"Baby Turns Blue" is a 1982 single by Irish post-punk band Virgin Prunes, featured on their acclaimed debut album ...If I Die, I Die. Produced by Colin Newman (of Wire), the track is a cornerstone of the band’s gothic and experimental legacy, known for its theatrical intensity and provocative subject matter1.
Background and Meaning
According to singer Gavin Friday, "Baby Turns Blue" was inspired by the real-life death of a girl the band knew who died from a heroin overdose. By the time she was found, her body had turned blue. The song is not just a personal lament but also a commentary on how communities cope with tragedy:
“It’s about this girl we know who died of a heroin overdose. And by the time they’d found her, she’d turned blue… a serious and sad story, but all the local auld biddies were gossiping about it, trying to explain it away, as if talking about it could melt away or gloss over the unpleasant home truths, that it had touched their lives, that it could happen to them. It’s a singalonga Prune song to show the blase way ordinary people cope, they chew over and trivialise them so they can distance them from their own lives, that’s why the tune of the song is so song-song…”2
Lyrics and Themes
The lyrics are fragmented and surreal, mixing the tragic with the mundane and the absurd. Refrains like "What should we do if baby turns blue?" and "Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?" repeat throughout, underscoring themes of emotional numbness, social detachment, and the trivialization of tragedy4. The song references self-harm, addiction, and death, but also everyday cravings ("Give me money, give me sex, give me food and cigarette"), highlighting the collision between existential despair and daily life4.
Musical Style
Musically, "Baby Turns Blue" is urgent and chaotic, driven by pounding drums, jagged guitars, and Gavin Friday’s anguished vocals. The sound is both menacing and oddly catchy, reflecting the band’s penchant for blending post-punk aggression with gothic theatricality1.
Release Details
- Released: 9 October 1982 (Rough Trade)
- Album: ...If I Die, I Die
- Genre: Post-punk, gothic rock
- Notable: The 12" remix was retitled "The Faculties of a Broken Heart"1.
Key Facts Table
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Artist | Virgin Prunes |
| Song | Baby Turns Blue |
| Album | ...If I Die, I Die (1982) |
| Writer(s) | Virgin Prunes |
| Producer(s) | Colin Newman, Virgin Prunes |
| Genre | Post-punk, gothic rock |
| Theme | Heroin overdose, community response, numbness |
| Notable Remix Title | The Faculties of a Broken Heart (12" version) |
Summary
"Baby Turns Blue" is a dark, theatrical meditation on tragedy and denial, using the story of a heroin overdose to explore how communities distance themselves from uncomfortable truths. Its blend of post-punk ferocity and lyrical irony makes it a defining track of the Virgin Prunes’ provocative legacy21.
