Union City Blue

Last updated

We eventually went down to Union City and we have an aerial view with a helicopter and the whole bit way down there on the dock. It comes from across the river. [10]

The track was re-released on CD and vinyl on October 16, 1995, [11] as a maxi single in both the UK and US, featuring various remixes of the song by Diddy, Burger Queen, OPM and Jammin' Hot. A previously heavily bootlegged live version from 1979 of Donna Summer's hit "I Feel Love" was included as a b-side. Charting a second time after its original 1979 release, the single peaked at number 31 in the UK. The remixed version of "Union City Blue" was also included on the compilations Beautiful: The Remix Album (UK) and Remixed Remade Remodeled: The Remix Project (US).

The song appears in the 1981 horror film The Hand , and the 2007 dark comedy, Margot at the Wedding . [12]

Reception

Critics have acclaimed "Union City Blue". Debra Rae Cohen of Rolling Stone wrote, "'Union City Blue' evokes life-or-death romance. Mixed with the intertwined-guitars-and-keyboards density of 'Dreaming,' 'Union City Blue' has the force of an incantation. Key words — power, passion — slip out with a resonant urgency. Harry's finally using her sweet tones to create real emotional intensity." Sam Armstrong of uDiscoverMusic wrote that the song "conjures the sort of romantic yearning you only ever get from finding yourself adrift in a city where anything can happen." [13]

Far Out Magazine wrote glowingly of the song, stating, "The song, steeped in the teapot of punk and finished with the creamy texture of new-wave, came to represent the evolution of not only punk into something entirely new but was a mark of the turning decades." [14] Pop Expresso named the song as the band's fifth best song. [15]

Cover versions

"Union City Blue" was covered by the British rock band Radiohead in 1995. Jack Whatley of Far Out Magazine said: "While Thom Yorke's vocal is undeniably his own, the rest of the band fall in line for a somewhat straightforward cover." Whatley concluded that "it is still one of the better Blondie covers you're likely to hear." [14]

Track listing

UK 7" (Chrysalis CHS 2400)
  1. "Union City Blue" (Nigel Harrison, Deborah Harry) – 3:18
  2. "Living in the Real World" (Jimmy Destri) – 2:53
UK 1995 Remix CD1 (7243 8 82466 2 0)
  1. "Union City Blue" (Diddy's Power & Passion Edit) – 3:38
  2. "Union City Blue" (Diddy's Power & Passion Mix) – 8:34
  3. "Union City Blue" (Vinny Vero's Turquoise Mix) – 8:23
  4. "Union City Blue" (Jammin Hot's I Can't Believe It's Not Diddy Mix) – 7:37
  5. "Union City Blue" (Burger Queen Peroxide Power Mix) – 7:40
UK 1995 Remix CD2 (7243 8 82467 2 9)
  1. "Union City Blue" (Diddy's Power & Passion Edit) – 3:45
  2. "I Feel Love" (Live) – 7:53
  3. "Union City Blue" (The OPM Poppy Mix) – 8:48
  4. "Union City Blue" (Original Version) – 3:18
US 1995 Remix CD (7243 8 58474 2 4)
  1. "Union City Blue" (Diddy's Remix Edit) – 3:38 *
  2. "Union City Blue" (Original Single Version) – 3:18
  3. "Union City Blue" (Vinny Vero's Turquoise Mix) – 8:23
  4. "Union City Blue" (Burger Queen Peroxide Power Mix) – 7:40
  5. "Union City Blue" (OPM Poppy Mix) – 8:48
  6. "Union City Blue" (Diddy's Power & Passion Mix) – 8:34
  7. "I Feel Love" (Live) – 7:53

Charts

"Union City Blue"
Blondie-union city blue.jpg
Single by Blondie
from the album Eat to the Beat
B-side
  • "Living In The Real World"
  • "I Feel Love"
ReleasedNovember 23, 1979 [1]
Genre
Length3:23
Label Chrysalis (UK)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Mike Chapman
Blondie singles chronology
"Dreaming"
(1979)		"Union City Blue"
(1979)		"The Hardest Part"
(1980)
Audio sample
Union City Blue

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blondie (band)</span> American rock band

Blondie is an American rock band founded in 1974 in New York City by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the American new wave scene of the mid-1970s in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear</span> 1978 single by Blondie

"(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear" is a song by the American band Blondie, from their 1978 album Plastic Letters. Written by former Blondie bassist Gary Valentine, the song was based on the telepathic connections that Valentine believed he experienced with his girlfriend, journalist Lisa Jane Persky, while on tour. Though Valentine had recently left the band, drummer Clem Burke convinced the band to record the song for Plastic Letters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Way or Another</span> 1979 single by Blondie

"One Way or Another" is a song by American new wave band Blondie from their 1978 album Parallel Lines. Lyrically, the song was inspired by Blondie frontwoman Deborah Harry's experience with a stalker in the early 1970s, an incident which forced her to move away from New Jersey. The song's music was composed by bassist Nigel Harrison, who introduced the Ventures-influenced track to keyboardist Jimmy Destri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heart of Glass (song)</span> 1979 song by Blondie

"Heart of Glass" is a song by the American new wave band Blondie, written by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. It was featured on the band's third studio album, Parallel Lines (1978), and was released as the album's third single in January 1979 and reached number one on the charts in several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.

<i>Eat to the Beat</i> 1979 studio album by Blondie

Eat to the Beat is the fourth studio album by American rock band Blondie, released on September 28, 1979, by Chrysalis Records. The album was certified Platinum in the United States, where it spent a year on the Billboard 200. Peaking at No. 17, it was one of Billboard's top 10 albums of 1980. It also reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart in October 1979 and has been certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War Child (song)</span> 1982 single by Blondie

"War Child" is a 1982 song by the American rock band Blondie, featured on their sixth studio album The Hunter. The song was released as a second single from the album in various countries, but not in the band's native US. There is no music video for this single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atomic (song)</span> 1980 single by Blondie

"Atomic" is a song by American rock band Blondie from their fourth studio album, Eat to the Beat (1979). Written by Debbie Harry and Jimmy Destri and produced by Mike Chapman, the song was released in February 1980 as the album's third single.

<i>Autoamerican</i> 1980 studio album by Blondie

Autoamerican is the fifth studio album by American rock band Blondie. It was released in November 1980 and reached No. 3 in the UK charts, No. 7 in the US, and No. 8 in Australia. The album spawned two singles, "The Tide Is High" and "Rapture". "The Tide Is High" hit number one in several countries, including the US and the UK. "Rapture" became the first rap song ever to reach number one on the singles chart in the US. It also reached number five in the UK and number four in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Tide Is High</span> 1967 single by the Paragons

"The Tide Is High" is a 1967 rocksteady song written by John Holt, originally produced by Duke Reid and performed by the Jamaican group the Paragons, with Holt as lead singer. The song gained international attention in 1980, when a cover version by the American band Blondie became a US and UK number one hit. The song topped the UK Singles Chart again in 2002 with a version by the British girl group Atomic Kitten, while Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall had a minor hit with his interpretation in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapture (Blondie song)</span> 1981 single by Blondie

"Rapture" is a song by American rock band Blondie from their fifth studio album Autoamerican (1980). Written by band members Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, and produced by Mike Chapman, the song was released as the second and final single from Autoamerican on January 12, 1981, by Chrysalis Records. Musically, "Rapture" is a combination of new wave, disco and hip hop with a rap section forming an extended coda.

<i>The Best of Blondie</i> 1981 greatest hits album by Blondie

The Best of Blondie is the first greatest hits album by American rock band Blondie. It was released in October 1981, by Chrysalis Records. The album peaked at number four in the United Kingdom and number 30 in the United States, while becoming the band's only number-one album in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In Love with Love</span> 1987 single by Debbie Harry

"In Love with Love" is a 1987 song recorded by the American singer Debbie Harry. It was taken from her second solo album Rockbird and released as the third single in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bump, Bump, Bump</span> 2002 single by B2K featuring P. Diddy

"Bump, Bump, Bump" is a song by American boy band B2K, featuring P. Diddy. It was released October 2002 as the lead single from B2K's second album Pandemonium!. It was written by R. Kelly and Varick Smith and produced by Kelly. It became B2K's first and only top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and reached number one for one week starting on February 1, 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dreaming (Blondie song)</span> 1979 single by Blondie

"Dreaming" is a song by American new wave band Blondie. Released in 1979, the song was the opening track from their fourth album Eat to the Beat. Written by guitarist Chris Stein and singer Debbie Harry and partially inspired by ABBA's "Dancing Queen," the song also features an active drum performance by drummer Clem Burke, who did not expect the final recording to feature his busy drum track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fly By II</span> 2002 single by Blue

"Fly By II" is a song by English boy band Blue. It was released on 18 March 2002 as the fourth single from their debut studio album, All Rise (2001). The release includes the band's first non-album exclusive, "Love R.I.P". "Fly By II" is a remixed version of the All Rise album track "Fly By", which samples the song "Rise" by Herb Alpert, while the remix samples from the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Hypnotize". The remix reached number six on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Once More into the Bleach</i> 1988 remix album by Debbie Harry and Blondie

Once More into the Bleach is a remix album released in December 1988 by the band Blondie and Debbie Harry. The 13-track compilation contains remixes of Blondie songs and material from Harry's solo career. It was the first compilation to include non-album singles "Rush Rush" and "Feel the Spin".

<i>Beautiful: The Remix Album</i> 1995 remix album by Blondie

Beautiful: The Remix Album is a remix album of recordings by American band Blondie, released by Chrysalis/EMI Records in the UK during 1995. Several remix singles were released from the album in various formats: "Atomic" '94, which reached number 19 in the UK Singles Chart the previous year, "Heart of Glass" '95, which reached number 15, and "Union City Blue" '95 which reached number 31.

<i>Remixed Remade Remodeled: The Remix Project</i> 1995 remix album by Blondie

Remixed Remade Remodeled: The Remix Project is a remix album of recordings by Blondie released by Chrysalis/EMI Records in the US and the UK in 1995 as part of EMI's Brilliant series. The album spun off four remix singles in the US: "Atomic", "Rapture", "Heart of Glass" and "Union City Blue".

<i>The Platinum Collection</i> (Blondie album) 1994 compilation album by Blondie

The Platinum Collection is a two disc compilation album of recordings by Blondie released by EMI/Chrysalis in 1994. The forty-seven track compilation contains the A- and B-sides of all singles issued by the band in the U.S. and the UK between the years 1976 and 1982 in chronological order, five demo recordings made before the release of their debut album including an alternative version of "Heart of Glass", as well as two 1994 dance remixes of their hits "Atomic" and "Rapture".
The liner notes contain extensive interviews with band members Clem Burke, Jimmy Destri, Nigel Harrison, Frank Infante and Gary Valentine.

<i>Atomic: The Very Best of Blondie</i> 1998 greatest hits album by Blondie

Atomic: The Very Best of Blondie is a greatest hits album by American rock band Blondie, released on July 13, 1998, by Chrysalis Records, at the time when the band reunited and shortly before the beginning of their successful comeback tour.

References

  1. ↑ Porter, Dick; Needs, Kris (2017). Blondie: Parallel Lives. Omnibus Press. p. 239. ISBN   9780857127808.
  2. ↑ Lavington, Stephen (2011). "The Hand (1981)". Virgin Film: Oliver Stone. Random House. ISBN   978-0-7535-4766-3.
  3. ↑ Swanson, Dave (March 15, 2017). "Blondie Albums Ranked in Order of Awesomeness". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  4. ↑ Bangs, Lester (1980). Blondie. Simon & Schuster. ISBN   978-0-6712-5540-4.
  5. 1 2 Lustig, Jay (January 27, 2015). "'Union City Blue,' Blondie". Njarts.net. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  6. ↑ O'Brien, Glenn (September 7, 2019). "Blondie: Our 1986 Cover Story". Spin . Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  7. ↑ Swinnerton, Matthew (March 1, 2020). "Exclusive Interview with Clem Burke from Blondie". Event Santa Cruz. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  8. ↑ Kramer, Barry L. (July 9, 2011). "Clem Burke's interview with the fans". Blondie.net. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Lost in the '70s: Blondie, "Union City Blue"". Popdose. July 10, 2008. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  10. ↑ Porter, Dick; Needs, Kris (2017). Blondie: Parallel Lives. Omnibus Press. p. 233. ISBN   9780857127808.
  11. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . October 14, 1995. p. 27.
  12. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Original Soundtrack – Margot at the Wedding". AllMusic . Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  13. ↑ Armstrong, Sam (October 13, 2019). "Eat to the Beat: How Blondie Served Up a New Wave Classic". uDiscover Music. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  14. 1 2 Whatley, Jack (August 16, 2020). "Listen to Radiohead's guitar-heavy cover of Blondie song 'Union City Blues'". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  15. ↑ "The Top 10 Blondie songs on the iconic Debbie Harry birthday". Pop Expresso. July 1, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  16. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Union City Blue". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Blondie – Union City Blue". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Blondie – Union City Blue" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Blondie – Awards". AllMusic . Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  22. ↑ "British single certifications – Blondie – Union City Blue". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 19 January 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.