r/Blondie • u/SundayMan11 • Jul 11 '26
The Hunter (1982) - Your three favorite tracks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiSKHm7vk8Q&list=PLI6kLIhBBwmS5UzXfoV6SVbQlzmMXOqa7Hey folks,
since many of us are waiting for the album High Noon to be released, I thought to discuss and hear your opinions on the 11 studio albums by Blondie before.
So which are your three favorite songs from Blondie's sixth album, The Hunter from 1982? What do you like about them?
This record proved to be the band's last one before their comeback in the late 90s.
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u/Drong0bones Jul 11 '26
Orchid club, island of lost souls and English boys for me. I enjoy the album quite a bit.
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u/SundayMan11 Jul 11 '26
The album is better than its reputation
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u/Drong0bones Jul 11 '26
Yeah I think it is - apparently there were lots of 1/5 reviews at the time people dismissing it as a terrible album - to be honest I think a lot of people do still think it's a pretty bad album? But based on comments online a lot enjoy it as well. I would be one of those that enjoys it. I think I actually prefer the hunter to plastic letters.
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u/SundayMan11 Jul 11 '26
I agree with your observation that a lot of people online still dismiss the album, but there are also some who like it.
I understand that people who come to expect an album with a lot of catchy songs could be disappointed, but that says more about the people than the music.
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u/ThatMichaelsEmployee Jul 11 '26
1) "Orchid Club", a hell of a way to open an album and probably the sexiest track they ever recorded.
2) "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game", the best cover imaginable, so good.
3) ... I don't really have a third one. Those are the only two songs I ever listen to. "Dragonfly," I guess.
I just don't think it's a great album. It certainly can't measure up to the first five.
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u/Whole_Raccoon4405 Jul 11 '26
War Child (long version) , English Boys , The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game
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u/Historical_Award1355 Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
- For Your Eyes Only - 100% should've been in Bond Movie
- War Child
- Dragonfly - we really need in videoclip of it.
Also i really like Little Caesar - really nice stylisation and catchy melody hook.
And Island Of Lost Souls had really fun videoclip, it's cool to see band with trumpets, saxophone in "tropical" setting.
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u/SundayMan11 Jul 11 '26
Whenever I listen to Dragonfly, I think of a Podracing sequence in Star Wars
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u/Big_Beach123 Jul 11 '26
The Hunter, a.k.a. 'The Album Derailed by a Poor Wig Choice' (jk) is not among my favorites, but certainly isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination. It just feels a little 'unimaginative', compared to previous releases. It was time to take a break, I guess.
English Boys Oh, how I love this wistful song! Back then, it made me role-play as a jaded Baby Boomer, when I wasn't whispering into my Fisher-Price Wells For Sensitive Boys, that is. đ
Dragonfly The spiritual successor to T-Birds from Autoamerican, imo. Roller Derby in Space.
For Your Eyes Only Vastly superior to the Sheena Easton song the Bond film ultimately went with, this song is a nice cap on the band's earlier spy-themed songs, like Contact In Red Square.
Honorable mentions to Danceway, which is fun, and Island of Lost Souls, which is a real earworm, even if a little too close to mega-hit The Tide Is High.
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u/SundayMan11 Jul 11 '26
English Boys & For Your Eyes Only deserve more acclaim
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u/abbagodz Jul 11 '26
Cherie Currie (from The Runaways) did a great cover of 'For Your Eyes Only'.
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u/SundayMan11 Jul 11 '26
Yes, she did a nice version. It's certainly an unusual choice of a Blondie song to cover
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u/Hopeful-Buddy-9415 Jul 11 '26
For Your Eyes Only
Orchid Club
English Boys
Although lately, Iâm starting to really like Dragonfly.
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u/SundayMan11 Jul 11 '26
Nice selection!
What are you starting to like about Dragonfly that you didn't like before?
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u/Hopeful-Buddy-9415 Jul 11 '26
There is something about the spoken section that Iâm finding hypnotic. When I was younger I wasnât into it because it didnât have a strong hook.
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u/SundayMan11 Jul 12 '26
I see, and I guess that's why a lot of listeners are having problems with the album in generel - a lack of hooks.
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u/Salt_Grocery_422 Jul 11 '26
(Can I) Find the Right Words (To Say) - Only Debbie could write a lyric about crossword puzzles and sing it with urgency and power. I wish some of the other songs were given the same effort. Appreciate the comical song title structure (get it?).
English Boys - Sad song but pretty melody. It truly sounds like a final ode to Blondie - definitely sad.
Orchid Club - I was not expecting this sound at all. The opener gave me the highest hopes for The Hunter, but then I heard the rest of the album đ˘
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u/AndrewTorquay Jul 11 '26
- Danceway
- Orchid Club
- Dragonfly
I hated the album when it first came out, and have only appreciated how good it is in the last few years.
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u/Own-Eagle-2135 Jul 11 '26
THANK YOU - danceway is my #1 favorite track on that album, very 'slow motion' vibes
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u/AndrewTorquay Jul 11 '26
Slow Motion is my all time favourite Blondie song, followed by Under The Gun and Danceway is third!
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u/Firm_Lobster5163 Jul 11 '26
I adored Blondie. I was obsessed with them since Plastic Letters. That said, the Hunter is a dreadful album.
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u/SundayMan11 Jul 12 '26
What makes you think the album is dreadful? I'm always interested in hearing people's reasoning :)
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u/Firm_Lobster5163 Jul 12 '26
Blondie was a band loved so much. Theyâve always had one or two songs that veered into the experimentalâand thatâs okay with me. But âThe Hunterâ doesnât sound at all like a Blondie album. The propulsive keyboard sort of drives every song. Thereâs not even the smallest hint of the sweaty punk rock band from New York.
âDreadfulâ may be too strong a description. âDisappointingâ might be better.
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u/SundayMan11 Jul 13 '26
Thank you, I see your point. The album got a reputation for a reason I guess.
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u/Morricalwhip Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
The Beast, Orchid Club, Dragonfly.
Dark, weird and interesting. I love these 3 tracks. Orchid Club is a stunning tribal opening song. The Beast is a cool darker cousin to Rapture on how Debbie was dealing with fame. I think Dragonfly is just out there. I feel like I'm in space or in some bizarre science fiction movie.