Mother (Blondie song)

2011 single by Blondie

"Mother"

Single by Blondie
from the album  Panic of Girls
Released| May 23, 2011
Recorded| 2010
Genre| New wave, pop rock
Length| 3:09
Label| Eleven Seven
Songwriter(s)| Deborah Harry
Kato Khandwala
Ben Phillips
Blondie singles chronology
| "Good Boys"
(2003)  | "Mother"
(2011)  | "What I Heard"
(2011)

|
|

Music video
"Mother" on YouTube

"Mother" is the lead single from Blondie's ninth studio album Panic of Girls and was written by Kato Khandwala, Ben Phillips (guitarist for The Pretty Reckless) and the band's lead singer Deborah Harry. It was released in the United Kingdom on May 22, 2011, on all major online platforms.[1][2] It was the first single release from the band since "Good Boys" in 2003.

## Background

[edit]

The song was first performed in 2010 along with several other tracks from Panic of Girls during the band's Australian tour, as well as during festival appearances in the UK. It was subsequently included in the setlist of the Panic of Girls Tour in 2011 and the band's 2012 co-headlining tour with Elvis Costello. The song has been rarely performed since then but was added back into the setlist for Blondie's 2022 Against the Odds UK Tour.[3]

## Release

[edit]

On December 5, 2010, "Mother" was made available as a free download from the official Blondie website.[4] The track was later remixed with a different vocal take for the album and single release. The track was played for the first time on March 17, 2011, on BBC Radio 2's The Ken Bruce Show. On Amazon.co.uk an explicit version was released alongside the regular one.[5]

## Artwork

[edit]

The cover artwork for "Mother" was revealed on May 5, 2011.[6] It displays a band picture digitally manipulated to resemble a Chris Berens painting, like the artwork for its parent album. Elements of the Panic of Girls cover art are used. Also the text is inspired by the original writing by Berens.

## Music video

[edit]

The official music video was directed by Laurent Rejto and features cameos by Kate Pierson from The B-52's, James Lorinz (Frankenhooker), Johnny Dynell, Chi Chi Valenti, The Dazzle Dancers, Rob Roth, Barbara Sicuranza, Larry Fessenden, Allen Midgette (Andy Warhol's double), The Five Points Band, Guy Furrow, Kitty Boots, and Hattie Hathaway.[7] It was released on May 17, 2011, on the YouTube channel of Blondie's record label, Five Seven Music.[8]

### Synopsis

[edit]

The video starts with a queue of people waiting to enter the nightclub (called 'Mother') where Blondie are performing. The loudness of the song causes zombies below the club to wake and, as the song progresses, they make their way up to the dancefloor. They start to turn the clubbers into zombies until everyone in the club has been turned. The video ends with Blondie themselves being turned. The video was shot in Kingston, New York.

## Track listings

[edit]

Digital downloadNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Mother"| 3:09

Digital downloadNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Mother (Explicit)"| 3:09

Promo CD singleNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Mother"| 3:09
2.| "Mother" (Instrumental)| 3:17

## Charts

[edit]

Chart (2011)  | Peak
position

|

UK Indie (OCC)[9] | 30

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Mother at Amazon.com
2. ^ ""Mother" – now available for download/upcoming TV and radio appearances". Deborah-harry.com. May 22, 2011. Archived from the original on November 21, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
3. ^ "Mother by Blondie Song Statistics". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
4. ^ "Free download of "Mother" now available!". Blondie.net. December 5, 2010. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
5. ^ Mother (Explicit) at Amazon.com
6. ^ "cover art for Blondie's new single "Mother"". Deborah-harry.com. May 5, 2011. Archived from the original on November 21, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
7. ^ "VIDEO CREDITS". Blondie.net. May 18, 2011. Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
8. ^ "music video for Blondie's new single "Mother"". Deborah-harry.com. May 18, 2011. Archived from the original on November 21, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
9. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company.

* v
* t
* e

Blondie

* Debbie Harry
* Chris Stein
* Leigh Foxx
* Matt Katz-Bohen
* Tommy Kessler

* Fred Smith
* Ivan Král
* Clem Burke
* Gary Valentine
* Jimmy Destri
* Frank Infante
* Nigel Harrison

Studio albums|

* Blondie
* Plastic Letters
* Parallel Lines
* Eat to the Beat
* Autoamerican
* The Hunter
* No Exit
* The Curse of Blondie
* Panic of Girls
* Ghosts of Download
* Pollinator

Compilations|

* The Best of Blondie
* The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry and Blondie
* Blonde and Beyond
* The Platinum Collection
* Denis
* Picture This – The Essential Blondie Collection
* Atomic: The Very Best of Blondie
* Greatest Hits
* Greatest Hits: Sight + Sound
* Greatest Hits Deluxe Redux

Live albums|

* Picture This Live
* Live
* Live by Request

Remix albums|

* Once More into the Bleach
* Beautiful: The Remix Album
* Remixed Remade Remodeled: The Remix Project

Singles|

* "X Offender"
* "In the Flesh"
* "Rip Her to Shreds"
* "Denis"
* "(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear"
* "Picture This"
* "I'm Gonna Love You Too"
* "Hanging on the Telephone"
* "Heart of Glass"
* "Sunday Girl"
* "One Way or Another"
* "Dreaming"
* "Union City Blue"
* "The Hardest Part"
* "Atomic"
* "Call Me"
* "The Tide Is High"
* "Rapture"
* "Island of Lost Souls"
* "War Child"
* "Maria"
* "Nothing Is Real but the Girl"
* "No Exit"
* "Good Boys"
* "Mother"
* "A Rose by Any Name"
* "Sugar on the Side"
* "I Want to Drag You Around"
* "Fun"
* "Long Time"
* "Tonight"
* "Too Much"

Videos|

* Eat to the Beat
* The Best of Blondie
* The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry and Blondie
* Live
* Greatest Video Hits
* Live by Request

Tours|

* Tracks Across America Tour '82
* No Exit Tour
* Road Rage Tour
* Parallel Lines 30th Anniversary Tour
* Panic of Girls Tour
* Rage and Rapture Tour

Related|

* Blondie discography
* Debbie Harry discography

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

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