Out of the Blue (Debbie Gibson song)

"Out of the Blue"
Single by Debbie Gibson
from the album Out of the Blue
Released	April 25, 1988 (UK)[1]
Recorded	July 1987
Genre	Pop electropop[2] synthpop
Length	3:55
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Deborah Gibson
Producer(s)	Deborah Gibson Fred Zarr
Debbie Gibson singles chronology
"Shake Your Love" (1987) "Out of the Blue" (1988) "Foolish Beat" (1988)
Music video
"Out of the Blue" on YouTube

"Out of the Blue" is a song by American singer-songwriter-actress Debbie Gibson, and is the title track of her debut studio album Out of the Blue (1987). It was released on January 8, 1988 in the United States as the third single from the album.[3] The song was written and co-produce by Gibson, with Fred Zarr providing extra production.

"Out of the Blue" gave Gibson her then-highest charting single in the United States, hitting number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The song did not do as well as her previous two singles in the United Kingdom however, stopping at number 19. Gibson re-recorded the song as an extra track for the deluxe edition release of her 2010 Japan-exclusive album Ms. Vocalist. In 2022, the song was featured in episode 2 of HBO's The Staircase.

Critical reception

Cash Box called it a "catchy, hooky hit from one of the most exciting young (sweet sixteen) performers of pop music" that "is filled with the 'ear candy' that marks a great commercial record."[4]

Track listings

All songs written by Deborah Gibson

Standard vinyl single[5] "Out of the Blue" – 3:55 "Out of the Blue" (Dub Edit/Edited Dub) – 4:12 Filipino vinyl single[6] "Out of the Blue" – 3:55 "Wake Up to Love" – 3:42 US cassette maxi-single/maxi-vinyl single[7] "Out of the Blue" (Club Mix) – 5:50 "Out of the Blue" (Bonus Beats) – 4:20 "Out of the Blue" (Drumapella) – 4:05 "Out of the Blue" (Dub Version) – 3:54

European mini-CD single[8] "Out of the Blue" – 3:57 "Fallen Angel" – 3:46 "Shake Your Love" – 3:44 "Out of the Blue" (Extended Version) – 5:47 UK vinyl single[9] "Out of the Blue" – 3:55 "Fallen Angel" – 3:43 Japanese vinyl single[10] "Out of the Blue" – 3:55 "Foolish Beat" – 4:25

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1988) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[11] 68 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12] 15 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13] 62 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 19 Israel (Media Forest) 8 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 88 Panamá (UPI)[16] 2 Spain (Spain Top 40 Radio)[17] 32 UK Singles (OCC)[18] 19 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[19] 16 US Billboard Hot 100[20] 3 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[21] 44 US Top 100 Pop Singles (Cashbox)[22] 5 US Contemporary Hit Radio (Radio & Records)[23] 3 US Top 40 (Gavin Report)[24] 3

Year-end charts Chart (1988) Position US Billboard Hot 100 (Billboard)[25][26] 54 US Contemporary Hit Radio (Radio & Records)[27] 33 US Top 40 (Gavin Report)[28] 27 US Adult Contemporary (Gavin Report)[29] 97

References

1. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. April 23, 1988. p. 31. ISSN 0265-1548.
2. Molanphy, Chris (July 16, 2022). "Point of No Return Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
3. "CHR Parallel One Playlists: CHR P1A". Radio & Records. No. 719. January 8, 1988. p. 84. Adds are the new Debbie Gibson single, "Out of the Blue," at No. 22...
4. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. January 23, 1988. p. 10. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
5. Out of the Blue (US vinyl single sleeve). Debbie Gibson. Atlantic Records. 1988. 7-89129.
6. Out of the Blue (Philippines vinyl single sleeve). Debbie Gibson. Atlantic Records. 1988. ATR-0350.
7. Out of the Blue (US maxi-single cassette liner notes). Debbie Gibson. Atlantic Records. 1988. 7 86621-4.
8. Out of the Blue (European mini-CD single liner notes). Debbie Gibson. Atlantic Records. 1988. A 9091 CD.
9. Out of the Blue (UK vinyl single sleeve). Debbie Gibson. Atlantic Records. 1988. 789 091-7.
10. Out of the Blue (Japanese vinyl single sleeve). Debbie Gibson. Atlantic Records. 1988. P-2381.
11. Scott, Gavin. "This Week In 1988: July 3, 1988". Chart Beats: A Journey Through Pop. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
12. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0959." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
13. "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 23. June 4, 1988. p. 9. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Out of the Blue". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
15. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Debbie Gibson" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
16. "Los Éxitos en Latinoamérica". UPI. May 4, 1988. p. 10. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
17. Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
19. "Debbie Gibson Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
20. "Debbie Gibson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
21. "Debbie Gibson Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
22. Whitburn, Joel (2014). Cash Box Pop Hits 1952-1996. Sheridan Books, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-209-0.
23. "The Back Page: Contemporary Hit Radio". Radio & Records. No. 729. March 18, 1988. p. 96.
24. "The Gavin Report: Top 40". Gavin Report. No. 1699. March 25, 1988. p. 2.
25. "1988 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 52. December 24, 1988. p. Y-20.
26. "Billboard Top 100 – 1988". Retrieved October 3, 2016.
27. "CHR: The Top 88 of Eighty-Eight". Radio & Records. No. 768. December 16, 1988. p. 62.
28. "Top 100 Top 40 – 1988". Gavin Report. No. 1736. December 9, 1988. p. 18.
29. "Top 100 Adult Contemporary – 1988". Gavin Report. No. 1736. December 9, 1988. p. 20.

External links

• "Out of the Blue" at Discogs (list of releases)