A collection of Debbie Harry’s favourite songs of all time
There are certain people who exude cool, people who you can immediately tell have a music taste to match. Between her bleach-blonde hair and Blondie persona, Debbie Harry is one of them.
Fronting new wave outfit Blondie in the 1970s, Harry became a trailblazer in the alternative scene as she honed a distinctive persona and borrowed from genres galore. She fused elements of pop with punk, paired disco with rock, and even dipped her toes into rap. Her commitment to experimentation and innovation forged all-time hits like ‘Heart of Glass’ and ‘Call Me’ and secured her place as a rockstar and alternative icon.
With her own output containing so many genres and influences, it’s no surprise that Harry’s personal musical interests are equally wide-spanning and daring. The Blondie singer has shared a number of her favourite tracks throughout the years, and together, they prove that her taste is just as cool as her persona implies.
Sharing the soundtrack of her life with The Guardian, Harry picked out a number of songs that have proven particularly special to her throughout the years. She declared the first song she ever loved to be Fats Domino’s ‘Blueberry Hill’, while ‘I Put a Spell on You’ by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins takes credit for showing her the art of performance.
“Outrageous, bizarre, eccentric – all of the things you need in a great artist and performer,” she enthused, advice she clearly embodied while fronting Blondie. She also shouts out Bizet’s ‘Chanson d’avril’ as a song she doesn’t revisit as often as she should, deeming it “really, really beautiful”.
Harry also made an appearance on the beloved BBC Desert Island Discs series, revealing a number of songs she simply couldn’t live without. The varied list proves just how comprehensive and cool her taste is, ranging from the classical compositions of Gustav Mahler to the jazz of Nina Simone to the sleazy electroclash sound of Peaches.
Fellow alternative icons like The Velvet Underground also make her list, but Harry is unafraid to share her love for names that might only be considered cool outside of her own sphere, including Calvin Harris. Somehow, it only makes her even cooler.
A collection of tracks just as eclectic as her own sound and style, Harry’s favourite songs are essential listening for any fan of Blondie. Find the full list of songs below.
Debbie Harry’s favourite songs:
- ‘Chanson d’avril’ by Bizet
- ‘Blueberry Hill’ by Fats Domino
- ‘Mellow Yellow’ by Donovan
- ‘When I Grow Up’ by Fever Ray
- ‘That’s the Joint’ by Funky 4 + 1
- ‘Heavy Cross’ by Gossip
- ‘Merrymaking at My Place’ by Calvin Harris
- ‘Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor – 4th movement’ by Gustav Mahler
- ‘Talk To Me’ by Peaches
- ‘Fight the Power’ by Public Enemy
- ‘La Passerella’ by Nino Rota
- ‘I Put A Spell On You’ by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
- ‘Strange Fruit’ Nina Simone
- ‘White Light/White Heat’ by The Velvet Underground
