Maps of Music

Parallel Lines (1978)

Where the lyrics of Parallel Lines take you, and where it was really made.

Blondie recorded this album in six weeks, although the label had allowed six months.

Key places

Recorded at the Record Plant, New York (1978)

Recording site The Record Plant — The band entered the Record Plant in New York in June 1978 to record the album, its first with Mike Chapman. The point marks the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Mixed at Forum Studio, Covington (1978)

Recording site Forum Studio — The album was mixed at Forum Studio in Covington, Kentucky. The point is set at the city centre, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Parallel Lines: third studio album by American rock band Blondie
• Released 8 September 1978 by Chrysalis Records
• Produced with Mike Chapman, the first Blondie album made with him
• Spawned several singles, notably "Heart of Glass"
• Became the band's commercial breakthrough in the United States

Background

• Previous album Plastic Letters (1977) was the last one produced by Richard Gottehrer
• On a US west coast tour, Blondie met Australian producer Mike Chapman in California
• Manager Peter Leeds and Chrysalis Records encouraged Chapman to work with the band
• Debbie Harry knew Chapman only by reputation at first and was wary of him
• Her caution eased after she played Chapman early cuts of "Heart of Glass" and "Sunday Girl"

Recording

• The band entered the Record Plant in New York in June 1978
• Recording took six weeks, although Chrysalis co-founder Terry Ellis had allowed six months
• Chapman found the band difficult to work with and spent time improving their playing
• Robert Fripp guests on guitar on "Fade Away and Radiate"
• Mixed at Forum Studio in Covington, Kentucky; mastered at MCA Whitney Studio in Glendale, California

Cover

• Cover photograph by Edo Bertoglio
• Chosen by manager Peter Leeds although the band rejected the image
• Title taken from an unused track written by Harry

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in New York City in 1974 by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein.
• Originally billed as Angel and the Snake, then Blondie and the Banzai Babies, shortened to Blondie by October 1974.
• The name came from truck drivers who catcalled "Hey, Blondie" to Harry.
• Became regular performers at Max's Kansas City and CBGB, part of the mid-1970s new wave scene.
• Debut album Blondie (1976) was not a commercial success; the band signed with Chrysalis Records in 1977.

Members

• Core members: Debbie Harry (vocals), Chris Stein (guitar), Clem Burke (drums), Jimmy Destri (keyboards).
• Other former members included Gary Valentine, Frank Infante, Nigel Harrison, and Fred Smith.
• Clem Burke died of cancer on April 6, 2025.

Career

• Breakthrough came in Australia and the UK with Plastic Letters (1978) and the hit single "Denis".
• Parallel Lines (1978) became their most successful album, selling about 20 million copies worldwide; "Heart of Glass" topped the UK and US charts.
• Further hits included "Call Me", "The Tide Is High", and "Rapture", the first rap-featuring song to reach US number one.
• The band disbanded in 1982 after The Hunter, reformed in 1997, and had their sixth UK number one with "Maria" in 1999.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006; has sold over 40 million records worldwide.
• Pollinator (2017) peaked at number four in the UK; a new album, High Noon, is scheduled for February 26, 2027.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• The album was met with universal acclaim from critics
• Robert Christgau in The Village Voice (1978): a consistent improvement over Plastic Letters, though Blondie still could not write a perfect hit single
• Christgau later called it a perfect album in 1978 in Blender
• Q magazine: a crossover smash with sparkling guitar sounds and terrific hooks
• BBC Music's Daryl Easlea: combined power pop and new wave styles and credited Chapman's production

Reappraisal

• Spin's Sasha Frere-Jones: possibly the perfect pop-rock record and the band's best album
• PopMatters' Christian John Wikane: a creative and commercial masterpiece
• Pitchfork's Scott Plagenhoef: popularized the look and sound of 1980s new wave
• Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani: cited "Heart of Glass" as the album's best track

Records

• UK Albums Chart No. 1 in February 1979
• Billboard 200 peak No. 6 in April 1979
• Billboard year-end 1979 top pop albums No. 9
• Biggest-selling album in the UK in 1979
• RIAA Platinum certification on 6 June 1979
• Rolling Stone's 500 greatest albums: No. 140 in 2003
• Selected for the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2024

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Chapman later described the band as the worst he had worked with in musical ability, while praising Frank Infante as an amazing guitarist.
• Chapman said he made a pop album with Blondie, not a punk or New Wave album.
• Robert Fripp, leader of King Crimson, guests on guitar on "Fade Away and Radiate".
• From March 1979 onward, pressings used the disco version of "Heart of Glass" (5:50) instead of the album version.
• "Sunday Girl" was released as a UK single in May 1979 and also reached No. 1.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact