Foolish Beat

"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.^[1] 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.

"Foolish Beat"
Single by Debbie Gibson
from the album Out of the Blue
B-side	"Foolish Beat" (instrumental)
Released	March 25, 1988 (1988-03-25)
Length	4:22
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Deborah Gibson
Producer(s)	Deborah Gibson
Debbie Gibson singles chronology
"Out of the Blue" (1988) "Foolish Beat" (1988) "Staying Together" (1988)
Music video
Foolish Beat on YouTube

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."^[2]

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.^[3]

Track listings

7-inch and cassette single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Foolish Beat"	4:20
2.	"Fallen Angel" (Vocal)	3:42

All tracks are written by Deborah Gibson.

• 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.

12-inch single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Foolish Beat" (extended mix)	6:46
2.	"Foolish Beat" (instrumental)	4:28
3.	"Only in My Dreams" (Dream House mix)	10:03
4.	"Medley: Out of the Blue/Shake Your Love/Only in My Dreams" (Debbie Gibson mega mix)	7:13

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1988) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[4] 60 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 20 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 2 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[7] 8 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] 28 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[9] 16 Ireland (IRMA)[10] 5 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] 8 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 7 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 29 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[14] 26 Spain (AFYVE)[15] 36 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] 10 UK Singles (OCC)[17] 9 US Billboard Hot 100[18] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[19] 8 US Cashbox Charts[20] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1988) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[21] 94 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[22] 32 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[23] 68 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 75 US Billboard Hot 100[25] 32

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Japan	March 25, 1988	Mini-CD	Atlantic	[26]
United States	April 11, 1988	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl cassette		[citation needed]
United Kingdom	June 27, 1988	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl		[27]

Cover versions

• Saho Nozaki recorded a Japanese-language cover of the song titled "Nemurenu Yoru wo Sugite" (眠れぬ夜を過ぎて, "After a Sleepless Night") in 1988.^[28]
• Voices of Extreme recorded a metal cover of the song, with the music video featuring Gibson herself.^[29][30]