Blondie was very active in the "sub culture" back at the time and black rappers had no chance of ever getting played on the radio. She basically played homage to the early rap artists and by introducing the audience to this new genre, enabled others to follow.
There were local NYC radio stations playing the early stuff, but no national exposure. Even to this day, the NYC media market is loaded with music you really can't hear anywhere else, except maybe with a ton of online digging.
@@meminustherandomgooglenumbers The Sugar Hill Gang has the tag of the first hip hop album released to the masses. This song was released one week later. When SNL approached Blondie to preform this song, she refused unless they included The Funky 4+1. The first National aperance of any of those NY underground artists. Fab Five Freddy told me everybody's fly DJ spinnin' I said, "My my" Flash is fast, Flash is cool François c'est pas, Flash ain't no dude And you don't stop, sure shot. Is the opening to the Rap of the song.
@@meminustherandomgooglenumbers You are right, I didn't realize the date. I knew it was close. But regardless, Blondie was a big part of it's introduction. She was involved with them all back in that day. She had the platform to help and actually did so. This song was all about them, not her.
Rappers Delight was in the pop charts a year or so? before this but Rapture was the first rap song to be #1. Fab Five Freddy was friends with the band and took them to a rap show. "Fab Five Freddy told me everybody's fly". "Flash is fast, Flash is cool" is indeed referring to Grand Master Flash. the official video features Fab Five Freddy and Jean Michel Basquiat (he's the DJ). The band still tours and is still great live.
Strangely, Blondie also played a small part in the Rappers Delight song coming about - the story is on Wikipedia or somewhere, and tells of Fab Freddy 5 and the Sugarhill gang jumping on stage at a Chic and Blondie concert and freestyling to Chic's 'Good Times', leading to the song being released a few weeks later. Debbie Harry and Chris Stein were friends with Fab 5 Freddy and were both impressed with the freestyle rap happening in the Bronx. They actually wrote Rapture in late 1979, about the same time as Rappers Delight, but it was a bit slower and they put it to one side until the following year when they speeded it up a bit and put it on their album.
Yes definitely one of the first. And it’s a little strange yet wonderful at the same time. Blondie was originally a punk band, their sound is all over the place from punk, funk, disco, pop. Debbie Harry is one of the iconic front women. Rapture was huge. Some of their best songs were “Call Me”, “One Way or Another “, Oh and a gem of “heart of Glass”.
Yeah, Blondie wasn't particularly pleased when they got signed and told to do disco. The result is all sorts of things that were flipping the bird at the label while technically complying. It's glorious.
She came to America to do an MTV event and Fab 5 Freddie was to show her around New York. She wanted to see were this rap music was coming from, so he took her to the clubs that were playing rap music. That's why she name drops those guys.
Fab First Five Freddy and Grandmaster Flash she shouted out to both of them. She liked the party in Harlem and they were her friends, absolute pioneers in the industry. At one point the line Fab Five Freddy says everybody’s fly was the most sampled line in hip-hop. Great reaction.😊
She definitely introduced "white people" (hate to say it) to rap for the first time! Debbie was the first to cross genres together! Beautiful Lady and great group!!
@@internaut4257 I hate the word "pedantic" because often people use it when I feel it's justified, but I totally agree it's clear Teresa meant modern times.
For those living outside Brooklyn Heights, or the Bronx, this was the first taste of rap anyone had heard. The Furious Five, Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Flash had all gone unnoticed by the public to this time. A couple years later, Run DMC and the BEASTIE BOYS took rap to the charts. The Beasties had the 1st #1 selling rap album ever, and got Def Jam records started, and discovered more artists like LL Cool J. But Blondie gave us our first taste in 1978 with this song and it premiered on Friday Night Videos (before MtV was a thing) and freaked out a lot of people. I know it is a very mild rap, but hip hop was in it's infancy at the time.
funny. I was thinking, "no way, the beastie boys were much later" but I was becoming a teen in the early 80s and so the gap between rapture and them seems huge, but it was almost seemless. funny. (and possibly overlapped, but i hadn't heard of the beasties until maybe 83) great comment, thanks.
I live and work in a musical environment and hands down Blondie is the most versatile band in history. This was the first rap song to hit number 1. Amazingly, they had 4 consecutive #1 hits. In 1979, Heart of Glass was the second best selling single of the entire year. 1980 Blondie's "Call Me" stayed in the #1 spot on Billboards HOT 100 for 6 weeks, making it the best selling single in the entire US for the year 1980. It left Michael Jackson Off The Wall and Pink Floyds Another Brick in the Wall in the dust (and Queen, etc). Then just prior to this song reaching number one, their first single from the album Autoamerican, The Tide is High, reach #1. From 79 to 81 Blondie was the best selling band in the world. In the UK they had 6 number one hits and are the only band to out sell the Beatles at that time. Blondie sold more singles in the UK than any other band. Debbie Harry was ranked as the most photographed women in the world during that time. Cosmopolitan listed her as one of the 10 most beautiful girls in the world. She is in the Gennis Book of World Records as the oldest singer to have a #1 hit when Fun reached #1 on the US Dance charts a couple of years ago when she was 73 years old!!!! Their last album Pollinator was awesome. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and are still producing hits and selling out all over the world despite her being 77 years old in about a week. Check out the song No Exit, a rap song with Coolio and members of Wu Tang. Check out Shakedown from the Curse of Blondie, it is a real rap song. They have jazz, punk, pop, electronic, funk, R^B, Dixieland, and songs in English, Spanish, French, and so on. Incredible band and Debbie is the coolest, most humble person on the planet.
As a kid growing up in the 80s I always loved this group. And unfortunately, at least in white suburbia I always felt they were not fully understood or appreciated for their talent. In the 80s, a lot of people in suburban America just sort of assumed they were another pop band with not much to offer. They probably weren't well understood because, as you.allude to, this group crossed a lot a different genres and they were hard to categorize. They were way ahead of their own time - in many ways I think their music is better understood now than it was back then. And they are indeed an amazing group.
@@John_Locke_108 He sticks to live versions whenever possible to try and keep copyright strikes to a minimum. He has stated on a few occasions that after reactions he will go listen to studio versions as well. I get his point of avoiding copyright strikes, but I wouldn't mind an occasional bit where he might cut in an added comment on the studio versions and his thoughts in comparison to the live versions even if he didn't react to them on camera.
Blondie was a regular act at the music club CBGB in New York so she (Debbie Harry) and the band was exposed to and friends with a wide range of people and artists. CBGB is considered the birth place of punk rock but many types of music was played there and it's a place every band wanted to play at.
I had the amazing experience of seeing Blondie at the o2 Arena in London a few months ago and even at 76, Debbie Harry still slayed a 12 minute version of this epic classic.
Fab Five Freddie was one of the few guys that ran in all circles to include NYC punk scene. This also led to bands like The Beastie Boys transitioning from hardcore punk to hip hop.
Many have pointed out that this was the first rap song to go to #1. But the other thing that distinguished it from the Manhattan and South Bronx rap scene, besides her being White, is that it uses original music rather than samples.
This is also the sample used for KRS-ONE’s song Rapture, which is my favorite KRS-ONE song. Debbie Harry helped open the door for hip hop in the main stream. Her and Aerosmith were very early mainstream artists to support hip hop.
"Like all bands should sound like this live guys, like no excuse, no excuse." This comment so reminds me of Mr Greg Hall, my High School band teacher...
Rapture was THE first number one single featuring rap. It paved the way for all that followed. SHG Rapper's Delight was an earlier hit but never hit number 1. The GMF and FFF references was Blondie giving props to the pioneers of the NY underground scene. The original video one can say has historic value.
OMG! I think I just figured she's referencing Bowie's alter ego, the Man from Mars. I only started learning about Bowie's musical career using personas, e.g. Thin White Duke era.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who had that thought, and I've been studying Bowie for decades! Button Eyes is the saddest; he's hard to absorb, so poignant it hurts the heart to watch him.
Debbie Harry raps and has always been a fan of rap. In the early 2000's she wrote a song called "Dirty n Deep" as a tribute to Lil Kim while she was in prison.
Yep, MrLBoyd, you're right. It's one of the first. Legend has it to have been suggested by Fab Five Freddy who is also in the video. Cool to see you grabbed the 'paint a train' reference without even seeing the official video (btw you should watch it, of course it's a little more polished). The graffiti is in the video and also includes another graffiti artist (Basquiat) who is said to have shown up to replace Grandmaster Flash when he didn't show. The lyrics are said to have been written by one of Blondie's band members and he decided to write about space and aliens because he had a particular interest in science fiction. And of course, as you mentioned, rap was a bit different back then, and often lyrics will sound kind of strange to today's listeners (not always but sometimes). One of the early rap songs I recall listening to had a line something like 'Mr Shark, you live in the ocean, help me find that magic potion.' I'm not certain Debbie Harry did any rap ever before this but this song is truly stellar. Honestly it's hard for me to listen to some of today's rap because it mainly seems to center around violence, money, female exploitation, etc, and they only seem to do it because it sells. Of course, that's the way of many genres, I guess.
I like that song as well. The first line just jumps you right into the storyline and I like that about the song: "When I met you in the restaurant; you could tell I was no debutante. You asked me what's my pleasure; a movie or a measure. I'll have a cup of tea..."
New York punk rockers knew what was up. See also Beastie Boys... There have been some great dance remixes of this over the years, but I really like KRS-ONE's use of the chorus in "Step Into A World", that I think does a great job of paying homage.
This song blew my mind as a kid, when Blondie Performed this song live on the Jerry Lewis Telethon in Sept of 1980... William Barnes in that white Tux with those glasses that had the red LED was like the wildest thing I had ever seen .. gave me a good chuckle to see it dawn on you that she was rapping
If you do come back to this you should check out the official video! It's really fun! Also she won the first award for a rap song leading the way for others to follow.
The members of Blondie didn't just go to CBGB and Max's Kansas City for musical outings in NYC -- they were up on everything musical going on in the 5 boroughs -- thus the references to Fab Five Freddy and Grandmaster Flash.
I suggest you listen to the Tom Tom Club (side band of base player and drummer of Talking Heads; they continued after the Heads broke up): 1981, the title song of their first album, Wordy Rappinghood. Also on this album is Genius of Love, which has been sampled by many. It came out only a few months after Blondie’s Rapture. The bands weren’t aware of each other doing “rap.” Tom Tom Club recorded in the Bahamas, with Chris ? head of Island Records. Blondie recorded in NYC. Coincidental timing of two white women “rapping.” For reference, Grandmaster Flash’s The Message came out in 1982.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Grandmaster Flash was meant to appear in the music video but couldn't because of scheduling or something. As a related video you should check out, "The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel", This song is one of the records he uses in his mix.
The Clash recorded rap song Magnificent 7 in April 1980 and also had Grandmaster Flash support them at Bonds in New Jersey to help bring them to the attention of a new audience!
Something else to give a listen to from around this time, Rapture was 1980, this song is from 1987, "Pump up the volume" by M.A.R.R.S just as Rapture pushed rap out to be noticed more, Pump Up the volume made a mark to, I won't say what that is, that's for you to hear when you listen to it. I'd be surprised if you can find a live video, I don't think they did anything outside of the studio, it was a musical collaboration, a 1 hit wonder.
The original video has Basquiat! Love it. Was Keith Haring in it too? Know there were so many artists from graffiti to music in that video! Thanks for the reaction.
Debbie Harry is the closest thing I could call to an idol to me. I had Blondie cassette tapes in the 80's when I was in elementary school. She's the reason I learned French, lol. I am SUCH a fan. There are songs I would recommend but they wouldn't really do anything for your channel, they're more obscure. As far as songs that were at least popular at their time, Shayla and Union City Blues would be my favorites. Shayla especially. It's a very touching song, Blondie was insanely better live than recorded despite how good their recordings were.
Another long-time fan here. I agree with you on all points. Debbie has so much creative range - far more than a lot of other singer/song-writers. I don't think she receives enough credit for her genius.
Why are you listening to this version? You already weaken the listening experience by going this route. The shock and awe you need/deserve from this song aren't felt with this version. YES, you need to come back to this and look at it in its contextual relevance
@@mycocorleone4771 ahh, makes sense then; but I'd like to see just MRLBOYD' s face and hear his words reacting to the studio sounds maybe at the END of the live versions. He needs it and we'd appreciate it, too, I think. It would send perhaps new listeners to it, which is probably a good thing for the artists, too. Win win win!
I've never seen you so visibly enjoy a song before. Thanks. That's pretty much how I reacted first time. And when it was over I said "Play that again".
Debbie could have worn a trash bag and made it look chic. Oh wait, she did in the video for Atomic! She had(has) endless and effortless charisma. I was in high school at the end of the 70's and Blondie was always on the radio. Just the best musically!!!
The first rap song to hit number one on the charts. You definitely need to check out the official video. Fab 5 Freddy makes an appearance. ( in the white suit )
Fab 5 Freddy does make a cameo appearance in the video, but the guy in the white suit is dancer William Barnes. Fab 5 Freddy is one of the guys tagging the walls when she starts rapping.
It is widely known and accepted that this was an early rap song. Blondie were musicians based in New York who loved the club scene - - all clubs. Fab Five Freddy was a great artist of early hip hop and Grand Master Flash was the DJ of choice in clubs. This song is a blend of rap - punk - reggae - and disco sounds. The horns were rich like Earth, Wind, and Fire; Tower of Power; Doobie Brothers; The Band; James Brown; et al... This song was from the Autoamerican album which also has "The Tide is High" another single with Caribbean flavor...enjoy the deep dive.
Your critic was spot on. Point for point you read the song and historical cultural content accurately. I enjoyed watching this reaction with you Mr LBoyd. Cheers.
Punks hip hoppin' on the rap train. What a beautiful time. Fun fact, before her punk days she was a singer in a folk group. Oh, so many songs all suggestions you get here I am sure are worth exploring.
You know it's funny that she's the original Blondie however when her drummer / boyfriend got sick she got out of the music business for a little while that's when Madonna came up behind her and she was basically forgotten even though she sang a lot more genres that were unexpected including reggae rap and you know back in the day you know the '80s New York club jams which later came to be known as Latin freestyle. I'm Puerto Rican and I like her freestyle and her song is called in love with love make sure you find the freestyle version. Her real name is Debbie Harry
This was a HUGE HIT on MTV and on Top 10 Radio, and this was the First Rap song that I can recall. Of course, it didn't hurt that when the song came out, that Debbie was gorgeous and sexy, and she could sing too.
If I remember correctly Debbie Harry and Chris Stein were friends with some of those early rappers and were impressed. Blondie was well known for crossing music genre. This song was the first rap song to hit #1 on the billboard charts and the first rap song played on MTV.
This was spoken about - at least in punk rock and pop cultures, I knew about this being the first #1 rap song since I first learned of the band in my 20's. It might not be known about in the hip hop or rap communities but punk rockers and many pop people knew. This is what introduced punk rockers and pop fans to rap.
I’ll say that by listening to a live version it was much longer but you got the added benefit of that great horn section. The depth isn’t explored win the regular version. Debby Harry’s voice is cleaner in the regular but I can appreciate the live also. Definitely one of the first mainstream rap. Yes I’m old.
It was the second rap song ever recorded and the first rap video because Blondie wanted to use their influence to push rap into the mainstream. Debbie Harry and Fab Five Freddy were friends. He's in the video.
First hip-hop song to reach 1 in billboard charts. I'd say Freddy knew that it would open the door for rap to go mainstream and ease the general public into the amazing sounds of hip-hop.
Gotta REVISIT & watch the video with Fab 5 Freddie👍 BLONDIE WERE AHEAD OF THEIR GAME!!! Debbie Harry was an ICONIC frontwoman - she had such an impact on female vocalists - her voice, style and looks - she was an one off! I believe this was the first time rap aired on MTV in 1981(!) Debbie hung out with street rappers in NY loved their style. PLEASE REACT to 'Atomic', 'Call Me', 'Heart Of Glass', 'Sunday Girl', 'One Way and Another', 'Hangin On The Telephone' - great band - punk/alterative/new-wave....brilliant! I Saw them about 5 years ago at a big music festival - crowd went WILD! More BLONDIE please!👱♀️🤘
The original music video is waaaaaaaaay better… her more youthful sounding angelic voice plus the 80’s style video is an epic watch … check it out..and yes, Fab 5 is in the video..
Rapper's Delight Billboard Staff Their 1979 single, “Rapper's Delight,” was arguably the first rap song to be played on the radio and the first hip-hop single to become a Top 40 chart hit, reaching No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.Feb 10, 2011
You have to watch the official video, so you can have the full effect. She is the first female white "rapper". This is the first official rap/Hip Hop song to air on MTV. It was a number 1 hit. A few of the ban members, including Debbie were friends with Fab Five Freddy. He introduced them to Hip Hop and Hip Hop culture.
Blondie came from the New York music and art scene of the late 70s and early 80s which was a scene which embraced every form of musical expression of whatever genre. I always saw Blondie as the punks who DIDN'T hate disco, and I know Debbie Harry was a huge fan of the early hip hop scene in New York, the true originators like Cool Herc Fab 5 Freddy and Grandmaster Flash.
Before rap went mainstream there were several artists who noticed and were inspired by it. Another song you might want to check out is 'Wordy Rappinghood' (1981) by Tom Tom Club, a curious but fun song.
Blondie and Fab Five Freddy are friends. Fab Five Freddy wanted them to write a song about him. When they played him this he thought it was a joke. They weren't really gonna release it... He says....
first rap songs I remember were by the Sugar Hill Gang and then Grandmaster Flash. Then this song. Blondie was a great band, coming up from the punk rock scene and then on the forefront of New Wave.
Hey, Just found your channel today. I love the videos. You need to listen to Harper Valley P.T.A by Jeannie C. Riley if you haven't yet. That's a good one for you to do a video on.
Blondie was very active in the "sub culture" back at the time and black rappers had no chance of ever getting played on the radio. She basically played homage to the early rap artists and by introducing the audience to this new genre, enabled others to follow.
There were local NYC radio stations playing the early stuff, but no national exposure. Even to this day, the NYC media market is loaded with music you really can't hear anywhere else, except maybe with a ton of online digging.
@@meminustherandomgooglenumbers The Sugar Hill Gang has the tag of the first hip hop album released to the masses. This song was released one week later. When SNL approached Blondie to preform this song, she refused unless they included The Funky 4+1. The first National aperance of any of those NY underground artists.
Fab Five Freddy told me everybody's fly
DJ spinnin' I said, "My my"
Flash is fast, Flash is cool
François c'est pas, Flash ain't no dude
And you don't stop, sure shot. Is the opening to the Rap of the song.
@@bettyrose959 This song was released more like a year later
@@meminustherandomgooglenumbers You are right, I didn't realize the date. I knew it was close. But regardless, Blondie was a big part of it's introduction. She was involved with them all back in that day. She had the platform to help and actually did so. This song was all about them, not her.
Rappers Delight was in the pop charts a year or so? before this but Rapture was the first rap song to be #1. Fab Five Freddy was friends with the band and took them to a rap show. "Fab Five Freddy told me everybody's fly". "Flash is fast, Flash is cool" is indeed referring to Grand Master Flash. the official video features Fab Five Freddy and Jean Michel Basquiat (he's the DJ).
The band still tours and is still great live.
Sugar Hill was the best loved all the songs, used to roller skate to them lol 😍 Apache jump on it 😎
Strangely, Blondie also played a small part in the Rappers Delight song coming about - the story is on Wikipedia or somewhere, and tells of Fab Freddy 5 and the Sugarhill gang jumping on stage at a Chic and Blondie concert and freestyling to Chic's 'Good Times', leading to the song being released a few weeks later. Debbie Harry and Chris Stein were friends with Fab 5 Freddy and were both impressed with the freestyle rap happening in the Bronx. They actually wrote Rapture in late 1979, about the same time as Rappers Delight, but it was a bit slower and they put it to one side until the following year when they speeded it up a bit and put it on their album.
@@Niphredil02 a fellow traveler. I can’t think about Rapper’s Delight without wanting to roller skate in a circle 🤣
There's a really recent video of Debbie Harry doing a duet with Billie Eilish.
@@davidjames3080 blondie also ayed apart in the Ramones as the drummer was originally clem burke later elvis ramone
Yes definitely one of the first. And it’s a little strange yet wonderful at the same time. Blondie was originally a punk band, their sound is all over the place from punk, funk, disco, pop. Debbie Harry is one of the iconic front women. Rapture was huge. Some of their best songs were “Call Me”, “One Way or Another “, Oh and a gem of “heart of Glass”.
For a lesser known Blondie song, try Bermuda Triangle Blues.
Yeah, Blondie wasn't particularly pleased when they got signed and told to do disco. The result is all sorts of things that were flipping the bird at the label while technically complying. It's glorious.
They check every genre but country.
Debbie is a dreamboat of musical knowledge. She cute too tho.
FIRST AND BEST RAP SONG EVER! HOW HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD IT?! HA! One Way Or Another, great song too!
It is credited with being the first rap song to chart on the mainstream charts.
You are totally correct.
Rapper's Delight was released a little earlier and cracked the top 40 (was a top 5 hit on the soul charts).
Rapture was the first song with Rap to hit #1 , but as pointed out Rappers Delight did chart and get as high as #36 on the Pop chart
She came to America to do an MTV event and Fab 5 Freddie was to show her around New York. She wanted to see were this rap music was coming from, so he took her to the clubs that were playing rap music. That's why she name drops those guys.
She helped Rap DJs break through to day at the bigger night clubs...This song was her showing her appreciation for the culture and sounds of hip hop
Fab First Five Freddy and Grandmaster Flash she shouted out to both of them. She liked the party in Harlem and they were her friends, absolute pioneers in the industry. At one point the line Fab Five Freddy says everybody’s fly was the most sampled line in hip-hop. Great reaction.😊
She definitely introduced "white people" (hate to say it) to rap for the first time! Debbie was the first to cross genres together! Beautiful Lady and great group!!
Not really considering rap comes from flyting which Northern Europeans were doing in the middle ages.
@@Spr1ggan87 you know she meant in modern times man, dont be pedantic
@@internaut4257 I hate the word "pedantic" because often people use it when I feel it's justified, but I totally agree it's clear Teresa meant modern times.
@@Spr1ggan87 Interesting. I didn't know about that.
@@sandragray4598 It was something done mainly in Scotland and Scandinavia, basically ye olde equivalent of face to face diss tracks.
Yes, please come back to this song in a couple weeks. I recommend reacting to the studio version music video next time.
Yes, do give a listen to the studio version as well. Maybe roll it into that deeper dive video you were talking about when you do that.
Go for the 12" version rather than the 7" edit...
For those living outside Brooklyn Heights, or the Bronx, this was the first taste of rap anyone had heard. The Furious Five, Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Flash had all gone unnoticed by the public to this time. A couple years later, Run DMC and the BEASTIE BOYS took rap to the charts. The Beasties had the 1st #1 selling rap album ever, and got Def Jam records started, and discovered more artists like LL Cool J. But Blondie gave us our first taste in 1978 with this song and it premiered on Friday Night Videos (before MtV was a thing) and freaked out a lot of people. I know it is a very mild rap, but hip hop was in it's infancy at the time.
funny. I was thinking, "no way, the beastie boys were much later" but I was becoming a teen in the early 80s and so the gap between rapture and them seems huge, but it was almost seemless. funny. (and possibly overlapped, but i hadn't heard of the beasties until maybe 83) great comment, thanks.
I live and work in a musical environment and hands down Blondie is the most versatile band in history. This was the first rap song to hit number 1. Amazingly, they had 4 consecutive #1 hits. In 1979, Heart of Glass was the second best selling single of the entire year. 1980 Blondie's "Call Me" stayed in the #1 spot on Billboards HOT 100 for 6 weeks, making it the best selling single in the entire US for the year 1980. It left Michael Jackson Off The Wall and Pink Floyds Another Brick in the Wall in the dust (and Queen, etc). Then just prior to this song reaching number one, their first single from the album Autoamerican, The Tide is High, reach #1. From 79 to 81 Blondie was the best selling band in the world. In the UK they had 6 number one hits and are the only band to out sell the Beatles at that time. Blondie sold more singles in the UK than any other band. Debbie Harry was ranked as the most photographed women in the world during that time. Cosmopolitan listed her as one of the 10 most beautiful girls in the world. She is in the Gennis Book of World Records as the oldest singer to have a #1 hit when Fun reached #1 on the US Dance charts a couple of years ago when she was 73 years old!!!! Their last album Pollinator was awesome. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and are still producing hits and selling out all over the world despite her being 77 years old in about a week. Check out the song No Exit, a rap song with Coolio and members of Wu Tang. Check out Shakedown from the Curse of Blondie, it is a real rap song. They have jazz, punk, pop, electronic, funk, R^B, Dixieland, and songs in English, Spanish, French, and so on. Incredible band and Debbie is the coolest, most humble person on the planet.
As a kid growing up in the 80s I always loved this group. And unfortunately, at least in white suburbia I always felt they were not fully understood or appreciated for their talent. In the 80s, a lot of people in suburban America just sort of assumed they were another pop band with not much to offer. They probably weren't well understood because, as you.allude to, this group crossed a lot a different genres and they were hard to categorize. They were way ahead of their own time - in many ways I think their music is better understood now than it was back then. And they are indeed an amazing group.
The studio version of this, or the official video...her voice is...I dunno...haunting?
Yeah , I don't know why he keeps ignoring the studio versions for live performances
@@John_Locke_108 He sticks to live versions whenever possible to try and keep copyright strikes to a minimum. He has stated on a few occasions that after reactions he will go listen to studio versions as well. I get his point of avoiding copyright strikes, but I wouldn't mind an occasional bit where he might cut in an added comment on the studio versions and his thoughts in comparison to the live versions even if he didn't react to them on camera.
@@SpyderWebbedHawk I just watched a reaction to this song last week on a different channel. So I that shouldn't be an issue.
@@John_Locke_108 The algorithm is weird. Some people it skips over entirely and then others get hit nonstop.
Rapper’s Delight was the first Rap, recorded, and played on radio!
Blondie was a regular act at the music club CBGB in New York so she (Debbie Harry) and the band was exposed to and friends with a wide range of people and artists. CBGB is considered the birth place of punk rock but many types of music was played there and it's a place every band wanted to play at.
I had the amazing experience of seeing Blondie at the o2 Arena in London a few months ago and even at 76, Debbie Harry still slayed a 12 minute version of this epic classic.
Rapture was the first rap song to hit#1.
I love Blonde.
First song with a rap in it to go #1.
Yeah she knew Fab 5 Freddy, lol.. if you did the official video you would SEE him.
Fab Five Freddie was one of the few guys that ran in all circles to include NYC punk scene. This also led to bands like
The Beastie Boys transitioning from hardcore punk to hip hop.
Call Me was a song Blondie performed that was in the movie American Gigolo.
I was so in love with Debbie Harry when I was a kid brings back good memories.
You and me both boss, you and me both.
Many have pointed out that this was the first rap song to go to #1. But the other thing that distinguished it from the Manhattan and South Bronx rap scene, besides her being White, is that it uses original music rather than samples.
Blondie carved her success beginning in the New York scene. Her biography is definitely worthy of a read. 💯
Blondie is not a 'her' it's a band, give the guys some credit, especially the drummer
Those were the Dayz in NYC! I was there! So exciting. Punk Rap Disco we had it all.
This is also the sample used for KRS-ONE’s song Rapture, which is my favorite KRS-ONE song. Debbie Harry helped open the door for hip hop in the main stream. Her and Aerosmith were very early mainstream artists to support hip hop.
It's the KRS-ONE song "Step Into a World (Rapture's Delight)".
"Like all bands should sound like this live guys, like no excuse, no excuse."
This comment so reminds me of Mr Greg Hall, my High School band teacher...
Rapture was THE first number one single featuring rap. It paved the way for all that followed. SHG Rapper's Delight was an earlier hit but never hit number 1. The GMF and FFF references was Blondie giving props to the pioneers of the NY underground scene. The original video one can say has historic value.
What makes this song unique is that is has all of it's own original music by the band without any sampling.
I believe the official video is commonly credited as the first "rap song" on MTV.
You've just heard a piece of rap history. Congrats!!
OMG! I think I just figured she's referencing Bowie's alter ego, the Man from Mars. I only started learning about Bowie's musical career using personas, e.g. Thin White Duke era.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who had that thought, and I've been studying Bowie for decades! Button Eyes is the saddest; he's hard to absorb, so poignant it hurts the heart to watch him.
@@ContentMadame the wiki says stein wrote the man from mars and he drew from sci-fi - so could be war of the worlds (HG Wells)
Debbie Harry raps and has always been a fan of rap. In the early 2000's she wrote a song called "Dirty n Deep" as a tribute to Lil Kim while she was in prison.
*Fun Fact:* this was the first song with a rap to go #1 (for two weeks) on March 28, 1981
Yep, MrLBoyd, you're right. It's one of the first. Legend has it to have been suggested by Fab Five Freddy who is also in the video. Cool to see you grabbed the 'paint a train' reference without even seeing the official video (btw you should watch it, of course it's a little more polished). The graffiti is in the video and also includes another graffiti artist (Basquiat) who is said to have shown up to replace Grandmaster Flash when he didn't show. The lyrics are said to have been written by one of Blondie's band members and he decided to write about space and aliens because he had a particular interest in science fiction. And of course, as you mentioned, rap was a bit different back then, and often lyrics will sound kind of strange to today's listeners (not always but sometimes). One of the early rap songs I recall listening to had a line something like 'Mr Shark, you live in the ocean, help me find that magic potion.' I'm not certain Debbie Harry did any rap ever before this but this song is truly stellar. Honestly it's hard for me to listen to some of today's rap because it mainly seems to center around violence, money, female exploitation, etc, and they only seem to do it because it sells. Of course, that's the way of many genres, I guess.
Dreaming is another great track, one of my favorites. Such a diverse band in the sounds they find. More Blondie please! You’re the best!
I like that song as well. The first line just jumps you right into the storyline and I like that about the song: "When I met you in the restaurant; you could tell I was no debutante. You asked me what's my pleasure; a movie or a measure. I'll have a cup of tea..."
I love the genuine confusion on your face when she starts the rap. :)
New York punk rockers knew what was up. See also Beastie Boys...
There have been some great dance remixes of this over the years, but I really like KRS-ONE's use of the chorus in "Step Into A World", that I think does a great job of paying homage.
She performed this with the Muppets on their show and it kind of made more sense the way they presented it.
the punk scene (Of which Blondie was a part of) and the rap scene were happening concurrently in the 70s in NYC.
This song blew my mind as a kid, when Blondie Performed this song live on the Jerry Lewis Telethon in Sept of 1980... William Barnes in that white Tux with those glasses that had the red LED was like the wildest thing I had ever seen .. gave me a good chuckle to see it dawn on you that she was rapping
If you do come back to this you should check out the official video! It's really fun! Also she won the first award for a rap song leading the way for others to follow.
The members of Blondie didn't just go to CBGB and Max's Kansas City for musical outings in NYC -- they were up on everything musical going on in the 5 boroughs -- thus the references to Fab Five Freddy and Grandmaster Flash.
I suggest you listen to the Tom Tom Club (side band of base player and drummer of Talking Heads; they continued after the Heads broke up): 1981, the title song of their first album, Wordy Rappinghood. Also on this album is Genius of Love, which has been sampled by many. It came out only a few months after Blondie’s Rapture. The bands weren’t aware of each other doing “rap.” Tom Tom Club recorded in the Bahamas, with Chris ? head of Island Records. Blondie recorded in NYC. Coincidental timing of two white women “rapping.”
For reference, Grandmaster Flash’s The Message came out in 1982.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Grandmaster Flash was meant to appear in the music video but couldn't because of scheduling or something. As a related video you should check out, "The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel", This song is one of the records he uses in his mix.
The legendary band that is Blondie, still doing it live today in 2023, Debbie must be in her 60's
She's 77
@@andyb7963 WOW
The Clash recorded rap song Magnificent 7 in April 1980 and also had Grandmaster Flash support them at Bonds in New Jersey to help bring them to the attention of a new audience!
Something else to give a listen to from around this time, Rapture was 1980, this song is from 1987, "Pump up the volume" by M.A.R.R.S just as Rapture pushed rap out to be noticed more, Pump Up the volume made a mark to, I won't say what that is, that's for you to hear when you listen to it. I'd be surprised if you can find a live video, I don't think they did anything outside of the studio, it was a musical collaboration, a 1 hit wonder.
"It almost feels funky..." The viewers are like "You have no ideal." EDIT and this is one you really need to check out the video.
The original video has Basquiat! Love it. Was Keith Haring in it too? Know there were so many artists from graffiti to music in that video! Thanks for the reaction.
Debbie Harry is the closest thing I could call to an idol to me. I had Blondie cassette tapes in the 80's when I was in elementary school. She's the reason I learned French, lol. I am SUCH a fan. There are songs I would recommend but they wouldn't really do anything for your channel, they're more obscure. As far as songs that were at least popular at their time, Shayla and Union City Blues would be my favorites. Shayla especially. It's a very touching song, Blondie was insanely better live than recorded despite how good their recordings were.
Another long-time fan here. I agree with you on all points. Debbie has so much creative range - far more than a lot of other singer/song-writers. I don't think she receives enough credit for her genius.
Why are you listening to this version? You already weaken the listening experience by going this route. The shock and awe you need/deserve from this song aren't felt with this version. YES, you need to come back to this and look at it in its contextual relevance
It's almost pointless for him to do some of the live versions he does... it's not the real song.
because copyright claims
@@mycocorleone4771 ahh, makes sense then; but I'd like to see just MRLBOYD' s face and hear his words reacting to the studio sounds maybe at the END of the live versions.
He needs it and we'd appreciate it, too, I think. It would send perhaps new listeners to it, which is probably a good thing for the artists, too. Win win win!
Good question ☺️
I think the original video had Fab5 and GrandMaster Flash appearances!
The video for this song is considered the first rap video ever played on MTV.
yes she raps, there is a original video with the Blondie and there is scenes to the song as she performs , even fab five fredddy
I've never seen you so visibly enjoy a song before. Thanks. That's pretty much how I reacted first time. And when it was over I said "Play that again".
Basquiat also appears in the original video. Definitely worth a viewing.
Debbie could have worn a trash bag and made it look chic. Oh wait, she did in the video for Atomic! She had(has) endless and effortless charisma. I was in high school at the end of the 70's and Blondie was always on the radio. Just the best musically!!!
This is supposed to be the first Rap song to go to number one.
The first rap song to hit number one on the charts. You definitely need to check out the official video. Fab 5 Freddy makes an appearance. ( in the white suit )
Fab 5 Freddy does make a cameo appearance in the video, but the guy in the white suit is dancer William Barnes. Fab 5 Freddy is one of the guys tagging the walls when she starts rapping.
@@davidjames3080 Thank you.
It is widely known and accepted that this was an early rap song. Blondie were musicians based in New York who loved the club scene - - all clubs. Fab Five Freddy was a great artist of early hip hop and Grand Master Flash was the DJ of choice in clubs. This song is a blend of rap - punk - reggae - and disco sounds. The horns were rich like Earth, Wind, and Fire; Tower of Power; Doobie Brothers; The Band; James Brown; et al... This song was from the Autoamerican album which also has "The Tide is High" another single with Caribbean flavor...enjoy the deep dive.
Your critic was spot on. Point for point you read the song and historical cultural content accurately. I enjoyed watching this reaction with you Mr LBoyd. Cheers.
She was a contemporary of the guys she mentioned. I believe they were friends.
Punks hip hoppin' on the rap train. What a beautiful time.
Fun fact, before her punk days she was a singer in a folk group.
Oh, so many songs all suggestions you get here I am sure are worth exploring.
You know it's funny that she's the original Blondie however when her drummer / boyfriend got sick she got out of the music business for a little while that's when Madonna came up behind her and she was basically forgotten even though she sang a lot more genres that were unexpected including reggae rap and you know back in the day you know the '80s New York club jams which later came to be known as Latin freestyle. I'm Puerto Rican and I like her freestyle and her song is called in love with love make sure you find the freestyle version. Her real name is Debbie Harry
Her boyfriend was the guitarist and co founder Chris Stein!!
This was a HUGE HIT on MTV and on Top 10 Radio, and this was the First Rap song that I can recall. Of course, it didn't hurt that when the song came out, that Debbie was gorgeous and sexy, and she could sing too.
If I remember correctly Debbie Harry and Chris Stein were friends with some of those early rappers and were impressed. Blondie was well known for crossing music genre. This song was the first rap song to hit #1 on the billboard charts and the first rap song played on MTV.
back in day blondie was a punk band and in new york the punk bands and rap artists played the same club
Oh wow I haven't heard this in ages. I forgot how fun it is.
This was spoken about - at least in punk rock and pop cultures, I knew about this being the first #1 rap song since I first learned of the band in my 20's. It might not be known about in the hip hop or rap communities but punk rockers and many pop people knew. This is what introduced punk rockers and pop fans to rap.
I’ll say that by listening to a live version it was much longer but you got the added benefit of that great horn section. The depth isn’t explored win the regular version. Debby Harry’s voice is cleaner in the regular but I can appreciate the live also. Definitely one of the first mainstream rap. Yes I’m old.
This group is called Blondie - The lead singer is Debbie Harry - Thanks for this song
Saw Blondie live a few years ago and they were absolutely fantastic and one of the best concerts I’ve been to.
So happy😊 ! you are the first reactor I have seen catch it , always disappointing when the little shout outs get missed 😎
Yes, it was one of the first Pop/Top 40 songs with rap in it.
It was the second rap song ever recorded and the first rap video because Blondie wanted to use their influence to push rap into the mainstream. Debbie Harry and Fab Five Freddy were friends. He's in the video.
First hip-hop song to reach 1 in billboard charts. I'd say Freddy knew that it would open the door for rap to go mainstream and ease the general public into the amazing sounds of hip-hop.
Gotta REVISIT & watch the video with Fab 5 Freddie👍 BLONDIE WERE AHEAD OF THEIR GAME!!! Debbie Harry was an ICONIC frontwoman - she had such an impact on female vocalists - her voice, style and looks - she was an one off! I believe this was the first time rap aired on MTV in 1981(!) Debbie hung out with street rappers in NY loved their style.
PLEASE REACT to 'Atomic', 'Call Me', 'Heart Of Glass', 'Sunday Girl', 'One Way and Another', 'Hangin On The Telephone' - great band - punk/alterative/new-wave....brilliant!
I Saw them about 5 years ago at a big music festival - crowd went WILD! More BLONDIE please!👱♀️🤘
The original music video is waaaaaaaaay better… her more youthful sounding angelic voice plus the 80’s style video is an epic watch … check it out..and yes, Fab 5 is in the video..
Rapper's Delight
Billboard Staff
Their 1979 single, “Rapper's Delight,” was arguably the first rap song to be played on the radio and the first hip-hop single to become a Top 40 chart hit, reaching No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.Feb 10, 2011
You always manage to get hold of a video I have never seen. Hope you saw the official one.
This song was the first time I'd ever heard rapping and I'm sure that's true for most of my generation of Brits.
It's like a cross between new wave, punk, and rap.
You have to watch the official video, so you can have the full effect. She is the first female white "rapper". This is the first official rap/Hip Hop song to air on MTV. It was a number 1 hit. A few of the ban members, including Debbie were friends with Fab Five Freddy. He introduced them to Hip Hop and Hip Hop culture.
You've gotta check out the Blondie 'No Exit' music video. It's quite the posse cut.
Blondie started out from Punk and New Wave. Then became more pop but was always willing to expand.
That last verse isn’t in the studio version - did she say “and I’ll teach you to rap?” 😎
You're right, the horns are tight. No slop there.
This blew a lot of minds in the 80's when it dropped on the heals of Disco, what a time - the 80's!
Blondie came from the New York music and art scene of the late 70s and early 80s which was a scene which embraced every form of musical expression of whatever genre. I always saw Blondie as the punks who DIDN'T hate disco, and I know Debbie Harry was a huge fan of the early hip hop scene in New York, the true originators like Cool Herc Fab 5 Freddy and Grandmaster Flash.
Before rap went mainstream there were several artists who noticed and were inspired by it. Another song you might want to check out is 'Wordy Rappinghood' (1981) by Tom Tom Club, a curious but fun song.
Some early rap you’d enjoy is “Rapper’s Delight” by the “Sugarhill Gang”.
This was the first rap song. This song got way out there. Reached many. Many that never heard rap.
Song still kicks ass....
First rap song on MTV. Love Blondie great band. You need to watch the video. This is the only rap she did. They are a punk band.
Blondie "ATOMIC" (original video) is my favorite. 👍🏻
I just read that Blondie just turned 77. She looks great!
Blondie and Fab Five Freddy are friends. Fab Five Freddy wanted them to write a song about him. When they played him this he thought it was a joke. They weren't really gonna release it... He says....
you have to listen to the first half of Blondie --- Rapture in acapella just her voice. its awesome
first rap songs I remember were by the Sugar Hill Gang and then Grandmaster Flash. Then this song. Blondie was a great band, coming up from the punk rock scene and then on the forefront of New Wave.
Debbie also had the first rap group to perform on the show with her on her SNL appearance.
Hey, Just found your channel today. I love the videos. You need to listen to Harper Valley P.T.A by Jeannie C. Riley if you haven't yet. That's a good one for you to do a video on.
If the beginning of the song sounds familiar when she starts singing it's because KRS-One sampled "Rapture" for his song "Step into a World".