Hello! Welcome to the podcast New Wave Beat. This is your host, Jason D'Orazio. Take a dive into five great songs that came out of the new wave movement in the year 1978. This is the year that new wave music was really starting to break through with hit songs and cult classics being released. It was also a sign of great things to come in the subgenre. Let's dive right in.
First, I'd like to talk about Blondie's Heart Of Glass. It's arguably the first new wave song to hit number one in the Billboard Hot 100, so it's appropriate to start here. Blondie released their debut album in 1976, and featured lead singer and frontwoman Deborah Harry. While they had a rough version of Heart Of Glass bouncing around for a while, the final version came out two years later with their third album, dubbed Parallel Lines.
Heart Of Glass starts off with a fast drum machine hook. The song has a strong disco influence reminiscent of a band like Chic or artists like Donna Summer. It also sounds like the music that Blondie influencers Roxy Music had been releasing in the late '70s. Despite the upbeat and fun melody, Heart Of Glass deals with a love gone sour. The narrator is not taking it well as she references her heart of glass.
Music videos, while they existed in 1978, mostly consisted of the band performing. Heart Of Glass pretty much follows this format, but also shows some cool shots of Studio 54 and other New York City buildings. You can see Deborah Harry's intentional aloofness in the video that would be one of her trademarks throughout her career. The band got a lot of flak from fellow new wavers for selling out to a disco sound, but the genre is about eclecticism, so I think the criticism was unwarranted. Also, since new wave and disco acts often shared nights in clubs and bars, the cross-pollination seems natural. But then again, I wasn't around during the height of the disco craze, and I know it wasn't everyone's cup of tea. On a final note, Blondie's Heart Of Glass has been heavily sampled and covered, thereby adding to its staying power.
Okay, next up is Just What I Needed, the first single from The Cars' self-titled debut album. The Cars were a five-piece band featuring lead singers Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr. Their brand of music was leaning toward classic rock and power pop, but with enough synth goodness and vocal quirkiness to put them firmly in the new wave camp. Initially getting good radio play in the band's hometown of Boston, Just What I Needed soon became a top 40 hit at a time when such songs were only starting to get some good chart exposure.
It starts with a simple but engaging guitar riff. The rock and roll guitars are paired nicely with the futuristic-sounding synth, a combo platter that would permeate throughout the rest of their albums. The memorable chorus and retro yet progressive keyboard outro, in particular, are awesome. Benjamin Orr sings this one and does it flawlessly. It's evocative lyrically as the narrator sings about a crush of his and how he figuratively loses his mind when he's around her. However, the course hints at a little arrogance and possibly codependence on the part of the narrator, saying that he needed, quote, unquote, "a woman to feed and bleed". I personally love this combination of upbeat melody and duplicitous lyrics.
There was no associated video for Just What I Needed, which is understandable since it was slightly before the heyday of music video. As it stands, the Cars would make some nice videos later on in their career. Just What I Needed is great introduction to the Cars and it's New Wave Beat approved. For something more avant-garde by them, try the song Panorama.
Elvis Costello is the next artist I will talk about, who debuted in 1977, but I'll focus on Pump It Up from his second album with his band The Attractions. This song combines the energy of punk with new wave quirkiness. In fact, Pump It Up is probably the punkiest of the five songs I'm going over today. Starting out with a memorable drum and bass intro, the song launches into a manic, organ-tinged synth workout which is paired with Costello's almost shouting repetitive vocals. This is a great combo of early '60s rock and punk, showing that new wave music is like a blender or a great mix master of other styles. I believe the lyrics are about cranking up or pumping up one's music in response to the various annoyances of life, although there is an alternate theory that the song is about masturbation. For example, lines like, "Putting up your temperature," could be referring to getting angry or to getting sexually tense. Well, it could be a little of both. The video mostly features Elvis Costello and the band performing in front of a white backdrop, putting together some energetic playing. They're also moving pretty good to the music. Though it's the only song I'm discussing today that was not a hit in the United States, it has become a classic new wave ditty. It's a great listen, especially for someone who likes the edgier side of new wave. On a side note, Costello kind of has a cool nerd vibe going, which you can see in many future bands such as Weezer.
Onward now to Roxanne by The Police. The Police were a trio, with tenor Sting the frontman and lead singer, Andy Summers on guitar, and Stewart Copeland on drums. They debuted in 1978 with the critically acclaimed Outlandos D'Amour which had the top 40 single, Roxanne.
The song begins with a wrong keyboard note and Sting's laughing reaction. While it could be seen as a simple blooper, the fact that it made the cut speaks to the rawness of the song, the punk ethos that the band was trying to portray. It's probably best known for Sting's pained, extended, and repeated versions of the name Roxanne. The insistent guitar throughout the song is a good match for the subject matter. The song is basically about a guy who's head over heels for a prostitute. He tries to persuade her to give up her practice and be his only, as he feels he's a good alternative to prostitution. References are made to the red light district, or designated areas where prostitution takes place. This single is also a good introduction to the band's reggae-inflected brand of new wave.
The Police made two videos for Roxanne, the more popular of which had them performing live. As the Sex Pistols: Anarchy in the UK got banned by the BBC, Roxanne certainly continued the tradition of punk and new wave songs being banned for being too racy. Nevertheless, American radio play helped propel the song to hit status. Roxanne greatly helped turn the Police into a household name in music circles, and there are quite a few more hits to come from them. They also influenced many other new wave bands, including Oingo Boingo (believe it or not!)
Okay, I'll wrap up our 1978 retrospective with the Talking Heads' version of Al Green's Take Me To The River. David Byrne fronted Talking Heads, which was known for his nervous singing paired with R&B and world rhythms. Not only did they have a decent number of hits, but they were also critical darlings of the new wave movement.
Take Me To The River talks about being on the receiving end of a lover's ill will. The river refers to baptism and the guilt of lovemaking. In other words, trying to reconcile one's lust with Christianity (their later video for Once in a Lifetime also has a Christian reference). The Talking Heads cover is well-played and soulful, yet also deviates enough from the original to make it an interesting and worthwhile cover. It's more free-flowing and has more of that new wave energy. Thus, it is over a minute longer than the original, but not plodding by any stretch. It also has a different vibe, thanks to Byrne's tense vocals. The half-minute intro is simple and catchy, and sets the tone for the rest of the song. Not to mention, the Talking Heads' version of Take Me To The River had a killer rhythm section. I like Byrne's histrionics around the words "squeeze me" and "tease me" adding some punch. Al Green himself approved of the cover and jokingly hoped to sing a Talking Heads tune one day.
The Talking Heads got a top 40 hit in Take Me To The River for their efforts, the first in their young career. They made it all the way to American Bandstand, helping put new wave music more in the mainstream. No video for this one, but hey, it was 1978.
Thanks for listening today to New Wave Beat. Feel free to listen to the five songs I mentioned, through Spotify or Apple Music. Do you like them? If so, what about them captures you? I welcome you to subscribe, share and/or comment. This is Jason D'Orazio saying goodbye.
