‘Heart of Glass’ is a song by the American new wave band Blondie, written by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. It was featured on the band's third studio album, Parallel Lines (1978), and was released as the album's third single in January 1979, reaching number one on the charts in several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
In December 2021, Rolling Stone ranked the song number 138 on its list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. Slant Magazine placed it at number 42 on their list of the greatest dance songs of all time and Pitchfork named it the 18th best song of the 1970s. ‘Heart of Glass’ ranked at number 66 in the UK's official list of biggest selling singles of all-time, with sales of 1.32 million copies. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as a recording of "qualitative or historical significance" in 2015. Harry herself stated that ‘Heart of Glass’ was, along with ‘Rapture,’ the song she was proudest of having written.
Debbie Harry and Chris Stein wrote an early version of ‘Heart of Glass’, called ‘Once I Had a Love’, in 1974–75. This earlier version was initially recorded as a demo in 1975. The song had a slower, funkier sound with a basic disco beat. For this reason, the band referred to it as ‘The Disco Song’. This original version was inspired by The Hues Corporation's hit disco song ‘Rock the Boat’ (1974). The song was re-recorded in a second demo with the same title in 1978, when the song was made a bit more pop-oriented. Harry said that "'Heart of Glass' was one of the first songs Blondie wrote, but it was years before we recorded it properly. We'd tried it as a ballad, as reggae, but it never quite worked", and that "the lyrics weren't about anyone. They were just a plaintive moan about lost love."
Exactly who decided to give the song a more pronounced disco vibe is subject to differing recollections. On some occasions, the producer Mike Chapman has stated that he convinced Harry and Stein to give the song a disco twist. On other occasions, Chapman has credited Harry with the idea.
A 5:50 version of ‘Heart of Glass’ was first released as a 12-inch single in December 1978. Some radio stations in the United States were reluctant to play the song because of the "pain in the ass" lyric, so an edited 7-inch single was released in January 1979. The single reached number one on the singles charts in the US and the UK. In the US, the single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in April 1979, representing sales of one million copies. In the UK, it was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry in February 1979, also for sales of one million copies. It was also certified double platinum in Australia.
Label – ChrysalisSongwriters – Debbie Harry, Chris Stein
Producer – Mike Chapman
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]Once I had a love and it was a gas
Soon turned out had a heart of glass
Seemed like the real thing, only to find
Mucho mistrust, love's gone behind
[Verse 2]
Once I had a love and it was divine
Soon found out I was losing my mind
It seemed like the real thing but I was so blind
Mucho mistrust, love's gone behind
[Chorus 1]
In between, what I find is pleasing and I'm feeling fine
Love is so confusing, there's no peace of mind
If I fear I'm losing you, it's just no good
You teasing like you do
[Instrumental Bridge]
[Verse 1]
Once I had a love and it was a gas
Soon turned out had a heart of glass
Seemed like the real thing, only to find
Mucho mistrust, love's gone behind
[Chorus 2]
Lost inside, adorable illusion and I cannot hide
I'm the one you're using, please don't push me aside
We could've made it cruising, yeah
[Bridge]
(Da-da-da, da-dum-da-dum-da, da-dum-da-da-da
Da-dum-da-dum-da, da-dum-da-da-da, da-dum-da-dum-da)
Yeah, riding high on love's true bluish light
Oooh-ah-ah, oooh-ah-ah, oooh-ah-ah, oooh-ah-ah
[Verse 3]
Once I had a love and it was a gas
Soon turned out to be a pain in the ass
Seemed like the real thing only to find
Mucho mistrust, love's gone behind
[Outro]
Oooh-ah-ah, oooh-ah-ah, oooh-ah-ah, oooh-ah-ah