Debbie Gibson Album: “Out of the Blue”

There is one thing that the cable channel VH1 does very effectively. It allows one to relive moments from your childhood through its "I Love the [insert decade here]" series of shows. Born in the early 1970s, but with music tastes more in tune with the 1980s (when I really started to notice girls) I was sitting down to watch the episode covering 1987 when a familiar music video played across my television screen.

Rewind almost 20 years and I was a 15-year old high school student in the United Kingdom. While all my friends were into heavy metal and speed metal bands I had a secret - I enjoyed and listened to pop songs and released that year were a trio of female singers, two of which would have a major impact on my life. First, was the incredibly beautiful French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis whose debut single "Joe Le Taxi" rocketed up the charts and to this day I collect any DVD or music that is released by her (which isn't much since she became the life partner to Johnny Depp). Second came Debbie Gibson (who now prefers to be known as Deborah). I immediately developed a teenage crush on the blonde singer/songwriter and joined DGIF (Debbie Gibson International Fanclub) before they had even settled on a name. To this day the only fan clubs I have ever joined was DGIF and Vanessa Paradis'.

Debbie's first CD single "Only In My Dreams" was actually released in December 1986. But she did not appear on the British music scene until mid-1987 with the song "Shake Your Love," and it was this song that introduced me to the talented young performer (and the video of which made me sit up and take notice on VH1 recently). The songs on her debut album were all light hearted and good-natured (including my favorite "Red Hot") with a heavy reliance on rhythm and drum programming (this was after all the decade that saw a heavy use of synthesized tracks).

Debbie's main competitor stateside was Tiffany who had risen up through performances at U.S. shopping malls. But whereas Tiffany was a product of cookie-cutter marketing and was fond of doing covers of others songs, Debbie wrote all her own material and represented a warm personality and a wholesome image that I appreciated.

Debbie wholesome image took a hit in 2005 when, after almost two decades of refusing requests from Hugh Hefner, she agreed to pose topless for the men's magazine `Playboy.' But a quick google of her name and one comes to realize that Debbie may have vanished from the mainstream music scene but she still has legions of loyal fans and DGIF is still going strong.

And it all started with this great selection of pop music.

This album is Debbie Gibson at her best. She wrote music that is even today fun to listen to. And I can say that I have never gotten bored of listenning to this album. The only thing that bothers me about this album now, is that either the label or Debbbie Gibson herself has had the song, "Between The Lines", removed from the reissued version. Those of you who have not heard it do not know what is missing, but I tell you it makes the album much better.

Debbie Gibson burst onto the scene in 1986 with the song "Only In My Dreams". Not long after, it went to #4, and she was on her way to stardom.

Soon enough, she released her first album, Out Of The Blue. Every song is just awesome, and shows that Debbie had the staying power. In addition to "Only In My Dreams", this album contains the hits "Out Of The Blue", "Shake Your Love", and the #1 hit "Foolish Beat", which earned Debbie the world record of youngest person to ever write, produce, and sing a #1 hit.

Other noteworthy songs include "Staying Together", which was released as a single but never charted too well; "Red Hot", an incredibly catchy dance number; "Fallen Angel", a rather funky song (love those tribal drums near the end!), and "Between The Lines", the album's closer and a great ballad. All in all, when you listen to the album you can see why it went double platinum. Obviously this girl's got talent, but why don't you be the judge? Buy it today, I'm sure you'll love it.

Hard to believe this album is 12 years old. I was 46 when it came out, hardly a teenyboppy, but found the writing ability of this young lady remarkable. This remains quite a pleasurable album, with "Foolish Beat" a real classic. My copy DOES have "Between the Lines."

I am a only a teenager and I've liked Debbie Gibon's music ever since I was 11. It was that year when I bought her cassette tape from a yard sale and I loved it! Her music is great and fun to listen to. Sadly, my brother ruined the tape, so I am so happy to find out that they sell the CD on amaxon.com! Debbie Gibson's music is really good, it's 80s pop and I love it! This CD is totally worth it.