Foolish Beat
{{Short description|1988 single by Debbie Gibson}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Foolish Beat
| cover = Debbie-Gibson-Foolish-Beat.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Debbie Gibson
| album = Out of the Blue
| B-side = "Foolish Beat" (instrumental)
| released = {{Start date|1988|03|25}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| length = 4:22
| label = Atlantic
| writer = Deborah Gibson
| producer = Deborah Gibson
| prev_title = Out of the Blue
| prev_year = 1988
| next_title = Staying Together
| next_year = 1988
| misc = {{External music video|1= {{YouTube|qf8BoWKeHow|Foolish Beat}}|header=}}
}}
"Foolish Beat" is a song by American singer-songwriter Debbie Gibson, released as the fourth single from her debut album, Out of the Blue (1987), in March 1988. The single topped the US Billboard Hot 100 on June 25, 1988, giving Gibson the then-record for the youngest person to write, produce, and perform a number-one single entirely on her own, at age 17.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6128840/rewinding-the-charts-in-1988-debbie-gibson-bopped-to-the-top|title=Rewinding The Charts: In 1988, Debbie Gibson Bopped To The Top|last=Trust|first=Gary|date=June 25, 2014|website=Billboard|accessdate=July 18, 2018}} The record was surpassed in 2007 by Soulja Boy with Crank That (Soulja Boy). Gibson, however, remains the youngest female artist to hold the mark.
In the United Kingdom, "Foolish Beat" reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart. The song also reached the top five in Canada and Ireland and the top 10 in the Netherlands and Switzerland. The single was released in Japan as the B-side to "Out of the Blue" on Atlantic Japan 10SW-15. In 2010, Gibson re-recorded the song as an extra track for the Deluxe Edition release of the Japan-exclusive album Ms. Vocalist.
Critical reception
Pan-European magazine Music & Media described "Foolish Beat" as "a moody mid-tempo song, self written and self-produced in a classy, sophisticated style. After a few hearings it certainly sticks in your head."{{cite magazine|first=|last=|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1988/M&M-1988-07-23.pdf|title=Previews: Singles|magazine=Music & Media|date=July 23, 1988|page=11|accessdate=July 19, 2022}}
Music video
In the music video for "Foolish Beat", Gibson typecasts herself as a young performer who recently broke up with her boyfriend; although she now regrets jilting him and wants to make amends, he brushes off her efforts to do so. The video ends with him debating about seeing her show having brought a bouquet of flowers for her; he drops the flowers in a trash can deciding that he did not want to get hurt again, then walks off into the distance.
The music video was shot in New York City and directed by Nick Willing, who directed music videos for bands such as Eurythmics, Bob Geldof, Swing Out Sister, and others. Some scenes were shot at South Street Seaport during Saint Patrick's Day in March 1988. The outfit Gibson wore belonged to her elder sister Michele.{{cite magazine |url=https://people.com/music/debbie-gibson-30-facts-out-of-the-blue-anniversary/ |title=Debbie Gibson Shares 30 Facts About Herself |first=Steve |last=Helling |magazine=People |date=August 18, 2017 |access-date=February 26, 2021}}
Track listings
{{Track listing
| headline = 7-inch and cassette single
| total_length =
| all_writing = Deborah Gibson
| title1 = Foolish Beat
| length1 = 4:20
| title2 = Fallen Angel
| note2 = Vocal
| length2 = 3:42
}}
- The US 7-inch single sleeve lists the instrumental of "Foolish Beat" as the B-side, but "Fallen Angel" is on the label and pressed vinyl.
{{Track listing
| headline = 12-inch single
| total_length =
| title1 = Foolish Beat
| note1 = extended mix
| length1 = 6:46
| title2 = Foolish Beat
| note2 = instrumental
| length2 = 4:28
| title3 = Only in My Dreams
| note3 = Dream House mix
| length3 = 10:03
| title4 = Medley: Out of the Blue/Shake Your Love/Only in My Dreams
| note4 = Debbie Gibson mega mix
| length4 = 7:13
}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
!scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"|Japan
|March 25, 1988 |Mini-CD |rowspan="3"|Atlantic |{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/111762/products/170804/2/|title=デボラ・ギブソン {{!}} フーリッシュ・ビート|trans-title=Debbie Gibson {{!}} Foolish Beat|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=May 28, 2025}} |
|---|
| scope="row"|United States
|April 11, 1988 |{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|cassette}} |{{citation needed|date=January 2023}} |
| scope="row"|United Kingdom
|June 27, 1988 |{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl}} |{{cite magazine|title=New Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=14|date=June 25, 1988}} |
Cover versions
- Saho Nozaki recorded a Japanese-language cover of the song titled {{nihongo4|"Nemurenu Yoru wo Sugite"|眠れぬ夜を過ぎて||"After a Sleepless Night"}} in 1988.{{MusicBrainz release|mbid=c35f4f5b-e096-4273-851a-476d56881923|name=眠れぬ夜を過ぎて|type=single}}
- Voices of Extreme recorded a metal cover of the song, with the music video featuring Gibson herself.{{cite web |url=http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=28934 |title=Voices of Extreme "Foolish Beat" |first=Larry |last=Petro |website=KNAC |date=June 25, 2018 |access-date=April 8, 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://loudhacker.net/news/voices-of-extreme-foolish-beat-official-video-with-special-appearance-by-debbie-gibson/ |title=Voices of Extreme "Foolish Beat" Official Video with special guest appearance by Debbie Gibson |website=LoudHacker |date=July 25, 2019 |access-date=April 8, 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|master=133956|name=Foolish Beat|type=single}}
{{Debbie Gibson}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Atlantic Records singles
Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles