Backfired

"Backfired" is the debut solo single from the American singer-songwriter and Blondie vocalist Debbie Harry. Released in 1981, it was taken from her gold-selling debut solo album KooKoo.

"Backfired"
Single by Debbie Harry
from the album KooKoo
ReleasedJuly 1981
Recorded1981
GenreNew wave, dance-rock
LabelChrysalis Records
Songwriter(s)Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards
Producer(s)Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards
Debbie Harry singles chronology
"Backfired"
(1981)		 "The Jam Was Moving"
(1981)
Audio sample
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Song information

"Backfired" peaked at #32 in the UK, and #43 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (though it remains Harry's highest charting solo single in the US). It also peaked at #71 on the U.S. Soul chart,[1] and #29 on the Dance chart.[2] The single also managed to become a hit in only a few other countries including Sweden and Australia.

In an attempt to distinguish herself as a solo artist, Harry's image upon the single's release was quite different from her established image with Blondie. She had dyed her hair darker and had a new sci-fi inspired look, as seen in the music video for the song directed by H.R. Giger, who appeared in the video wearing a mask and mimes the male back-up vocals on the song.

Produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the Chic who had just produced a huge hit album for Diana Ross, "Backfired" further developed Harry's experimentation with dance music as seen in some of Blondie's material (the Chic-inspired "Rapture" having been a No. 1 hit for them earlier the same year), this time delving more into funk music.

The 7" edit of "Backfired" appears on the Chrysalis Records/EMI compilation Most of All - The Best of Deborah Harry. A remix of the track by Bruce Forrest and Frank Heller was included on the 1988 Blondie/Debbie Harry remix compilation Once More into the Bleach. The original extended 12" mix from 1981 appears as a bonus track on both the 1994 and 2005 CD re-issues of the album KooKoo.

Track listing

7"

  1. "Backfired" (7" Edit) (Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards) - 3:34 Listen 
  2. "Military Rap" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) - 3:47

12"

  1. "Backfired" (12" Mix) (Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards) - 6:23
  2. "Military Rap" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) - 3:47

Charts
Chart (1981) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] 23
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[4] 28
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[5] 16
UK Singles (OCC)[6] 32
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 43
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[8] 29
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[9] 71
US Cash Box Top 100[10] 39

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 247.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 118.
  3. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 134. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. "Charts.nz – Debbie Harry – Backfired". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  5. "Swedishcharts.com – Debbie Harry – Backfired". Singles Top 100. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  6. "Debbie Harry: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  7. "Debbie Harry Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  8. "Debbie Harry Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  9. "Debbie Harry Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  10. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending September 19, 1981". Cash Box. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
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