations would not play a song with such a controversial title, the band renamed the song...
album. These mixes appear as bonus tracks on 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...
/Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
' 2001 re-issue of the album. Unfortunately, no master tapes of the Private Stock versions have been kept in the archives, consequently these bonus tracks are direct transfers from vinyl.
Track listing
US 7" (PS-45.097)- "X Offender" (single version) (Gary ValentineGary Valentine LachmanGary Lachman, born December 24, 1955 in Bayonne, New Jersey, is an American writer and musician. Lachman is best known to readers of mysticism and the occult, in the numerous articles and books he has published...
, 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...
) – 3:15 - "In the Sun" (single version) (Stein) – 2:38
- There were three pressings of this single that can only be distinguished by careful examination of the inscriptions in the vinyl. First pressing was 7 June 1976; it contains an additional number (pvt 1231 mbw). The third pressing is labeled PVT 1231-M.
US 7" Promo (PS-45.097)
- X Offender (Stereo Version)
- X Offender (Mono Version)
- Labeled as a promo PVT 1351 BW. Contains stereo and mono versions on opposite sides.
UK 7" (PVT 105)
- "X Offender" (album version) (Harry, Valentine) – 3:13
- "In the Flesh" (Harry, Chris Stein) – 2:33