Plastic Letters

Plastic Letters is the title of the second studio album by American group Blondie. Released in the UK in February 1978, it was preceded by the single Denis which became their first UK hit and led the way for the album to go Top 10 in March.

The album was produced by Richard Gottehrer, who had also produced the group's eponymous debut in 1976.

The album is notable for its raw punk style, with alll tracks (except the closer Cautious Lip) all clocking in at less than three minutes in duration. The hit Denis is in fact a cover version of "Denise" a song written and recorded by Neil Levenson, originally released in 1963. All other tracks were original band compositions, except for (I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear, which was written by former bassist Gary Valentine who left Blondie before the album was recorded. The track was also released as a second single and went Top 10 in the UK in May.

Plastic Letters and its singles represented the commercial breakthrough for Blondie in the UK and some European countries, although still failed to gain any mainstream attention in their native US. Within the year Blondie had begun work on their third album with new producer Mike Chapman, with lead-single Picture This coming out in August.

Plastic Letters eventually went platinum and has been re-released twice, firstly in 1994 and again in 2001, with bonus tracks.

Line-up

 * Deborah Harry - vocals
 * Chris Stein - guitar, bass guitar, E-bow on "Youth Nabbed as Sniper", vibraphone
 * James Destri - grand piano, Farfisa organ, synthesizers, backing vocals
 * Clem Burke - drums, backing vocals

Tracklisting
original LP Chrysalis 6307 617, 1978

Side One


 * 1) Fan Mail
 * 2) Denis
 * 3) Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45)
 * 4) Youth Nabbed As Sniper
 * 5) Contact In Red Square
 * 6) (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear
 * 7) I'm On E

Side Two


 * 1) I Didn't Have The Nerve To Say No
 * 2) Love At The Pier
 * 3) No Imagination
 * 4) Kidnapper
 * 5) Detroit 442
 * 6) Cautious Lip