#1 Song Alert!
Gold Record Alert!
Song#: 0053 Date: 02/16/1980
Debut: 80
Peak: 1 (6 weeks)
Weeks: 25
Genre: Rock, New Wave, Soundtrack
Pop Bits: While their album "Eat to the Beat" was still fresh and its second single "The Hardest Part" (see Song #0033) was just hitting the chart two-weeks prior, this Giorgio Moroder and Deborah Harry collaboration was released. This major blast of new wave served as the theme song to the Richard Gere movie "American Gigolo" and stormed up the chart. The naughty nature of the film combined with Harry's sexy delivery helped to make it Blondie's biggest hit.
ReduxReview: In the 60s there was a song with the same title that was an easy listening standard. Most notably done by Petula Clark, Chris Montez had a #22 hit with it in 1966 and it has been covered countless times since then. The innocent chorus invites to "Call me...don't be afraid, just call me." I've always considered Blondie's song the dirty cousin who demands "Call me!" and to "roll me in designer sheets." Oh how the times change. In 1966 she is letting a lonely guy know she is available, but in 1980 she is asking for a lil' sumpin' sumpin' anytime, day or night. As a naughty boy, I prefer the dirty girl. This is a hot song that hasn't lost a single bit of its sizzle.
ReduxRating: 9/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) Blondie had a total of four Top 10 hits - each of them peaked at #1. Other than these four #1's, they did not have any other song go higher than #24. 2) "Call Me" was the #1 chart song for 1980.
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Here's a Q that's always perplexed me: The singles just before and just after "Call Me" were from the "Eat to the Beat" album (I think that was the name) and they both were just minor top forty entries. I've wondered whether Chrysallis deliberately took their foot off the gas as far as album promotion went cause they knew they were sitting on a blockbuster with "Call Me".
ReplyDeleteSometimes it is just timing and agreements, especially when it comes to films. Blondie did "Call Me" with Giorgio Moroder and the soundtrack album was for Polydor Records. With the second single from "Eat to the Beat" tanking, the timing was right to release "Call Me." With that being a hit, then to strike while the iron was hot, Blondie's label Chrysalis pushed out a third single from "Eat to the Beat," "Atomic," which made the Top 40. The opposite can happen to. "Into the Groove" by Madonna from the film "Desperately Seeking Susan" was never released as a single in the US. At the time she was riding high with the "Like a Virgin" album and her US label didn't want to interrupt her run of singles from the LP for a soundtrack tune and glut radio with too much Madonna. The song became hugely popular anyway. It's mainly all about timing and what the labels involved agree to.
DeleteChart Run: 80 - 70 - 61 - 28 - 12 - 11 - 5 - 3 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 2 - 5 - 6 - 12 - 15 - 26 - 33 - 54 - 64 - 98
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