Out of the blue, Debbie Gibson is back
Debbie Gibson -- oh, sorry ... Deborah Gibson -- is back and ready to entertain the masses. Whether we like it or not, I guess.
Gibson just signed a deal with Harrah's in Atlantic City, N.J., for a three-week engagement (on May 4-24 for those who seriously are considering going). The announcement on her official website says Debbie will perform her late-80s hits along with Broadway tunes that reprise her many stage roles in the years since her solo career went into much-needed hibernation.
Are you seriously going to make me write a top 5 list for this news update? OK, dinner is served. Today's menu: cotton candy. And no, I don't have any of these on my iTunes. So there's NO WAY I'm looking up the lyrics for these dogs.
TOP 5 SONGS FROM DEBBIE GIBSON'S CATALOG:
5. Only In My Dreams
4. Shake Your Love
3. Out of the Blue
2. Foolish Beat
1. Lost In Your Eyes
[Publicity image from www.deborah-gibson.com]
Relive the music, movies and culture of the greatest decade ever with Times online editor Steve Spears. A teen during the decade, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.
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If she wants to come to the Stuck in the 80s soundproof, dark and sexily lit studio for a one-on-one interview with me, I'm not saying no.
Posted by: Spears | March 29, 2008 at 02:46 PM
Hot, Hot, Hot
Sorry, but she's my guilty pleasure.
Saw her in concert in 1988-1989 in Buffalo, NY when I was like 21-22, that girl can play.
I'm a hair-band guy, but wow I liked her then :)
Posted by: Randy K | March 29, 2008 at 02:31 PM
I saw her several years back when I went to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. She sounded and looked really good. Not bad at all for a former teen idol.
Posted by: Plebes | February 10, 2008 at 10:38 PM
Sean would be appalled. I can't believe someone could be so brazen.
Posted by: Marissa | January 26, 2008 at 09:00 AM
Wow, a rare brutal comment! I'm surprised it took this long. If only he (or she) could have avoided using the F-word. No brown humor allowed!
Posted by: Spears | January 26, 2008 at 08:43 AM
Love how all you "cooler than thou" music fans will go bash someone who actually did their own music and was successful.
But, if they weren't the cool groups that you stuck up snots deemed as "cool," then they don't deserve to live.
Like the smell of your own farts?
Posted by: Ansel | January 26, 2008 at 04:17 AM
Love how all you "cooler than thou" music fans will go bash someone who actually did their own music and was successful.
But, if they weren't the cool groups that you stuck up snots deemed as "cool," then they don't deserve to live.
Like the smell of your own farts?
Posted by: Ansel | January 26, 2008 at 04:16 AM
She is hot. I love older women
Posted by: Richard | January 18, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Among others, but he really plays up Shatner's physical tics.
Posted by: Walter Cox | January 17, 2008 at 04:25 PM
Thanks Walter. I'm glad it wasn't a dream I had. Doesn't he have a spot on Shatner impersonation?
Posted by: Tom | January 17, 2008 at 04:07 PM
Tom, you are referring to Kevin Pollak, talking about how Debbie said she was inspired by her dad. Most people know him as a character actor, but he always made me laugh.
Posted by: Walter Cox | January 17, 2008 at 02:37 PM
Her music is infectious, like a virus, and it sticks to the iPod in your brain until a cooler song can be accessed. I remember a comedian saying the same thing. He imagined an old man walking behind his lawnmower, shaking his butt, and singing 'Shake Your Love". That's an image we can all do without.
Posted by: Tom | January 17, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Glenn, Spears, Jeff: Agreed on all points.
Posted by: Walter Cox | January 17, 2008 at 11:23 AM
I was "too cool" for Debbie back in the day, but if I knew then about the mass-media fueled, talentless teens that would rule the popular culture landscape in the early 21st century, I would have given her a lot more credit.
Posted by: Jeff in Cuba | January 17, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Walter -- that's so harsh. I wouldn't say any of the people on the list really suck. Let's just say I don't have the same level of appreciation as other fans.
If a Gibson tune came on the radio station, I'd probably listen to it, bob my head, attempt to sing along. Then pop in my They Might Be Giants CD and try to wash her melody out of my head.
Posted by: Spears | January 17, 2008 at 10:16 AM
I'll say one thing for her, at least she wasn't in the news every other week for drunk driving, drugs, baby neglect, etc.
Posted by: GlennS. | January 17, 2008 at 09:53 AM
I'm wishing that I had started keeping a "Spears thinks these people suck" list months ago. Debbie has some interesting company.
She was all over the radio the late summer I moved to Florida, and combined with the lousy weather and the paper mill nearby, I thought the Air Force had moved my Dad to Hell.
Posted by: Walter Cox | January 17, 2008 at 09:00 AM
She was recently on an episode of Deal or No Deal. They had a contestant who, get this, was obsessed with the 80's (wait, there are people who are Stuck in the 80's?????). They brought Debbie Gibson and Cory Feldman on the show to show her support. Maybe she did the show to 'pimp' her comeback!
I don't remember how the contestant did, but I think that even with the 80's support.. she didn't do too well!
Posted by: Carla | January 17, 2008 at 06:11 AM
She did skating with celebrities. That strips her of any cool cred she may have earned. lol
Posted by: Marissa | January 17, 2008 at 12:07 AM
her previous work, like Electric Youth, is not anything I would be proud to own, but as a person i think she is nice, from what i have read and seen
Posted by: Douglas Arthur | January 17, 2008 at 12:07 AM
You have to give her props for coming back and doing an album with punks like the Circle Jerks, though. I thought she gained a bit of cred there
Posted by: Douglas Arthur | January 17, 2008 at 12:05 AM
Douglas! Of all people I thought you'd have better sense lol I've lost hope. I can't read anymore comments on this post.
Posted by: Marissa | January 16, 2008 at 11:59 PM
I have Debbie Gibson on my iPod...but she is duetting with the Circle Jerks
I never bore her as much ill will as Tiffany because Debbie gibson at least wrote some of her own songs and choreographed her own dances, so there was a modicum of talent...plus she and I have the same birthday...though I am a year or 2 older
Posted by: Douglas Arthur | January 16, 2008 at 11:56 PM
Marissa-It'll be okay. You just won't want that to happen too often. :)
Posted by: Shelly | January 16, 2008 at 11:17 PM
Egads! I can't believe I'm on the Spears side of this thing. What's more surprising is we're the odd people out. lol
Posted by: Marissa | January 16, 2008 at 11:00 PM
She was the cuteish girl next door....who finally laid down for Playboy.
Posted by: denvermatt | January 16, 2008 at 10:51 PM
I confess... I have Debbie on my ipod. I liked her, back in the day, thought she was much better than Tiffany. But I never bought any of her albums.. okay, maybe the cassette single.
Posted by: Carla | January 16, 2008 at 10:45 PM
Yup, Steve, it's in your "She's Like the Wind" folder. haha
And, when compared to some of the others at that point, Debbie Gibson had slightly more substance since she was writing her own music - like Bassnote and 80sfan point out above. I'm sure I had a couple of her songs on a mix tape somewhere. (I just doublechecked my itunes and she doesn't turn up on a search there.)
Posted by: Shelly | January 16, 2008 at 10:30 PM
Indeed! Concealed ones at that. hmmph
Posted by: Marissa | January 16, 2008 at 10:28 PM
Hmmmm.....visual concepts. Weapons anyone?
Posted by: Mike in Austin | January 16, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Count me in! But I'm wearing a shirt under my over-alls
Posted by: Marissa | January 16, 2008 at 10:15 PM
Maybe they can use you as an extra for the 2008 version of Dexy's Midnight Runners Come on Eileen video with that violin you's a playin'
Posted by: Mike in Austin | January 16, 2008 at 10:13 PM
Unhuh! I'm getting out my violin. lol
Posted by: Marissa | January 16, 2008 at 10:00 PM
NO NO NO NO Marissa, they came to me! They used me to piss off their parents and it worked!! I was left with the broken heart!!!
Posted by: Mike in Austin | January 16, 2008 at 09:54 PM
Oh Mike! You were a cheerleader chaser! We all heard it. LOL
Posted by: Marissa | January 16, 2008 at 09:53 PM
Debbie Gibson, only in my dreams baby. Along with the mall dancing Tiffany. For the testosterone 80's teens they were the bomb. The jean, bows in the hair, cute and catchy dancing. Who else was there? Sure you had Dale Bozzio, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett (huh?) but nothing beat out the All American girls!!
Posted by: Mike in Austin | January 16, 2008 at 09:48 PM
I was too old to idolize (or remotely like) a teeny boppin', bubble-gum poppin', scrunchy wearin', dear diary writin' twink.
Posted by: Marissa | January 16, 2008 at 09:42 PM
Here's my thinking: She hit paydirt in the very late 80s, when the music most of us love was either gone or so very watered down that it was flavorless.
That's Debbie Gibson -- watered down, flavorless pop. She should have been a 90s star, not an 80s star. If she tried those songs in the early 80s, she'd be a flop.
Posted by: Spears | January 16, 2008 at 09:24 PM
I'm with Bassnote on this one. I had a lot of respect for Ms. Gibson for her writing and musical abilities. Doesn't she still hold the record for this youngest person to ever write, produce, and record a number 1 single?
We her songs light and fluffy? Sure. But she was only 17 after all. You should give her props for having a steady career outside of pop music.
Posted by: 80sfan | January 16, 2008 at 08:43 PM
I will admit to owning her first album. I give her some credit because unlike the prefabricated pop-tarts of today, Debbie actually wrote and played her music.
Posted by: bassnote | January 16, 2008 at 06:30 PM
I will admit that I have a fondness for frothy, pop-y music.
But even I draw the line with Debbie/Deborah/Evs Gibson.
I'm thinking that this is merely the precursor to her being on Dancing with the Stars.
Posted by: jane | January 16, 2008 at 05:15 PM
My "She's Like The Wind" folder?
Posted by: Spears | January 16, 2008 at 05:03 PM
Steve, don't lie. You know that you've got a folder hidden deep in your itunes with one of these songs.
Posted by: Shelly | January 16, 2008 at 04:59 PM