Debbie Harry & The Muppet Band ~ Call Me

[@Sickofsociety1]

Back when the Muppets actually played their instruments.

[@loqutisborg5416]

As opposed to the Muppets that now lip sync and fake playing instruments

[@mollysurey6058]

yep. And their lrad singer didn't need auto tune

[@franksteyn]

LOL!!

[@AlanCanon2222]

Left handed, even.

[@FLYBOY-eh5th]

@@AlanCanon2222 All of them are southpaws.

[@grumblekin]

When you can sing without autotune, you can rock the house anytime....even if it's full of muppets. Debbie Harry is a LEGEND.

[@pHD77]

Well, since autotune wasn't even a choice back then, an artist was actually required to have actual talent 😁

[@stelleratorsuprise8185]

She speak more then she sings. But hey that's ok, you don't need to sing over 3 octaves every time.

[@spacetrucker2196]

Not only no autotune, no chorus no reverb, no delay.

[@C-rations2394]

ABSOLUTELY. LEGEND.

[@mattiassvanberg8292]

@@spacetrucker2196 No chorus? No reverb? What?!

[@Chastonicity]

Even as a punk rocker, Debbie Harry is still a great role model for children. She is a good sport to perform in this jestingly cute performance.

[@enki354]

She's cute anywhere anytime

[@liamwatson5125]

No. This is a song about prostitution.

[@Shock_Treatment]

​@@liamwatson5125Not really. It's more like talking about a fling.

[@liamwatson5125]

@@Shock_Treatment It was in the movie “American Gigolo” that starred Richard Gere. There’s prostitution in it.

[@Shock_Treatment]

@@liamwatson5125 But that doesn't mean it's about prostitution, just that people associate it with that because of the movie. I've never seen it, so I don't associate it with that.

[@BazColne]

Debbie Harry AND the Muppets - what more do we want?

[@jomon723]

70's Seems like yesterday

[@andrewsmith8729]

The amazing,beautiful, and incredibly talented Debby Harry.....I was lucky to be in the generation that grew up with Countdown, Solid Gold and The Muppet Show...... What a wonderful era it was!

[@queenofspadz]

I like how this is actually a different take from the version we are used to hearing. She's singing live on this which is so cool.

[@ProudKansan08]

And since it was a family show, she couldn't use the provocative lyrics in the song. But, that's okay. It still sounded great!!

[@TheGnolla]

Because back then, singers could actually, y'know, sing.

[@TheGnolla]

@@undividedorchestra You'd think so, but no. Autotune and songwriting by comittee is not a step in the right direction.

[@edkretchmer2167]

The band is pretty good too!

[@shack8110]

@@undividedorchestra w.a.p. and whatever the hell Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga screeches is not art

[@ellenchavez2043]

Auditioning a drummer: "Who are your influences?" "Animal from the Muppets." "You're hired." - From the movie "The Commitments"

[@jonasthemovie]

This aint Animal.

[@Dnrothx]

Can't believe how much I underappreciated The Muppet Show when I was a kid.

[@torpol]

I LOVED this show - I always had to fight with my dad - he wanted to watch Hee Haw and we only had one tv.

[@danielstump3204]

I always watched it with my kids. We knew it was good. All the big stars wanted to appear on the Muppet Show!

[@williamparker1085]

dont worry we adults more than made up for it

[@thesmackdaddy9888]

@@torpol being a kid is a bi#ch

[@scottsoucy6186]

I'm 60 years old and I'm still a huge Muppets fan! Jim Henson was a genius who left us way too soon!

[@Blondmykey]

Is it wrong that this is probably my favorite version of "Call Me"?

[@owencrater7089]

It might be her favorite version also!

[@ARLimon74]

No! This is just GRRREAT!

[@thomasherndon-io2gl]

Certainly have my approval 😊

[@slyfoxx2973]

There's stardom. There's Super Stardom....and then there's getting the nod from the Muppet Show!

[@jmc6687]

Gosh who could not love her. such a natural talent and so adorable.

[@nebularain3338]

There's no such thing as natural talent. There is only passion and perseverance.

[@MsPoppsie]

@@nebularain3338 Many have tried...many have failed!

[@thinman8621]

Debbie was the greatest! 2024 and still lovin her.

[@bridgecross]

OK, two things: They must have had a blast building this set. These decorators had the best jobs. Also, she's singing here. They recorded a whole new version of the song. These days, they would just play the track off the album and film the muppets over it. This was a performance.

[@nebularain3338]

These days? They used to just play the album track on Top of The Pops back in the 70s and 80s, and the band would mime. Don't paint it as a modern trend.

[@konaguzzi1]

@@nebularain3338 sad but true also why some bands refused to go on the show

[@rickeys]

​@@nebularain333860s also

[@mybraineatseverything7404]

OMG, Debbie Harry is adorable! I have literally been in love with her (and Blondie) since 1979. Meeting her is at the top of my "bucket list." And I'm a girl!

[@saraheart2804]

And how cute does she look in that purple outfit?

[@kevinvilleneuve5030]

I met her twice. The second time was on the street in Manhattan. She’s very sweet.

[@ukyo2010]

Debbie Harry was one of my teenage crushes. I am still discovering the depth of her coolness.

[@ellie.l6585]

@@kevinvilleneuve5030 is she as beautiful in the flesh? She's very special x

[@karlfisher1864]

@@saraheart2804 She also looks good in blue, Awesome!

[@scottmcgraw3749]

I remember being so excited to see this when it first aired. I loved Blondie. I was in 6th grade. We had one of those big wooden cabinet console TVs in the living room that I cranked up as loud as it could go. My mom thought I was silly, but my dad liked it. Deb Harry and the Muppets? What wasn't to like?

[@manstersr]

I bet you had "Wood".

[@scottmcgraw3749]

@@manstersr You know I did. Muppets are hot.

[@markberryhill2715]

Your dad must've been a manly man.

[@aurthurodonnell6707]

HEY thanks for helping me feel so darn OLD ,LOL LOL LOL some more LOL LOL, I was already 19 now that sucks more LOL LOL LOL ,with all my respect peace out . . P .S . all in good fun ......

[@roger.e.lareau4556]

Deborah Harry. Beautiful woman. Beautiful voice.

[@Major00Tom]

Squishy muppet

[@mikeyoungblood1642]

Also one of the coolest people ever

[@williambeutler9399]

I saw Blondie in 1978 at the Philadelphia Spectrum opening for Alice Cooper, and then saw them start to make the hits. It was a treat to see her on The Muppet Show. Many top stars appeared on the show, and you could always tell when they were really enjoying themselves by their expression and how relaxed they were while working with them. In 1978, they won the Emmy Award for best variety show, beating out both Second City TV and Saturday Night Live. If the Muppet Show returned, SNL would be blown out of the water, no doubt. Long live the Muppets!! 😎😎😎

[@hapilydamaged]

Long live the Muppets!!!!!!

[@theoriginalchefboyoboy6025]

Saw them at the Spectrum open for Rush, back in the days of open floor tix for like 6 bucks...

[@richluvsellie1]

Good lord...she is gorgeous..

[@tinaclark3868]

How the heck did Debbie keep a straight face? Absolutely wonderful.

[@AlanCanon2222]

Alice Cooper said that pretty quickly he felt he was interacting with actual people, not puppets.... and that's when he could actually see the performers underneath.

[@florinivan6907]

Cocaine?🤔

[@mr.d.rektorstudios]

it’s very easy to stop seeing them as puppets and start seeing them as people. I think it was on Oprah that they had Miss Piggy and Kermit, and they realized they couldn’t hear Kermit very well because they put the mic on kermit, not the person playing kermit.

[@Blackadder75]

@@mr.d.rektorstudios the whole space-time continuum is an illusion anyway, so for me Kermit and miss Piggy are as REAL as everybody else!

[@melfulmer1557]

Blondie always reminds me of my late wife God bless her soul

[@ScreamingSkullify]

Debbie Harry rocking out with punk rock muppets. Now that's a good time.

[@joshgellis3292]

WOW. The muppets look as though they're really playing. That's Henson man, blurring reality like the master-hippie-jedi he was easily on a daily basis!

[@Kowasi]

He made Yoda after all…

[@yosefdemby8792]

@@Kowasi No he didn't. Yoda was built by Wendy Midener Froud and Stuart Freeborn, and was performed by Frank Oz, with the assistance of Midener and Kathryn Mullen. George Lucas wanted Henson to play the character but he was too busy.

[@perrylitchfield669]

​@@yosefdemby8792 Oz characters have included Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam Eagle on The Muppet Show, and Grover, Cookie Monster and Bert on Sesame Street, and the storeroom keeper in The Blues Brothers - among many other roles.

[@patrickwentz8413]

Wow! That back up band rocks!

[@ForViewingOnly]

An excellent live vocal! Respect to Debbie Harry!

[@karlfisher1864]

If you don't think that Debbie is live, you must be asleep!

[@ChipNoir]

To everyone wondering why Electric Mayham wasn't in this, Jim Henson Studios designed them with very specific instruments. This song is more new wave, where as Electric Mayham (Despite the name) were more classic rock, with a mix of motown and the occasional jazz number. There's one more guitar in this line up than anyone in the band can play, and Dr.Teeth can only play pianos and keyboards, while Zoot can only play brass instruments. None of them would be familiar with an electric-new wave type device that they're using on the right. And yes, I know way too much about the history of muppets. : /

[@SusanALennon]

I figured it was because Janice was threatened by Debbie Harry.

[@frankshailes3205]

I never wondered any of that.

[@luckyroxie157]

I scrolled down with the intention of asking about that very thing. Thank you! I'm a big Muppets fan and didn't know this.

[@Ratelzwatel]

They could have kept Animal. :)

[@Widmerpool99]

Who was the best drummer in history? Clem Burke or Animal?

[@whtxombi4955]

WOW! She isn't lipsynching either. What a talent.

[@JohnLRice]

Definitely lip syncing to prerecorded tracks, and she does it well. She certainly could have sung it live but with that type of production they'd need to have all the music prerecorded because of all the extraneous noise caused by the puppeteers. I don't know this for a fact, just an educated guess.

[@Blackadder75]

@@JohnLRice you guessed wrong.. this doesn;t sound at all like any recorded version of this song . and if you ask me, the recording here IS full of random muppet noise.... that is what makes it so cute

[@JohnLRice]

@@Blackadder75 🤷‍♂😄

[@davidzof]

@@Blackadder75 if you look at the other muppet track: one way or another she does not appear to lip sync, the mic is live, so I agree with you.

[@matteobernardi8737]

You're right, this was live... The proof is at 0:41, when she is away from the microphone and the voice is at a lower volume

[@dshadow3173]

Never realized how much Debbie Harry and Michelle Pfeiffer looked alike when they were young.

[@johngrahamdoyle8719]

GORGUES DELICOUS GIRL ❤ CALLING OUT YOUR NAME ALL MY LIFE DEBBIE 🤣

[@MikeSmith-qg3bf]

I love Debbie Harry and The Muppets!! Awesome.

[@sairamr6886]

This song is such a bop even after 40 years

[@burbank]

Great Performance by Debbie Harry accompanied by her Muppet Musicians. She looked like she was genuinely enjoying herself. No Ego! No Diva! No Drama, simply a great performance by a talented and skilled pop rock star singer, puppeteers and stage hands.

[@IldefonsoMunoz]

High notes, beautiful voice. The reasons why I fell in love with Debbie when I was 11.

[@patrickcostello4146]

That guitar solo , holy crap !

[@rocktober1327]

I didn't get to see the Muppets in their day, a rockin band with a great singer.

[@ELCADAROSA]

Ohhh ... you missed a great series. (Yeah, I'm that old ...)

[@mditt7]

what a great sport. so unpretentious

[@NikkiAyumu]

I can't believe this didn't even get a million views... at the very least! I know it's the Muppets, but that's Debbie Harry! In her prime! I'd definitely give her a call back then.

[@sammasih5647]

Legendary & Beautiful

[@grytlappar]

This totally made my day! Two icons: Debbie Harry and the muppets... :)

[@czperiod2576]

The moment I fell in love with New Wave as a kid......

[@ProudKansan08]

It wasn't my cup of tea, personally, but, I did like Debbie Harry and the songs that were put out on the radio way back then.

[@HeartFeltGesture]

I had a very early crush on Debbie Harry, I was 7.

[@glenrosarian2352]

I used to follow 'The Muppet Show' every Sunday at 6:30!! I was a loyal viewer. Great memories.

[@RobbS-wu4pf]

I absolutely loved the Muppet show when it came out and I was absolutely 💯 in love with blonde..

[@richardpetty6088]

So gorgeous

[@paulminorproductions]

Awesome that they had a muppet synth player.

[@Shift2Movies]

I love Debbie Harry!

[@Al-kb2xl]

How was she so pretty!? And seems like a genuinely lovely person. Also I really want her hair do lol

[@snowrocket]

I like the regular version a lot, but somehow watching and listening to this one is more fun. All the guests that they had on The Muppet Show seemed to have fun with it and do really well. It's the same as a guest appearance/voiceover on The Simpsons is today. You know you're successful when they ask you to be on the show.

[@VoicesofMusic]

One of the best Blondie performances anywhere anytime any place. Smoking guitar solo and perfect balance.

[@RYGJ369]

Back in the day Epic crush on Debbie ♥️

[@kensmith5694]

This *WAS* the high point of American culture. Sadly most people reading this will have missed it.

[@roterbomber1196]

die Muppet Band brauch ein Denkmal , muss auf alle Fälle geehrt werden !

[@arieswaters]

Love it love it I was 20 years old in 1980 and Debbie and her band were great part of the atmosphere

[@CalogeroSmith]

Debbie Harry the Marilyn Monroe of rock

[@grytlappar]

Goddamned was she ever beautiful...

[@snipper1ie]

Still is

[@frankshailes3205]

Brains and beauty is the irresistable combination.

[@alejandromunoz6983]

La marilyn de la musica es y fuue madonna

[@jimm7098]

She was a Playboy Bunny, and Marilyn was in the first Playboy!

[@Tamales21]

Geez its amazing watching the muppet do the guitar solo because it looks so convincing. I knoe that somewhere in the studio some very talented guitarist is playing off screen and i knoe that the muppet is just a muppet but damn. I almost want to believe. Also Debbie Harry is really pretty.

[@mesovogue]

One of the most fabulous things I've ever seen

[@Zappy1210]

Debbie is such an angel.

[@fidelisfaber4961]

In the days when lavender-coloured velour leisure suits with sequins were cool...

[@bogwaterbob55]

Debbie at 1:10...smoldering... high heels, thighs in sweatpants... she is amazing in any outfit.

[@BowClanFive]

Debbie Harry at the absolute height of her powers. Voice. Looks. Presence.

[@lizlocher3612]

What a fabulous treat to see this Sunday afternoon!! Every Rock Star alive has been honored to play with the amazing Muppets!!! AWESOME DELUXE!!??

[@davidsigalow7349]

The Muppet Show was the best at incorporating their guests into the show.

[@vagabondvibes2578]

It is amazing how - because she was so intrinsically cool, and didn't take herself too overly seriously - she could even make playing with the Muppets on TV look cool! Note how she is singing live, too (or at least is miming to a pre-recorded vocal for this appearance, but I think the former)! I wonder how many 'stars' today would be willing to play with the Muppets?

[@paulgrove1407]

Lady Gaga, for one.

[@gaynor1721]

Any to plug a song.

[@nycp1969]

I think most would if there was a popular show like this. If anything, stars take themselves less seriously today (They're just like us...) It's the stars of the old studio system I can't imagine doing something like this.

[@PatrickLongworth]

Even those from the studio system might have enjoyed the challenge. Michelle Pfeiffer appeared on Muppets Tonight I think.

[@t.j.payeur739]

The lady could sing...

[@mybraineatseverything7404]

Still can! I saw Blondie a couple years ago, and they covered, "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer. It was amazing!!! She nailed every note, and it was the END of the set!

[@TheThetingler]

Wonderful live performance watch her hit the high note

[@lecapitaine390]

"Appelle moi mon chéri" (call me my darling) ...I LOVE THAT.

[@DrJekyll38]

(Show's opening, as Debbie enters the studio) Pops: Oh yeah, you're from that rock group, uh... Debbie: Blondie. Pops: Right. But if I had a band, I wouldn't call it Blondie, I'd call it, uh... Debbie: Face it, Pops. You'd call it BALDY!

[@bertholdbockchen8127]

Yeah, Debbie rocks the stage. I love it.

[@bmoregan]

I love how the Muppets left Animal out and drafted in an "pop" drummer for "Call Me". Because; y'know tastes were changing and Blondie had had an No. 1 and Aminal was a bit ... like ... 70's by 1980. Coz I was 14 in 1980 and these things ... mattered! The '80 were gonna be "tech'tastic"!!

[@chriswells1440]

I was in the 3rd grade probably when this was on .. I remember the era and feel of the time.

[@carlkane7544]

I can remember seeing this on tv at the time.

[@Nerval-kg9sm]

I saw this when it originally aired, when I was 9. I think it was my first exposure to current, popular music.

[@mintyfresh2357]

I love that she did multiple things with the Muppets, it’s really fun

[@karlfisher1864]

Debbie! Awesome! With the Muppet band! It's always better when she's with Kermit the Frog. Two peas on a green pod. Karl

[@gmoney9961]

I fell in love with this absolute smokeshow when she debuted and have never stopped ❤️‍🔥

[@melfulmer1557]

my wife's favorite songs . God bless her soul in heaven where I know she is at this very moment

[@fnocera4667]

Her singing talent is amazing. But so is her ability to look and act beautiful and sexy as well.

[@TheThetingler]

This is not auto tuned it didn’t exist in 1980 is simply double tracked live with a previous live version she did previously that morning. Check out any other female and there have been many trying to hit the high note in the bridge and no one else can do it and let’s not forget the women wrote the song. Total legend

[@MarkGelderland]

First couplet isn't double tracked though, it's 100% live.

[@edricawebb1578]

Agree she's a total legend, but no other female could hit the high note? Seems you've never heard of Linda Ronstadt. Look her up... your mind will be blown.

[@ajo3085]

Linda and Pat Benatar. In her prime she could practically shatter glass. Check our her cover of Wuthering Heights... or early live versions of You Better Run or Heartbreaker.

[@edricawebb1578]

@@ajo3085 Yep. Pat Benatar was singing opera before she started singing pop rock.

[@ajo3085]

@@edricawebb1578 True that. And Ann Wilson is another who seems to be able to hit high notes without any obvious effort, and remarkably in her case, her range has barely diminished over the years.

[@petermartell568]

Debbie is an amazing talent

[@billcurls8871]

Debbie was the bomb!!!

[@inclaric]

I love you Debbie ¡¡¡

[@nomaambundy9989]

This is better than any band I can recall in recent history.

[@sinocam]

I was 3 when this aired and loved it. Played it a thousand times with VHS.

[@evaldo_coutinho]

The Muppets it was really a sensational show!

[@kristanemurray5314]

I love it. And I love Debbie. Watched the Muppet Show with dad. My earliest intro to punk. I see now where Debbie "gets" she is playing to both kiddos and grown ups. (possibly ones that never heard of Debbie Harry or Blondie. ) Debbie performs just as if in a small cabaret. Yet like she gets to be a little kid again, too.

[@sweetjane5033]

I love this ! It makes me smile!

[@jeangenie5807]

Loved the Muppets.....and I was an adult watcing with my nieces.

[@kensmith5694]

Yes, it was about the best TV show ever made.

[@ProudKansan08]

I always loved that band. My favorite.

[@hayberdasher8625]

Lip-syncing on TV shows had been done for decades by this time. Debbie is doing it fucking live. Hell yeah.

[@rickeys]

Nope. This is a lip-synch also.

[@davidbreen311]

One of the best episodes of three final season.

[@GePsPlus]

She's wonderful even in pijama

[@charleswiggins6684]

Best Muffet show ever

[@gustavoserrano4063]

Me encantaban los moopets cuando fui niño y de adolecente Debbie ❤

[@christophsuess7646]

best performance ever!!!!!!!! I love it so much!

[@STEWDEE]

Awesome! I forgot about this performance. This should be the Super Bowl half time show..😂👍

[@briteness]

I never knew she was on the Muppets! I live for this kind of unexpected pop culture connection.

[@tattskink9589]

So great she was almost one of the crew as she was on the muppets so many times!

[@pascallescoet8667]

Debbie chez les Muppets : tout simplement génial !

[@gilhernandeziii4031]

Priceless!!! Every performer he/she should perform with the puppets....

[@garethjudd5840]

All the muppets and Debbie sang live. Awesome ✨ 👍

[@scootergeorge9576]

Muppets live, Debbie lip sync. ; )

[@garethjudd5840]

@@scootergeorge9576 😂😂😂😂😂