The most well-known Blondie cover, in my eyes, is the album art for 'Parallel Lines', released in 1978. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Parallel Lines, 1978"][/caption] Track Listing Side One

1. Hanging On The Telephone
2. One Way or Another
3. Picture This
4. Fade Away and Radiate
5. Pretty Baby
6. I Know But I Don't Know

1. 11:59
2. Will Anything Happen?
3. Sunday Girl
4. Heart of Glass
5. I'm Gonna Love You Too
6. Just Go Away

Blondie has always been this mysterious band to me. I know of them, know nothing about them (except that they sing "Call Me"), and that's about it. No wait, that's not true. I'm having a revelation as I type. I know they also sing The Tide Is High. And I dig that tune too. So lies, all around! I know more Blondie than I thought! (and as I listened to the album, I recognized more and more, so that's pretty great news) For some reason I have it in my head that Blondie is like the 60s equivalent of Avril Lavigne and her band. Is that wrong? I don't know. Maybe not. But anyway, 'Parallel Lines' definitely has an early punk-rock sound to it. It's got a bit of rebellion mixed into the lyrics and the sound, too. The album also has songs on it that I didn't know the name of and then was surprised to listen to and understand which song they are!! For example, I had no idea that 'Heart of Glass' was this song! What the...!! Anyway, in terms of this being a top album, I really think a lot of it has to do with the fact that Blondie is early punk New Wave (I just did some more research and found out that New Wave music is similar to punk, and was considered to be the same for a long time, but is actually distinguished as more complex lyrically and musically, and often incorporating more electronic elements to it, which you can hear in this Blondie album - hence the strike out through 'punk'). This album also has quite a few hits on it - 'One Way or Another', 'Sunday Girl', 'Heart of Glass'. I've gotta say, as much as I like some of these songs, most of the album isn't anything that I feel like I want to put on over and over. Some of these tracks are a great listen, but since I think of Avril, maybe I've got this hesitation to like it? I don't know. The album is cool to listen to, and has been informative for me to listen to, but I wouldn't say I'm floored. Still (as usual), I see how this is on the list of the top 150! Next up: U2.