X-Offender

Infobox Single
Name = X-Offender


Cover size =
Artist = Blondie
from Album = Blondie
B-side =
Released = 1976, 1977
Format = 7" vinyl
Recorded = 1976
Genre = New Wave
Length = 3:15
Label = Private Stock
Writer = Gary Valentine
Deborah Harry
Producer = Richard Gottehrer
Certification =
Chart position =
This single = "X-Offender"
(1976)
Next single = "In the Flesh"
(1977)
Misc = Audiosample
Upper caption = Audio sample
Audio file = Blondie - X-Offender.ogg"X-Offender" is a song by American New Wave band Blondie. Written by Gary Valentine and Debbie Harry for the band's self-titled debut album, "Blondie", the song was released as the album's lead single on Private Stock in late 1976.

The title of the song was originally "Sex Offender." Bassist Gary Valentine originally wrote the song about an 18-year-old boy being arrested for having sex with his younger girlfriend. Debbie Harry changed the lyrics so that the song was about a prostitute being attracted to the police officer that had arrested her. The track was produced by Richard Gottehrer who had worked with 1960s girl group The Angels and the song is reminiscent of that era in its style.

Private Stock insisted that the name of the single be changed to "X-Offender" because they were nervous about the original title. It was released in 1976 with the B-side being "In the Sun". The song didn't chart but Chrysalis heard it with the "Blondie" album and signed the band. "X-Offender" was later the B-side to "Rip Her to Shreds." Due to the limited copies of the single released and the subsequent popularity of the band, a copy of the original US Private Stock single "X-Offender"/"In the Sun" is a sought-after rarity with copies selling for £750 in collectors' markets since the mixes of both songs on the single are different from those on the "Blondie" album. These mixes appear as bonus tracks on EMI/Capitol Records' 2001 re-issue of the album. Unfortunately no master tapes of the Private Stock versions have been kept in the archives, subsequently these bonus tracks are direct transfers from vinyl.

Track listing

;US 7" (PS-45.097)
#"X-Offender" (single version) (Gary Valentine, Deborah Harry) – 3:15
#"In the Sun" (single version) (Stein) – 2:38

;UK 7" (PVT 105)
#"X-Offender" (album Version) (Harry, Valentine) – 3:13
#"In the Flesh" (Harry, Chris Stein) – 2:33

References

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:keu1z81ajyv5 allmusic.com article on "Blondie"]
* [http://www.blondie.net/store_music.shtml Blondie discography]
* Rough Guides, "The Rough Guide to Cult Pop: The Songs - The Artists - The Genres - The Dubious Fashions" Rough Guides 2003 ISBN 1-84353-229-8