Blondie Won't Burn Out Or Fade Away
I'm gonna call it straight here. There are two Blondie camps. The first that says it's cool for a 63-year-old to be rocking on the road in tight dresses and leather. And the other that says 63-year-old women shouldn't be up onstage rocking in tight dresses and leather. I'm torn between the two.
Debbie Harry is on the road with Blondie celebrating the 30th anniversary of their third album, Parallel Lines. You remember it — the album cover with all of them (except Debbie Harry) looking like the Knack; the one featuring the epic "Heart Of Glass." Epic in that new wave kind of way. All plastic and passion rolled up together in this big disco ball of jive, coked-out lust. That's a compliment. I love the tune.
But here's my problem: she kinda reminds me of that mom who doesn't want to quite let go of that favorite '80s dress. You know what I'm talking about? Wearing the haircut she can't get away with. Wearing the jeans she can't quite fit into anymore. Dudes do the same thing. Jagger looks more than a little funky doing his chicken dance (he'll be 65 on July 26 btw), and god knows I love Pete Townshend (he's also 63), but he looks like he's gonna pull something doing that windmill.
So when Debbie busts out that "Heart Of Glass" lyric — "If I fear I'm losing you/it's just no good/you teasing like you do" — is it kind of a creepy Mrs. Robinson moment? Or is it just cool to see your mom rocking out onstage? I dunno. I'm a house divided. Better to burn out or fade away? It's the great rock 'n' roll debate.
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