Backfired

Song information

Despite Blondie having two number one singles ("The Tide Is High" and "Rapture") and a top 10 album (Autoamerican) within the previous twelve months, "Backfired" failed to make a significant impact on any of the charts. It peaked at #32 in the UK, and #43 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (though it remains Harry's highest charting solo single in the US). It crossed over to Black radio and peaked at #71 on the U.S. Soul chart, and peaked at #29 on the Dance chart. The single managed to become a hit in only a few other countries including Sweden and Australia.

In an attempt to distinguish herself as a solo artist, Harry's image upon the single's release was quite different from her established image with Blondie. She had dyed her hair darker and had a new sci-fi inspired look, as seen in the music video for the song directed by H.R. Giger, who appeared in the video wearing a mask and mimes the male back-up vocals on the song.

Produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the Chic Organisation who had just produced a huge hit album for Diana Ross, "Backfired" further developed Harry's experimentation with dance music as seen in some of Blondie's material (the Chic-inspired "Rapture" having been a No. 1 hit for them earlier the same year), this time delving more into funk music.

The 7" edit of "Backfired" appears on the Chrysalis Records/EMI compilation Most of All - The Best of Deborah Harry. A remix of the track by Bruce Forrest and Frank Heller was included on the 1988 Blondie/Debbie Harry remix compilation Once More into the Bleach. The original extended 12" mix from 1981 appears as a bonus track on both the 1994 and 2005 CD re-issues of the album KooKoo.

Track listing

7"

1. "Backfired" (7" Edit) (Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards) - 3:34  Listen 
2. "Military Rap" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) - 3:47

12"

1. "Backfired" (12" Mix) (Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards) - 6:23
2. "Military Rap" (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein) - 3:47