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Call Me (Blondie song)

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"Call Me"
Song
B-side"Call Me" (instrumental) (U.S.)

"Call Me" is a song by the American new wave band Blondie and the theme to the 1980 film American Gigolo. Released in the US in early 1980 as a single, "Call Me" was number one for six consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it became the band's biggest single and second No. 1.[1] It also hit No. 1 in the UK and Canada, where it became their fourth and second chart-topper, respectively. In the year-end chart of 1980, it was Billboard's No. 1 single and RPM magazine's No. 3 in Canada.[4][5]

Song and single information

"Call Me" was the main theme song of the 1980 film American Gigolo. The lyrics were written from the perspective of the main character in the film, a male prostitute.[6] Italian disco producer Giorgio Moroder originally asked Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac to help compose and perform a song for the soundtrack, but she declined as a recently signed contract with Modern Records prevented her from working with Moroder. It was at this time that Moroder turned to Debbie Harry and Blondie. Moroder presented Harry with a rough instrumental track called "Man Machine". Harry was asked to write the lyrics and melody, a process that Harry states took only a few hours.[7] Harry stated that the song is about driving, and that "When I was writing it, I pictured the opening scene, driving on the coast of California."[8] The completed song was then recorded by the band, with Moroder producing. The bridge of the original English-language version also includes Harry singing "Call me, my darling" in Italian ("Amore, chiamami") (Love, call me) and in French ("Appelle-moi, mon chéri") (Call me, darling).

In the US, the song was released by three different record companies: the longest version (at 8:06) on the soundtrack album by Polydor, the 7" and 12" on Blondie's label Chrysalis, and a Spanish-language 12" version, with lyrics by Buddy and Mary McCluskey, on the disco label Salsoul Records. The Spanish version, titled "Llámame", was meant for release in Mexico and some South American countries. This version was also released in the US and the UK and had its CD debut on Chrysalis/EMI's rarities compilation Blonde and Beyond (1993). In 1988, a remixed version by Ben Liebrand taken from the Blondie remix album Once More into the Bleach was issued as a single in the UK. In 2001 the "original long version" appeared as a bonus track on the Autoamerican album re-issue.

Harry recorded an abbreviated version of the song, backed by the Muppet Band, for her guest appearance on The Muppet Show in August 1980. It was first broadcast in January 1981.

Popularity and acclaim

The single was released in the United States in February 1980. It peaked at No. 1 and remained there for six consecutive weeks until it was knocked off by Lipps, Inc.'s worldwide smash hit "Funkytown" and was certified Gold (for one million copies sold) by the RIAA. It also spent four weeks at No. 2 on the US dance chart. The single was also No. 1 on Billboard magazine's 1980 year-end chart. The song lists at No. 44 on Billboard's All Time Top 100.[9] It was released in the UK two months later, where it became Blondie's fourth UK No. 1 single in little over a year. The song was also played on a British Telecom advert in the 1980s. 25 years after its original release, "Call Me" was ranked at No. 283 on the list of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 1981, The Village Voice ranked "Call Me" as the third-best song of the year 1980 on their annual year-end critics' poll, Pazz & Jop.[10]

In 1981, the song was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Music video

There were two videos made:

Chart performance

Release history

1980 release

US, UK 7" (CHS 2414)
  1. "Call Me (Theme from American Gigolo)" (7" edit) — 3:32
  2. "Call Me" (7" instrumental) — 3:27
UK 12" (CHS 12 2414)
  1. "Call Me" (7" edit) — 3:32
  2. "Call Me" (Spanish version – 7" edit) — 3:32
  3. "Call Me" (7" instrumental) — 3:27
US 12" (Polydor PRO 124) [promo only]
  1. "Call Me" (Theme from American Gigolo) — 8:04
  2. "Night Drive" (Reprise) - by Giorgio Moroder — 3:52
US 12" (Salsoul SG 341)
  1. "Call Me" (Spanish version, extended) — 6:23
  2. "Call Me" (Instrumental) — 6:10

1989 release

UK 7" (CHS 3342-1)
  1. "Call Me" (Ben Liebrand Remix) — 7:09
  2. "Call Me" (Original Version) — 3:31
UK 12" (CHS 12 3342)
  1. "Call Me" (Ben Liebrand Remix) — 7:09
  2. "Backfired" (Bruce Forrest And Frank Heller Remix) — 6:03
  3. "Call Me" (Original Version) — 3:31
UK CD (CHSCD 3342)
  1. "Call Me" (Ben Liebrand Remix) — 7:09
  2. "Backfired" (Bruce Forrest And Frank Heller Remix) — 6:03
    • Performed by Debbie Harry
  3. "Call Me" (Original Version) — 3:31
  4. "Hanging on the Telephone" — 2:23

Cover versions

Live cover performances

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Cathy Che (1999), 'Deborah Harry: Platinum Blonde', MPG Books Ltd, Cornwall, p.65
  2. ^ Danyel Smith, ed. (1981). "Billboard 17 october 1981". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 28, 2013. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) "the sly, seductive dance rock hit "Call Me,""
  3. ^ Gene Stout (September 2, 2006). "Blondie plays the hits for fans young and old". Seattle Pi. Hearst Communications Inc. Retrieved June 29, 2013. "Blondie opened with "Call Me," (...) a new wave classic that appealed as much to graying baby boomers as it did to a pimply kid wearing a T-shirt from CBGB's, one of several New York clubs that helped make Blondie famous - or vice-versa - in the '70s."
  4. ^ a b Danyel Smith, ed. (1980). "Billboard 27 December 1980". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 28, 2013. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ a b "Top Singles - Volume 33, No. 6, May 03 1980". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  6. ^ Bokris, Viktor (May 24, 1980). "Dinner with Blondie... and William Burroughs". New Music News. New York: New Music News. Retrieved May 30, 2017. Harry: Giorgio's original idea was to call it "man machine" because the man was just like the sex machine. Stein: Debbie's lyrics are much more subtle than the ones he wrote. His thing was very direct like saying I am a man and I go out and I fuck all the girls. Debbie's lyrics are a lot more subtle and the movie in a way is not that blatant, it is sort of subtle. Harry: It was like teasing too because the thing about the movie was that he was always—'Call me! Call me if you want me to come to you.' And it was like these little commands had this macho quality through his being a male hooker, you know that kind of demanding business.
  7. ^ 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s, Episode 2, VH1
  8. ^ Tamara Warren (July 9, 2012). "Mustang Debbie: Blondie's Legendary Lead Singer Confesses a Love of Cars". Autoweek. 62 (14): 42–44. ISSN 0192-9674.
  9. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 Chart 50th Anniversary". Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  10. ^ Christgau, Robert (February 9, 1981). "The 1980 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  11. ^ bulion. "Forum - ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts - CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". ARIA. Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "Blondie – Call Me" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  13. ^ "Blondie – Call Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  14. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". IRMA. Archived from the original on June 3, 2009. Retrieved July 29, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) 1st result of the 2nd page when searching "Blondie"
  15. ^ Danyel Smith, ed. (1980). "Billboard 30 August 1980". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved July 29, 2013. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  16. ^ Danyel Smith, ed. (1980). "Billboard 18 July 1980". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 28, 2013. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  17. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Blondie - Call Me" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  18. ^ "Blondie – Call Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  19. ^ "Blondie – Call Me". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  20. ^ "Blondie – Call Me". VG-lista. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  21. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (B)". Rock.co.za. John Samson. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  22. ^ "Blondie – Call Me". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  23. ^ "Blondie – Call Me". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  24. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  25. ^ a b "Blondie awards at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  26. ^ Steve Hawtin; et al. "Song title 63 - Call Me". Tsort.info. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  27. ^ "Canadian 1980 Top 100 Singles". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  28. ^ "UK Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  29. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Blondie – Call Me". Music Canada. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  30. ^ "British single certifications – Blondie – Call Me". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 29, 2012. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Call Me in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  31. ^ "American single certifications – Blondie – Call Me". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  32. ^ Dan LeRoy. "Until December review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  33. ^ "Bendy's Law review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  34. ^ Heather Phares. "Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigolo review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  35. ^ Kathleen C. Fennessy. "How Many Bands Does It Take to Screw Up a Blondie Tribute? review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  36. ^ Hal Horowitz. "Zoolander review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  37. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "When Pigs Fly: Songs You Never Thought You'd Hear review on Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  38. ^ Joe Silva. "Tight Connection review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  39. ^ Heather Phares. "Platinum Girl: Tribute to Blondie review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  40. ^ "The Dandy Warhols - We Used To Be Friends". Discogs. Retrieved March 4, 2017.
  41. ^ Matt Collar. "Double Standards review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  42. ^ Jon O'Brien. "Songs of Love & Loss, Vol. 2 review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  43. ^ "Hollywood, Mon Amour review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  44. ^ "Heroes". Warchild.org. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  45. ^ "Call Me review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  46. ^ No doubt, Garbage, The distillers-Call Me live Blondie Cover. YouTube. November 10, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  47. ^ Corey Moss (August 16, 2002). "No Doubt, Garbage, Distillers Tour Starts In October". MTV. Viacom International Inc. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
Preceded by US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
April 19 – May 24, 1980 		Succeeded by
Preceded by UK number-one single
26 April 1980 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
"Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" by Pink Floyd
"Rock Lobster" by The B-52's
 Canadian RPM 100 number-one single
May 3–17, 1980
May 31 – June 14, 1980 		Succeeded by
"Rock Lobster" by The B-52's
"Cars" by Gary Numan
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