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B E T W E E N T H E L I N E S
Volume 4, Issue 12 - December 26, 1992
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A Debbie Gibson Discussion Forum
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-= CONTENTS =-
ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES
ET COVERS SHOOT OF NEW VIDEO - Myra Wong
CHEER UP, IT'S NOT AS BAD AS WE HEARD - Jeff Tharp
DEB THINKS MADONNA HAS GONE TOO FAR - Thomas Masters
EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT - Andrew Vernon
COUNTERPOINT ON A GIBSON STRIPTEASE - Michael Falkner
MIXED MESSAGES? - Steven Manfred
CHRISTMAS CARD FROM DEBBIE GIBSON - Jennifer Yeko
DEB INTERVIEWED ON E! NEWS DAILY - Brett Carter
THE 1993 DEBBIE GIBSON CALENDAR - Michael Falkner
"LOSIN' MYSELF" ...AND I FOUND IT! - Jonathan Bradshaw
DEBWATCH
CLOSING REMARKS
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-= DISCLAIMER =-
This forum does not necessarily reflect the views of Deborah Ann Gibson,
Gibson Management Inc. (GMI), the Atlantic Recording Corporation, or any
organizations to which members belong or represent. All songs by Debbie
Gibson are copyrighted by Deborah Ann's Music (ASCAP) or Possibilities
Publishing (ASCAP). Between the Lines operates on a non-profit basis.
Distribution is permissible only under the condition that no part of it
will be used for profit.
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-= ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES =-
Before you submit your articles, please PROOFREAD them. Remember that about
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BETWEEN THE LINES
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CANADA
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information, send email to Andrew Vernon (avernon1@ua1ix.ua.edu).
-= BtL moderators =-
Matthew Jung : mjung@rosarita.engr.ucdavis.edu
mjung@pcocd2.intel.com
myjung@ucdavis.bitnet
Myra Wong : mkwong@freedom.nmsu.edu
mkwong@sdcc13.ucsd.edu
JSXS97D on Prodigy
Felix Ng : fng@nyx.cs.du.edu
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-= ET COVERS SHOOT OF NEW VIDEO =-
Myra Wong (mkwong@sdcc13.ucsd.edu)
December 23, 1992
On Thursday, December 10, we were given our first glimpse and listen of
Deborah's new video and single, "Losin' Myself." Five minutes into that day's
"Entertainment Tonight," there was a brief segment about Deb. Here is a
transcription and description of the segment.
JT = John Tesh DG = Debbie Gibson <> = video images shown
JT: Debbie Gibson became a pop star by combining a nice voice with a squeaky-
clean image.
JT: Now for her fourth album, the voice remains intact but the clean image has
been stripped away.
JT: This was Debbie Gibson's look back in 1987 - the image of a teenage good
girl. But for her latest video, get ready for Gibson all grown-up.
Musical lyric: "You're my celebration, boy, the reason I exist..."
JT: Debbie wanted something different for her new single "Losin' Myself." And
the former teeny-bopper's strip routine has her bumping and grinding. She
says it illustrates the song's theme of obsessive love gone bad.
DG: I think everyone has a sexy side that comes out when they're in love with
the wrong guy . You know what I mean? And that's what this song's about.
I mean, I'm 22 years old, it's like, of course I've got that side to me.
JT: Still she says it took a bit of brainstorming to come up with the idea.
In her first few tries on stage, she had to contend with a costume that
did not want to cooperate.
Musical lyric: "...I'm losin' myself over you...over you"
JT: But she pressed on anyway and slipped easily back into the routine. Even
though the number is quite revealing, Debbie insists the final strip-tease
will show no nudity.
DG: I could never take off my clothes for the camera. I mean, what I'm doing
this video is a strip "tease," which is the whole Gypsy Rose Lee thing.
It was this very innocent, classy girl showing people nothing in the end
and these men were getting all excited.
JT: You can see Debbie Gibson's "Losin' Myself" video in its entirety early
next month when it debuts along with her new single.
Although this was a very short segment, it gave some idea of what the
video is about. In my opinion, it would seem that the final video would be
showing only five second glimpses of this one scene while using a dozen other
scenes for the rest of the storyline. I was surprised at the amount of skin
she showed when she stripped down to her final outfit, but that is only
because I've never seen her like that before. I think that the routine is
done in a pretty classy way and should really fit the storyline of the song -
of a girl so intensely lost in love that she'd do anything. Furthermore, with
that dark wig, I really feel that I am watching a character in a movie acting
rather than Deborah, herself. Speaking of the song, from the 10 seconds that
I heard from this segment, I love it. Even though it's got a slow groove, it
has a danceable beat combined with a "power-sounding" production and a catchy
melody/hook line. "I'm losin' myself... over you... over you..."
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-= CHEER UP, IT'S NOT AS BAD AS WE HEARD =-
Jeff Tharp (Greenfield, Indiana)
December 11, 1992
Remember two years ago we were upset with the rumors "Debbie Gibson
posing for Playboy?" Well hold on to your hats.
Recently, I picked up a copy of Entertainment Weekly and saw the
headlines: "Stripper" and saw Deborah's picture next to the title. Miss
Gibson is going to step in Madonna territory. She will play a stripper in her
new video "Losin' Myself." She plans to show as much skin as MTV will allow.
I was in complete shock. My telephone rang all week from all my pen pals
complaining.
On Thursday, December 10, 1992 on "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee," Regis
showed pictures taken from the video of Deborah. Boy did she look beautiful,
and it wasn't bad at all. Remember the "Open My Heart" video by Madonna?
Deborah wears an outfit similar to it. Regis said she's been working out all
year long so she would have a beautiful body for her new video, just to have
MTV play it.
According to "Entertainment Tonight" and D.G.I.F. the video is shot in
good taste and Deborah doesn't do nude scenes. So rest assure fans, cool it.
We all fuss over a rumor by the media. But think about it. Debbie is getting
a lot of hip build up for the video. Don't we want Debbie to get all the
attention? Sounds like Debbie will have a hit, and it's done to the taste of
MTV. It's really sad that sex sells, but Debbie wants us to let her grow up!
She's no longer the little girl from the OOTB and EY eras. She's 22 years
young and a very sexy young lady. Deborah would never do anything to hurt us
fans. She's growing up fast! So let's support Deborah Gibson! You will be
proud of the results of her workout and new album.
So drop me a line at: 1670 Village Drive West, Box C
Greenfield, Indiana 46140
U.S.A.
Cheer up, it's not as bad as we heard.
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-= DEB THINKS MADONNA HAS GONE TOO FAR =-
Thomas Masters (VJKJ74A on Prodigy)
December 13, 1992
THE DAILY NEWS, this Sunday (12/13/92) printed excerpts from a letter Deb
wrote to THE NEW YORK TIMES, about Debbie's response to Madonna's book _Sex_.
Here is the article copied verbatim.
----------------
SQUEAKY-CLEAN DEBBIE THINKS MADONNA HAS GONE TOO FAR:
by Larry Sutton, Apple Sauce column
Meow!
Young blond pop star DEBBIE GIBSON thinks slightly older blond pop
star MADONNA has gone too far with this sex stuff.
Gibson was so upset that she wrote a letter to the much older, gray
New York Times about Madonna's book, "Sex."
As we write, it still hasn't been published Debbie's missive. The
Times has been busy covering bigger stories, stuff like TINA BROWN
hiring RICHARD AVEDON to shoot one picture a week for the New Yorker...
real important news.
So, as a public service, we'll print excerpts from Gibson's letter.
You have a right to know, after all!
"Dear Editor,
For Madonna, it seems that too much SEX is not necessarily
a good thing. Despite the enormous sales of the book - owing,
I guess, to a certain popular preoccupation with public nudity,
rape, bestiality and other sexual fetishes - the media 'feeding
frenzy' around the release has failed to adequately address the
consequences of 'Sex' and sex, as it relates to young people
today.
It is sadly ironic that Madonna's obviously cheap (in content
and construction) marketing gimmick has so grossly overshadowed
her truest talents - a writer and performer of great pop music -
rather than promoted them."
She goes on...
"This book is no laughing matter. Not these days, anyway,
when men and women are dying of AIDS, a disease which Madonna
claims to have been profoundly affected by. For me, 'Sex' has
totally undermined Madonna's substational credibility as a
'safe sex' advocate, despite the disclaimers or the bit about
condoms.
Much sadder is that she has done so for personal profit and
publicity, misleading an entire generation of young fans that
sex cannot be exciting without multiple partners, whips, chains,
and leather. As a performer, I know, firsthand, the impact that
'celebrities' have on their fans. The association between sex
and violence throughout the book is not only a mixed message,
but a dangerous one."
So there!
----------------
I completely agree with all of Deb's statements in her letter.
I hope that the Times prints the letter in its entirety, though.
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-= EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT =-
Andrew Vernon (avernon1@ua1ix.ua.edu)
December 21, 1992
Once upon a time, we all were happy with our peaches-and-cream image of Debbie
Gibson on a merry-go-round. We saw her skipping around on stage in T-shirts
and faded blue jeans. We saw her in videos with "nice-girl straight" blonde
hair and cute black hats. She made an impression against the backdrop of sex
bombs like Madonna. We took that image to heart as we took the music to
heart. Nothing could ever blemish the image of Deborah Angel in our minds.
But, for two years, Deborah has been faced with the quandary of how to
convince the listening world that she has turned from a little-girl-on-the-
merry-go-round into a fully-grown woman.
Over the past several months, Deborah has again become visible in the media.
But some are feeling the trauma of not seeing Deborah Angel on the screen or
in magazines anymore. It is obvious that at age 22, Deborah has finally
decided to let her hair down. While that has been to the chagrin of several
amongst the Gibson Faithful, it is actually a healthy, positive change that
shouldn't cause alarm.
The first shocks came as early as November 1990 when Deborah appeared in the
"Anything is Possible" video wearing various outfits of leather and gossamer.
Some were surprised to see her in a skimpy outfit singing on top of a
building. Debheads expressed so much concern about the outfit that Deborah
devoted an extra page of D.G.I.F. 3.2 to reassure that she hadn't gone over
the edge. Male fans were even more shocked or at least became jealous when
Deborah performed "It Must've Been My Boy" on tour with dancer Herby Sanchez
slithering all over her. For most of 1992 however, she seemed to keep quiet,
and the most controversial change was that of her hair color. But, in
December, she surfaced again, this time with footage of a strip-tease from her
forthcoming video, "Losin' Myself." The media went wild with it and ran every
"Oh-My-God" headline they could think of. This time, she left the Debheads
panting. Then she complicated their thinking even further when she wrote an
objection to Madonna's photo-book _Sex_ and the New York DAILY NEWS picked it
up. The fans started spinning immediately with questions of "What will
everybody think of Debbie now?"
Now, I too was shocked when the information about the strip-tease moved across
the wire. I have noticed how provocative the photographs published in
D.G.I.F. 5.1 are. But, nothing is as bad as it seems and I'm sure that
Deborah's expression of sexuality is completely healthy and natural.
First, let us reconsider the circumstances under which Deborah originally
broke through in the pop music market. She was a modest sixteen-year-old who
didn't want to be sexy. Before Brenda and Dylan did it on "Beverly Hills,
90210," television and music didn't want to admit that sixteen-year-olds had
sex. Deborah didn't want people to think a sixteen-year-old was having sex.
A quote in Entertainment Weekly from 1990 suggests that Deborah may have had a
slightly negative body-image. She saw herself as a gawky teenage girl who
couldn't be beautiful if she tried. But those of us who have kept our eyes on
her for the past six years know she _was_ an attractive person. Deborah has
now realized what we have known for some time and she has become proud of her
body. The new photos show more cleavage and leg than we thought Deborah had.
This change is actually positive. If she were still covering up and being
excessively shy and demure at age 22, then that could have been a sign that
there was something wrong.
But, some people think something _is_ wrong. They are afraid that Deborah's
sexy new look will backfire in the light of her denouncement of Madonna's
_Sex_ book. Some fear that Deborah will be perceived as hypocritical when the
"Losin' Myself" video airs. Others think Deborah is _becoming_ Madonna.
However, Deborah is not on shaky ground here. Madonna is an extremist.
Madonna has continued to push sexuality towards the grotesque. Madonna's book
is filled with perversion and is designed to make sex nothing more than
mechanics. Even the cover is mechanical-looking. Deborah's sexuality is more
emotional, warm, and intimate. Deborah's attitude toward sexuality is
perfectly healthy. Madonna's has become suspect.
But, many will still ask: "What happened to the Debbie I knew and loved five
years ago?" The answer: She's blossomed into a rounded woman. She has more
than two dimensions to her personality and more than one look. In
D.G.I.F. 5.1, alongside those check-out-the-bod shots, there are some candids
of a familiar face. It's Deborah with minimal make-up, sparkling eyes and
that endearing goofy smile. If she were blonde, the pictures could have been
from 1990 rather than 1992. At the front of the magazine, Deborah still draws
peace signs and music notes in her letter and does cute little illustrations.
She still giggles if you say anything remotely funny to her. All of which is
a reminder that along with the body, there is a mind and soul.
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-= COUNTERPOINT ON A GIBSON STRIPTEASE =-
Michael Falkner (FALKNEMJ@cnsvax.uwec.edu)
December 22, 1992
I feel that, with Deborah Gibson doing a striptease as a portion of her video
for the first single off of _Body Mind Soul_, Deborah is going in the wrong
direction, a direction which could impact her career and the way that she has
to deal with herself. This is not something that I feel very comfortable
with, and I'd like to tell you why.
I don't think that there is one of us who doesn't feel that Deb is one of the
best singers and songwriters of the past several years. Like many of you, I
watched the "Entertainment Tonight" clip with much interest, wondering just
what in the world Deborah would be doing. Many were relieved after they saw
the clip; I was not.
One thing that at least most of the male population of BtL knows is that Deb
is one attractive young woman. The problem I have is that Deborah is a
singer, and I love her for her singing and her cleaner image. Maybe this is a
haughty or an arrogant attitude, but I just felt that Deborah was above having
to resort to sexual overtones as a device for her videos and image. Admitted,
we all have a sexier side, but if this is an accurate representation of
Deborah's sexier side, this would seem to indicate almost an exhibitionistic
streak on Deb's part. My main fear from here is: What next??
With this video, Deb will create a lot of publicity for herself, as the pop
music world looks on in shock as she forces them to realize that she is a
grown woman. My question: Why is a striptease necessary to prove that you
are a grown woman, Deborah?? I thought that AIP was a very mature work, one
which was designed to bring Deb into a more adult mode. Sadly, the album
basically never had a prayer, and many still thought that Deborah was the
16-year-old kid riding on the merry-go-round singing about dreams.
I think that a lot of guys will be drawn to this video, focused in on the
striptease and ignoring the several other parts of the video and forgetting
Deborah's music altogether. IMHO, that is the last thing Deborah needs. To
gain the respect Deborah needs (and deserves), Deborah needs to be recognized
as a musician, not as some "hot chick" gyrating her hips in a black swimsuit.
On top of that, Deborah has now gone on the record as criticizing Madonna's
book _Sex_. Even though we may all know that Deborah is not advocating
anything like Madonna's antics in the video, the media and others may cry
"double standard" since Deborah is using the same general idea that Madonna
is, sex. That kind of publicity would ruin Deborah's credibility.
I still stand behind Deborah, but I am not sure if she knows what she is
getting into. If you ever do read this, Deborah, know that you are in my
prayers, especially that you know what you are doing...
I'm just scared that many will see only Deborah's body, that they will
disregard Deborah's mind (and message), and that many will think Deborah sold
her soul to the devil.
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-= MIXED MESSAGES? =-
Steven Manfred (steven.k.manfred@uwrf.edu)
December 23, 1992
Lately on the "Debhead" bouncing mail group, much (some would say too
much) discussion and even heated argument has been given over to the news that
Deborah is going to play a stripper in the January video for "Losin' Myself,"
the first single from the new album.
Even more discussion/argument was generated when on top of this, Deb
wrote an editorial letter to THE NEW YORK TIMES regarding Madonna's _Sex_ book
and how Deb disapproved of it.
Confusion seems to reign supreme these days as on the face of it, these
two events seem to conflict in purpose, or to show hypocrisy in Deb's letter
to the NYT.
Whilst I can acknowledge and sympathize with the concern many have voiced
about the "strip," I feel it is unjustified at this point in time, before any
of us have even seen the completed video!! The most anyone has seen is a
small behind-the-scenes blurb on "Entertainment Tonight," and from that we can
plainly see that the outfit she is wearing is rather tame by stripping
standards.
But that's not the point. The point is that I do not believe the video
is going to be one long strip routine, and I base this on the subject matter
of the song. In D.G.I.F. 5.1, Deb explains the song thusly: "This song is
about getting so wrapped up in someone that you forget who you are, which
feels both wonderful and scary at the same time." And on ET, she said the
video is about going after the *wrong* guy.
So perhaps that is the point of the song, that someone can be "seduced"
to the point where they act foolishly and do foolish things, such as a strip
routine.
Even if that isn't the point of the song, it does illustrate the point of
this article, that we still don't know what's really going to happen in the
full video. There are many possibilities and I think it more than likely that
the stripping part will at least not be glamorized and may instead be openly
criticized.
Much attention has been given to the stripping side of the video by the
general press and this is no doubt intentional on GMI's part. It's called
"publicity." The press has, for a long time, not been very interested in what
Deb has been doing and thus this sensationalist treatment of the stripping is
being dangled in front of the fish like live bait to get them to take a look
at the full person, when the final video comes out.
Also bear in mind that the album's title is _Body Mind Soul_ and that
there is no one song with that title. I would therefore submit that the first
video would serve as a pseudo-title track and need to reflect that theme,
meaning the video may be split into three sections, the "body" part being the
strip, but with two further thirds of mind and soul which will be just as
important. The three together form a full person, which is what Deb wants
the media to see when they look at her (more so I think than she wants them to
see her as "grown-up.")
Getting the media to look at the full person is also a possible motive
behind Deb's letter about Madonna. I have no doubt that the letter is honest
in what it says, but I don't think I'm the only person who finds the timing a
little suspicious. So what's wrong with that? Nothing, really. Anyway, by
presenting at virtually the same times the Madonna letter and the video
"tease," it forces the responsible media to actually do some investigating
and really look at her (no pun intended). They will be forced to acknowledge
her as a four-dimensional person rather than simply two as they have always
done in the past. (I say four dimensions to include the natural changes that
time has caused.) They will also be forced to acknowledge her intelligence
and courage, since the letter is very nicely composed, and because no one else
in the music industry seems brave enough to take on Madonna, a woman whose
chain definitely needs shortening. As for the irresponsible media, the
tabloids, etc., I don't think Deb really cares what they say or do, nor do I.
In fact, anything they do will only generate more free publicity!
As I see things to date, the makings of some very shrewd press moves are
underway. Post-January we may read things differently, but until then, I
suggest everyone "chill out" (just step outside if you live in the North) and
wait and see what the future brings. Until then, there must be no regrets,
no tears, no anxieties. I know Deb will go forward in all her beliefs and
prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.
Steven.K.Manfred
"The Valeyard"
The last two sentences are partial quotations from English author David
Whitaker.
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-= CHRISTMAS CARD FROM DEBBIE GIBSON =-
Jennifer Yeko (5_JYEKO@fair1.fairfield.edu / GFNM47A on Prodigy)
December 24, 1992
THE DAILY NEWS
Tuesday, December 22, 1992
WHAT A CARD, THAT DEBBIE
"We're confused. A short while back, we told you how Debbie Gibson was
upset with Madonna. Debs didn't like 'donna's new "Sex" book. Even
wrote a letter to The New York Times, complaining about Madonna's cheap
sexual images. So imagine our surprise seeing the Christmas card Gibson
is mailing to friends this year. Isn't that a semi-naked guy standing
next to her? Thank goodness he's wearing pants."
This was printed along with a picture like the one in D.G.I.F. with the
"Santa Claus" with no shirt on, but you can't see his face in this photo.
Deb has this sly grin on her face; she looks much happier in this photo than
the D.G.I.F. one.
I think it's just a way of stirring up controversy and I kind of agree with
what the paper said. She's just trying to get the public interested in her.
No big deal.
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-= DEB INTERVIEWED ON E! NEWS DAILY =-
Brett Carter (HCMN12B on Prodigy)
December 18, 1992
Debbie was just on E! News Daily! It was talking about her new album and how
she's grown up. There's even an interview!
At the beginning, it shows Deb singing "Lost in Your Eyes" from the "Live - In
Concert - The Out of the Blue Tour" video. The voice-over says she bursted
onto the pop scene at 16 with a string of hits.
"...six years and three albums later, Gibson is about to release her fourth
solo album, complete with a bit more sex appeal, as you can see by these
exclusive pre-released photos."
It shows a photo shoot with Deb lying on a boardwalk wearing black boots, blue
jeans, and a red top. She looks -- honestly -- GREAT with her long brown
hair. Can't wait to see the photos from this shoot. Then it shows photos
from the "Losin' Myself" video and a couple of pictures of her wearing a
black leather hat and a black top with her hair in a curled ponytail.
The interview...
DAVID ADELSON (Managing Editor of Hits magazine): A lot of attention has been
paid to your image change or is it just that they haven't seen you in
awhile and this is someone growing up naturally?
DEBBIE GIBSON: I guess it's a little bit of both. It's funny 'cause the new
video I'm doing like a strip tease in it and there are probably eight
other scenes in the video. But of course the media loves like this much
[pinching her thumb and forefinger together] scandal and they run with it.
But it goes along with the whole story. It's not like I'm just saying:
'Alright, it's time to be raunchy now.'
VOICE-OVER: Gibson's teamed up with fellow producer's Rhythm Syndicate for her
new album "Body, Mind & Soul."
DG: I think because we worked on those songs so much in that two-day period,
it's a real focused sound, like it's got its own thing happening. It's
kind of hard to explain. It doesn't sound typically me or typically them.
There's a song on it called "How Can This Be?" that I purposely -- I wrote
it, like, in the higher range of my voice so that I would challenge
myself, because it sounds so exciting when you feel like the artist is
working.
DA: Gibson's new single and video, "Losin' Myself," are due January 11. The
new album, "Body, Mind & Soul," comes one week later.
In the interview, Deb's hair is shoulder-length and straight. She's wearing a
white blouse and a black leather, silver-studded jacket.
In the photos where she's wearing the low-cut black top and the hat, she looks
incredibly mature. And you know what? It looks natural! She doesn't look
like a "former teen-queen stripping away her squeaky-clean image." She looks
very relaxed. And, I'll venture a bet that this could be the shot for the
cover of the new single. In the shots of her on the boardwalk, her hair is in
the style of Shannen Doherty.
The interview did call the album _Body, Mind & Soul_. Who knows what it's
called?
[Editor's Note: According to Deb's handwritten note in the new D.G.I.F. (5.1),
the album is called _Body Mind Soul_.]
Debbie said the image-change was a little bit intentional, but I'm sure that a
22 year old wants to eventually, INTENTIONALLY stop singing teeny-bopper songs
and show her sexy side. And, like I said, it looks very natural.
Brett...btru2u
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-= THE 1993 DEBBIE GIBSON CALENDAR =-
Michael Falkner (FALKNEMJ@cnsvax.uwec.edu)
December 22, 1992
Well, it's that time of year again, when our favorite calendar girl
Deborah gives us a look at another group of snapshots into her personality,
look, and image.
So, without further adieu...
FRONT Shot from the chest up, Deborah is wearing a dark, strapped top.
COVER: Smiling broadly, Deb in this picture combines the newer, more
adult image with the optimism that Deborah has always maintained.
NOTE: For new D.G.I.F. members at this time, this is the picture
that you very well might get autographed and sent with your first
issue.
JANUARY: A VERY interesting shot. Deb is in a sleeveless black outfit with
a red lapel, resting on her elbows in a blue, red, and gold layout
that looks like satin. Her face appears to me to be made up like
a Lauren Bacall or Faye Dunaway or something like that. Quite
interesting.
FEBRUARY: Deb wears a burgundy outfit with stripes while sitting in a chair
with an oversized back. With her head off to one side, she almost
seems contemplative in this pose...
MARCH: The D.G.I.F. 4.4 cover. See my review in BtL 4.11 for details.
APRIL: Deborah at play. She's at a cotton candy stand about ready to take
a bite out of a big, yummy slab of cotton candy. She's wearing a
red, button-up jacket with an extremely short black miniskirt.
She's also wearing these heeled shoes with straps that go Roman-
style, criss-crossing almost to her knees. That mischievous
smile, though, takes the cake.
MAY: Three photos from the last tour. One of the three has Deborah
wearing her black dress, while the other two have her in her
burgundy outfit with ruffled shirt. Deb at her best.
JUNE: Sexy, yet demure. Deb is wearing a black tank top and blue jeans.
She's sitting on her knees here, with her left hand on one of her
knees. A real grown-up picture that would seem to me to fit as a
tame Cosmo cover or something to that effect.
JULY: Back to the amusement park. Deborah is now on the beach, looking
at us with a self-confident smile. She wears a partially sheer top
with a black, spangled jacket and jean shorts. My favorite photo
of the entire calendar. Off-white shot.
AUGUST: In what appears to be a beach setting more designed for the
Badlands of South Dakota, Deborah really tries to turn up the heat
in this picture. She's standing, one bare leg slightly bent
forward, wearing a blue shirt and VERY short blue jean shorts.
Almost a Cindy Crawford-like pose, if you asked me...
SEPTEMBER: Deb in the recording studio. She wears a black leather jacket with
stones, a white T-shirt, and blue jeans. I'd like to know what
song she was singing... =)
OCTOBER: Face on, black and white, Deb with longer hair. She almost seems
to be staring at us with her head rested on her arms. Deb wears a
long-sleeved shirt in this photograph.
NOVEMBER: Another off-white coloring, this one has Deborah wearing a
lower-cut dark outfit and a gold jacket that is taken off the
shoulders. Another manifestation of her sexier image.
DECEMBER: This interesting picture has Deborah in an all-black outfit
standing next to a red curtain. Striking a rather classy pose,
Deborah is wearing what appears to be a one-piece black outfit with
fishnet stockings.
BACK In the same outfit as August, Deb has her arms outstretched to the
COVER: heavens and a big smile on her face. Honestly, she almost looks
like Paula Abdul in this picture. One change: The blue shirt that
she is wearing is now open, revealing a dark boustierre. Another
off-white shot.
COMMENTARY
Deborah really tries to be sexier with several of the pictures in this
calendar, but to be honest with you she should at least get a suntan if she's
going to be wearing that short of shorts and skirts, like on the EY back
cover. I mean, in the color shots, Deborah is PALE! White as a ghost. This
calendar really seems to be another move towards a much sexier Deborah than
long-time fans are used to, and that appears consistent with what all else
appears to be going on with her image.
Well worth the $13 spent, but some long-time, younger fans may be
surprised at some of the intendedly sexier poses.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-= "LOSIN' MYSELF" ...AND I FOUND IT! =-
Jonathan Bradshaw (jonathan@nova.decio.nd.edu)
December 24, 1992
It's 12-23-92 at 10:00 P.M. and I have the new single due out
January 11th, 1993. At last, being a Disc Jockey has paid off! Debbie
Gibson/"Losin' Myself" arrived today in my mailbox at WNDU, South Bend, IN.
I opened my box to find:
1. A 1993 Calendar
2. A Christmas Card
3. The SINGLE!
These were sent to music directors. The calendar has already been
reviewed but I'll just add this was a smart move to show the MD's that Deb has
grown up and matured. She also sent a Christmas card like the ones sent to
D.G.I.F. members but this one has 'Santa' sans shirt. It is not the picture
from D.G.I.F. 5.1 (page 5) as his face is hidden in Deb's hair (lucky guy...)
It says "Seasons Greetings" on the bottom and on the back has "Happy Holidays
-n- LOVE in '93! Debbie Gibson."
Now, onto the single... It's a full size picture CD. The front has the
AUGUST picture from the calendar of her looking down with the purple shirt and
cut offs.
o S i
L n '
D e B B I E G I B S O N
M F
Y s e L
In the center in white it has DeBBIE GIBSON (Yes, with the lower case 'e') and
at the top is written "LoSin'" (in circular type font so it bends around in a
circle) and at the bottom is: "MYseLF" The font does use the lower case
letters in those places. The title on the side of the CD says:
DeBBIE GIBSoN LoSin' MYSeLF
(I wish they'd make up their mind!)
On to the back...
Same artwork lettering on the back, with 5 mixes! (Back to the EY days!)
1. Masters at Work "HOT MIX" (3:57)
2. Radio Mix (3:59)
3. G-Man/Marz Alternate "HOT" Mix (4:02)
4. T-Ray's Acoustic Mix (4:01)
5. Masters At Work 12" Edit (3:58)
The picture CD itself has the same lettering artwork (consistent) with a
picture of Deb with her back to us. It is not in the calendar but was
obviously taken during the shoot. She has her head tilted back towards us and
is wearing jeans and a top. The shots have an 'adult' look to them. She is
obviously looking for that 'sexier' adult type appeal. Unfortunately, there
are no printed lyrics so I may have made some mistakes in transcribing.
I am going to attempt a review of the song. It starts out medium tempo
with a low pitch. Her voice stands out all the way throughout the song. In
some ways it reminds me of what AIP's second side SHOULD have been to make it
on the radio. The song appears to be about a girl who doesn't listen to
anyone else and falls "in over my head" in love with a guy. He is her world,
her reason for living. She says, "Turn myself over to you, body mind and
soul..." When he comes at night, he washes away the pain, she says, "You can
do anything when it comes to me, I won't hold back, I want to know no shame,
take me away in the sky." She closes with "Nothing I can do ... I'm losing
myself over you..." There are three distinct transitions vocally in the song.
It gets more powerful as it progresses. This is definitely no AIP song.
Lyrics (as far as I can make them out...):
Oooh....
Oooh....
Over you....
Lost all reality, you've really got a hold
Turn myself over to you, body mind and soul
It might seem crazy, I know I'm in over my head
Got no direction and my world is spinning 'round
Feel like I'm rising up and never coming down
I'm hearing people talk but I don't hear a word they say... (Oooh)
Nothing I can do, I'm losin' myself over you...
Can't deny it's true...
You know I couldn't fight it baby even if I wanted to
I'm losin' myself over you... over you...
[I'm out by the ocean], feel it rushing over me
You are the treasure that I search for desperately
The tide it races in, it's pulling me out to the sea... willingly (yeah...)
Your my celebration boy, the reason I exist
I feel a hundred lifetimes deep within your kiss
Don't say a word, just hold me close, I hear your heart talking to me...
Secretly...
Yeah...
Nothing I can do, I'm losin' myself over you...
And it hurts me so right
Can't deny it's true
You know I couldn't fight it baby even if I wanted to
I'm losin' myself over you... over you...
Listen to me now...
And when the darkness came, you washed away the pain
You can do anything when it comes to me (comes to me)
I won't hold back, I want to know no shame, take me away in the sky... (Oooh)
Over you.... Over you... Over you...
Nothing I can do... I'm losin' myself over you...
And it hurts me so right
Can't deny it's true
You know I couldn't fight it baby even if I wanted to
I'm losin' myself over you... over you... over you... [fade]
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-= DEBWATCH =-
Here's a summary of the significant TV appearances that Deborah has made
between 12/09/92 - 12/25/92:
12/10/92 : ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
A segment of the video shoot for "Losin' Myself" was shown.
See article for more details.
12/07-12/27 : WINANS REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS
This two hour, syndicated Christmas special included Deborah's
live performance of "Sleigh Ride." The Winans sung background
for this song. Deborah is also seen briefly throughout the
show. At the end, she joins the rest of the group to sing.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-= CLOSING REMARKS =-
According to several fans nationwide, Deborah has made many promotional
appearances at radio stations, include KPLZ in Seattle, Washington; KZZU-93
in Spokane, Washington; Portland, Oregon; KIIS in Los Angeles, California;
KROQ on their weekly show "Loveline" giving advice to listeners about
relationships, also in Los Angeles; 91X in San Diego, California; Nevada;
and WPLJ in New York. Most of these radio interviews included the regional
debuts of "Losin' Myself." Meanwhile, many stations and broadcasting
systems have played Deborah's rendition of "Sleigh Ride" from the _A Very
Special Christmas 2_ album during this holiday season.
Articles for BtL, sparked by Deborah's upcoming single and album, have been
pouring in at an impressive rate. As a result, the final issue of BtL for
1992 will be released on New Year's Eve.