BLACKIE🎵 Blondie - Atomic REACTION

[@Xman156]

Blondie was punk, new wave, disco, pop, and even rap all rolled into one package. She was phenomenal!

[@paulboudreau3754]

And still is.

[@bellodrade]

Sorry, have to be that guy... Blondie is the group. Deborah Harry is the lead singer.

[@chandie5298]

Exactly.... Blondie experimented with all the new (at that time) styles. It was about exploring creativity. Compare that to now where all music is dictated by a handful of producers who tell the artists what to do.

[@johnboydTx]

The Tide is High 🤔add Reggae to your list .. Great singer 😊✌️❤️

[@TheOriginalFILIBUSTA]

@@bellodrade BE that guy! Remember the pins they had made up? "BLONDIE IS A GROUP!" Can't blame people for getting confused though, after all, Jethro Tull is a great flute player and Led Zeppelin is a good singer, and that guy Lynyrd Skynyrd...man he's amazing!

[@spacelab777]

This was recorded in 1979. Way ahead of its time.

[@Xman156]

But it was released in 1980, so still 80s! 😁

[@guyinsf]

@@Xman156 But 70s in origin because it was written, composed and recorded in 79 and released to the public in 79 via the album it was featured on but that's what great about Blondie their sound gave way to the 80s.

[@TheoZoffrok]

Clem Burke's drumming on this song is feckin' insane, even by his high standards. Love the groove, love the bass, *LOVE* Debbie Harry's vocal - I really don't think her singing gets nearly enough credit.

[@ekgrafix]

Yes the drumming basically on all blonde songs are absolutely stellar ... dreaming is pure perfection and accidents never happen, a personal favorite

[@pjimmbojimmbo1990]

He certainly was worthy of his Nickname, Machine Gun Burke, on 'Dreaming'

[@billfraser7616]

Ive always thought Clem Burke was one of the great all time drummers. But hes never mentioned.

[@jerrycote659]

Clem Burke 🙌🏼 is a freakin’ drum God! He’s so damn good.

[@pjimmbojimmbo1990]

@@billfraser7616 He later played with the Eurythmics

[@mynameispaul0530]

I was blown away the first time I heard this song. There's a youtube video of Blondie interview - she claims that Atomic was originally sort of a parody of disco but turns out "it really works". One of my top 10 all-time fave songs.

[@robertsterner2145]

I think of this as a "party at the nuclear apocalypse" song. It's the end of the world and your hair is beautiful!

[@jaysimoes3705]

Of course not. Atomic is another word for fantastic and explosive here. Explosive, tonight make it magnificent...your hair is beautiful etc...How obvious is it it is about a sexual encounter between two people that (probably) at first look understood what they wanted to do with oneanother. I don't know about these days, it seems dating is a digital and somewhat awkward thing but in those times even at age 15-16 your went out looking for girls (as a guy) vice versa and looked for love, for sex or both. Or just a nice time with your friends dancing, drinking something etc...At least in The Netherlands we did.

[@gosccc]

I, along with most of the male teenage population of the UK at the time was in love with Debbie Harry. That aside, I would have to say that is a great song and brilliantly produced. Pure class and timeless.

[@melissas4874]

And most teen girls in the U.S. (or at least my oldest sister) wanted to do their hair and dress like her. Everyone loved her basically.

[@stixstudios3380]

What do you mean by "WAS" in love with her?

[@gosccc]

@@stixstudios3380 Ha ha 🙂

[@TheMkamix]

One my favorite songs by Blondie.

[@joesmith8725]

Blondie was new wave, punk (this genre always had good bass guitars and danceable beats, some synths) and sometimes fusioned with funk, rap and disco. This is '80s alternative music. Yall see the dance moves from everyone in the video? Particularly the pogo (jump up/down)? That's typical dancing to punk and new wave. lol. Brad is right. Def dance club music. Esp at alteranative, punk, goth, new wave type clubs. Even at roller rinks and regular dance clubs. This song and many other Blondie songs are still played often on college/alternative radio stations to this day. "Atomic" is one of the favorites, classic. Lex is right about Goth vibes, too. They love Blondie songs. This song, video also has Cold War, nuclear war theme. This was during the Cold War. Which many songs and movies, TV shows in the past had that type of reference. Therefore, the melancholy feel (happy/sad). Yall should do "Maria" video next! That was a big hit in the late '90s, early '00s. Their reunion, comeback album.

[@bhbluebird]

Great band, terrific lead singer, great sound and a kick ass drummer. This song was played in the clubs back in the day.

[@crispy5000]

A dance floor filler

[@richardhall800]

This song was about partying in the ashes after the atomic bomb has been dropped, because we all thought that could and might well happen any day back then

[@mickr1448]

Blondie were a late 70's institution, Parallel Lines was the Album that dragged glam rock and punk rock into the synth pop Eighties, every adolescent boy in that era had a crush on Debbie Harry and she was immensely talented as was her band, Clem Burke on drums mmmmmmm

[@stephenflowers8516]

" Blondie " AKA Debra Harry is actually a Redhead in reality. The band Blondie was originally Punk/ New Wave. Later on they leaned toward Disco.

[@Ecosse57]

very post apocalyptic vibe to the video. we were kinda fascinated by that stuff in the late 70s and much of the 80s. the music has strong disco beat. what a time! i played this lp over and over...

[@shanedesselle2590]

Blondie! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Loooooooove this song!

[@jhood758]

Blondie is the band. Deborah Harrie is the singer. (Angela Trimble is her real name.)

[@John_Chu]

She was adopted at the age of three months by Mr. & Mrs. Harry of Hawthorne, New Jersey, who renamed her Deborah Ann. She located her birth mother in the 1980s (she was a concert pianist) and her mother declined having further interaction with Debbie.

[@bernman23]

@@John_Chu Her mother must not have respected punk and new wave music. She was a classical snob.

[@alexandrneba1584]

🤔

[@jollyrodgers7272]

Her REAL name is Deborah Ann Harry - born as Angela Trimble, but given up for adoption - LEGAL NAME CHANGE is Real.

[@davidmellish3295]

No Deborah Harrie is her REAL name,Angela Trimble was her birth name but it was legally changed

[@yorkshirepauper]

Fab 5 Freddie in the crowd, that's who Brad has always reminded me of! 😄

[@PaintedCavern]

Always lived this song! Thanks for doing this Blondie reavtion!! ❤️👍

[@joeltwinx3805]

The queen of alternative Rock

[@guyinsf]

Queen of New Wave and Punk and the Marilyn Monroe of Rock and the Garbo of Punk

[@Steffe]

I will never confess to it, but it was my younger brother, ( by 4 years), who made me a Blondie fan by playing their music on his turntable.

[@donnielangley9344]

From what I understand a lot of bands back then like Blondie and the police Etc changed up there formats to get radio play. So when Blondie came out disco was popular

[@AncientWisdomTeachingsLLC]

It’s post-apocalyptic punk/dance (that vibe was prevalent at that time, movies like mad max came out etc…) pre “house” style music. That intense energy that is held so tight and restrained creates a tension, her sexy flirting combined with it creates an intense attraction makes you want to “explode” like and atomic bomb 😂

[@SilentBob731]

Blondie was an awesome band, and Debbie Harry is a Goddess of Song. So much amazing material.

[@brackguthrie9470]

They are still awesome!!

[@6Sinister6Minister6]

In the vid for “The Hardest Part” she’s wearing a black (money heist) wig, see if that gives you the different vibes. But I’d say their most “goth” sounding song is Victor which there’s a vid of as well. For more spy sounding songs by them, check out: For Your Eyes Only, Goldfinger (live at Musikladen), and Contact in Red Square (also live at Musikladen) 🤘😎

[@greypossum1]

You guys would have loved 80s nightclubs Blondie was so much and everything more.

[@meheuck]

This song was used very effectively in Danny Boyle's 1996 hit TRAINSPOTTING, which even though it was set in the club culture of that era, by using this song and another even older song, Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" on the soundtrack, demonstrated how ahead of its time this single was.

[@bjam27]

In Trainspotting, it's a cover by Sleeper

[@jeffreekoch9298]

Blondie! 🕺 New wave punk with some disco flair.

[@Butters66]

It's amazing you can be so high on so many drugs and produce such a fantastic song! It's my favorite Blondie song.

[@LordEriolTolkien]

Heroin, i think was her drug of choice for a long time

[@thomasbarr5940]

Downers for Chris

[@onfoenemgrave]

end the worldwide war on drugs.

[@bradcolorado8149]

Yes ! She was a goth vampire !!

[@mckrackin5324]

Blackie. lol... Never change Lex. I enjoy Brad's reactions to Lex as much as the music ;)

[@nomisnestral6956]

Lex's Blackie comment made me spit out my beer like I was a sitcom dummy.

[@aaronarnold7653]

Debbie "Blackie" Harry...Hilarious

[@goatslunch6991]

Blondie never sat still just kept experimenting and almost always hit it on the head. I know you have reacted to several of their tracks but stil so many left in the cuboard to discover. Picture This, Union City Blues and Dreaming just to name a few. Love them.

[@nicolasmiley7181]

You need to watch Blondie “ picture this” the last line Debbie sings about a pocket computer 😮

[@TheNeonRabbit]

Debbie Harry's hair is naturally dark and much of the time she'd only bleach part of it. Blondie released an album of remixes in 1988 called "Once More into the Bleach". In the official video for "Blondie - The Hardest Part" she's wearing a long dark wig and looks amazing. Great song too.

[@stevem7192]

She posed for some nude shots in the early 70s and she's definitely not a natural blonde.

[@brucedonaldson3627]

The Hardest Part is one of my favorites.

[@EdwardGregoryNYC]

Like many of the punks, new wavers and punk kids of the day, they didn't have a lot of cash to keep up with fashion. It came organically out of the second hand shops and sidewalk vendors. As for her hair, when you dye dark hair the roots show pretty quickly. I'm sure she couldn't spend a lot of money or time doing her hair. Rather than fighting it, she went with it. And it totally rocked.

[@maybedrinkin3241]

Yes!! Although, if I'm being really honest, Deborah Harry always looked amazing. I maintained a solid crush on her throughout the '80s, but starting in '79 when I first heard "Heart of Glass". I was sure I was in love before I even saw her.

[@aloysha38]

The. Musicians in this band are vastly underrated

[@Floridafanatic28]

Agree completely!

[@stevethomas7986]

I love Blondie, they were one of my first big influences to be myself and quit trying to fit in with everyone else in my pre teens 11/12 in the early 80s.

[@lloydsenterfitt4913]

The New Wave, back in the old days.

[@iainweller452]

Union City Blues is my favourite Blondie song

[@Johonnac]

DITTO 😂

[@alexanderbeta-werburghii6176]

The clue is in 'Atomic'; post-apocalyptic, hence the costumes and zombie movements and lyrics about beautiful hair [glowing with radiation after nuclear war] and "'let's make it magnificent"... the final sexual coupling before death as Brad began to pick up on. The first time I saw punks wearing bin bags ['trash bags' *US] was two years previously [1977] at a Mutants gig in Manchester [UK]. For more pop-punk check out The Buzzcocks. Intersting that Lex mentions 'Blackie' as an idea, because that's early Siou xsie and the Banshees,; where Goth started. Also 'The Mutants' were the band that were a last minute replacement for Siouxsie and the Banshees [the band that we supported at that gig]. For another New Wave song about nuclear war check out Young Marble Giants 'Final Day'.

[@Tyrone-NZ]

My favourite blondie song, of many great songs. Deborah rocks.

[@brucedonaldson3627]

I remember this song being used for fashion show, runway music.

[@Prodigal1]

Guys..BLONDIE is not her name, it is the name of the BAND!! (Common mistake). Her name is Deborah Harry and her hair naturally is not blonde, she bleaches it but their are clips where her hair color is quite different.

[@trishriley9681]

❤️❤️❤️ I have loved them/her for 40 years🤩

[@JRcomments]

This album is probably my favorite. Also one of the first LPs i ever bought as as young teen. Everything on Eat to the Beat is worth reviewing. Please do their Dreaming video. Clem Burke goes off on drums.

[@xtiants]

It's a vibe. This was modernity to the utmost . We still ain't there yet.

[@youcantleavethisempty]

Now you've got me wondering what Blondie would sound like with Blackie Lawless singing for them. Thanks for that.

[@robertevans2450]

One of her good friends was Siouxsie Sioux and another was Chrissie Hynde...both were dark-haired lead singers in the same era and in the case of Siouxsie, the same genre....so your theory about what it would be perceived if she was black-haired could be looked at through their lens. Her vocals in this...unreal, and epic. Consider she had no meaningful electronic assistance and then listen to how pitch-perfect she is... underrated is understated.

[@Vesparado]

All your questions are answered on the Wiki page for a lot of songs, including "Atomic". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_(song)

[@JonathanCourtauld]

Come on guys - its a club song with a little of the robot dance thrown in that was fashionable at the time. Its new wave/ new romantic with the person she's dancing with being beautiful (hair is beautiful) and the night thats going to be magnificent. Its not about a hair product!!!

[@timothyryan3031]

I always got a James Bond vibe from this song.

[@dleblanc343]

I can see why, those twangy reverbing guitars are similar to the james bond theme

[@surlechapeau]

Brad & Lex, you'll love their "(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear" !!

[@danv9872]

Wicked scene in trainspotting uses this song. Like dropped as always

[@andyandy2629]

One of the greatest song ever. Blonie were great and Debbie Harry has always been a goddess.

[@EnglishRalph]

I THINK that “Eat to the Beat” was the first video album but it’s a long, long time since I’ve seen it and I can’t remember if they’re all performance videos, or music videos as we know them today.

[@jennifercrowe7399]

I can’t believe you guys did this song. I’ve been asking people to do this forever. This is one of my favorite Blondie songs. Fun fact, one of the people dancing in the crowd is Gia, the famous model. There’s a movie about her life played by Angelina Jolie. It’s the first movie Angelina Jolie ever did.

[@robertasirgutz8800]

I've been on her for a while.

[@thediaz07]

Gia was a hottie...also I know this song from Trainspotting

[@everydayASMR_]

I love this song too

[@Chris.Davis.2]

Before Madonna, before Lady Gaga there was Blondie.

[@drs401960]

And they still don't hold a candle to Debbie Harry!

[@FlamesCagney]

It wasn't kitschy. Just another of the great tunes we were blessed to get to dance to. There wasnt' a "Thing" to it. i.e. we didn't all yell "Atomic" at the same time.

[@johnmcgarry9519]

LEX! The vampire re-make! Genius.

[@tylerhackner9731]

LOL y’all are funny! I love this song

[@Gdpud]

One of my alltime fav's!check the extended mix for that full disco/dance vibe!:)

[@festidious2644]

Brad & Lex: More than half of the Eat To The Beat album is this quality or better. You should give it a serious go on your reaction channel. I think you would love Union City Blue, Dreaming, Shay;a, Slow Motion, Victor, Sound-A-Sleep...etc. I'm not crazy about Blondie but I really like this one.

[@Az777]

She wears a dark wig in their video for 'The Hardest Part'. You'd like the song, too.

[@melissas4874]

Remember, this was the late 70's or early 80's - where we were all terrified of an atomic war. So lots of songs using this as a theme even if not directly related to a war. The video itself always makes me think of a future after a war (which is also a theme of the time). She's wearing a trash bag as a jacket, her shirt and clothing has holes in it almost like they are scraps, and the base player is "pretending" to play a base when interacting with her . This is more punk or new wave where the theme is almost "we don't care what you think" which is a very Generation X theme.

[@Floridafanatic28]

LOL we were NOT terrified of an atomic war in the 70's and 80's. You're thinking of the 50's and 60's. As for what it's about....."Atomic" was composed by Jimmy Destri and Debbie Harry, who (in the book "1000 UK #1 Hits" by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh) stated, "He was trying to do something like 'Heart of Glass', and then somehow or another we gave it the Spaghetti Western treatment. Before that it was just lying there like a lox. The lyrics, well, a lot of the time I would write while the band were just playing the song and trying to figure it out. I would just be scatting along with them and I would just start going, 'Ooooooh, your hair is beautiful.'" The word atomic in the song carries no fixed meaning and functions as a signifier of power and futurism. The bridge to, and the break in the melody before "Atomic" is spoken, is heavily influenced by the bridge in the song "I'm on my way" by Dean Parish

[@popgun5247]

Guys, Pink Floyd 'Dogs', - life changing experience.

[@neillenet291]

Yes! And Sheep

[@donaldwhitt689]

Blondie is the band's name. Deborah Harry is the lead singer of the "band". The band's name comes from construction workers who used to cat whistle and call her "Blondie" when she went to practice in the building next door.

[@d-2793]

Keep going down the Blondie hole!! this song 🎧 s’ fire

[@leifcatt]

Try Blondie's "The Hardest Part". You'll like it.

[@robertjewell9727]

Lex is observant as heck.

[@wompa70]

Blondie performed on Solid Gold all the time.

[@damonvieira9556]

She said Make me tonight. It’s the act of love making

[@bearhawk426]

The entire band is Blondie, the singer is Debra Harry.

[@Don-lg3oy]

One of the sexiest songs ever.

[@RoccoMax100]

How did I miss your review of my all time favorite song? The bass guitar and drums and overall production is amazing. I’ve had this song as my license plate for over 20 years. ❤️

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

Great reaction. More Blondie please.

[@crimmo54]

That black hair bit is very perceptive. You’ve convinced me.

[@crimmo54]

@amirayusuf7067 What's that?

[@robertasirgutz8800]

Only Harry could wear a garbage bag and look gorgeous. A true original.

[@dennisjames1792]

The band is called Blondie ,the singers name is Debra Harry.

[@allauricia1985]

Man !!! It’s Blondie She’s so good She’d wake a dead man The music was such a bonus

[@user-or1ye3iz6d]

One of the best drummers

[@kdog9440]

Blondie was the name off the group and this was by far the best song they did. I am sure this is an anti nuclear war song which there were a lot off in the early 80s in the UK 🇬🇧

[@richhornburg4497]

One of the best songs off the Vice City soundtrack also

[@vectorifix3218]

Love your conversations! Great vid.

[@willfromyadkinville]

love Blondie. really love Debbie Harry! Clem Burke is a beast on the drums! actually Debbie did have black hair in the video "The Hardest Part" check it out! it is really good stuff.

[@petewhitmore6520]

Blondie was Queen of punk

[@mattleppard1964]

One of their best ❤😊

[@jaysonb.6669]

BLACKIE!!! Love you Lex, dont ever change 😩💀

[@worldwidehappiness]

One thing is undeniable: Blondie = cool.

[@neillenet291]

I don't think her hair color would change the music, LOL.

[@CBGB_1977]

She has a black wig on in “The Hardest Part” video.

[@Iluvthosetightp]

I don't want to scare you guys but there's an evil shoe hangin in the background! By the way this video is like a post-apocalyptic dance party. Guess it was very futuristic back then. Great song!

[@xburkbx]

Black hair? Put the theory to the test by watching their rockin' "The Hardest Part" video.

[@BoondockRoberts]

Deborah Harry was an absolute hit factory.

[@timbodude2009]

The 80's scene was basically another world..... you cant explain unless you were there!

[@smartin807]

Debbie Harry's hair is naturally brown, bt she often dies it blonde with brown streaks in the back.

[@matthewenies3668]

Love her. If you want a hi energy Blondie song try ‘Dreamin’

[@honorsilverthorne7227]

I love that song.

[@alrivers2297]

Incredible drumming in that one

[@qhl5579]

She was "Brunette" Harry, in the Video for the song, the Hardest Part.

[@toddhill7483]

What a voice. What a woman.

[@stevenmotchan2048]

I heard a version of this with with what they call the "working lyrics", when they're still writing the song. Pretty wild stuff. Sometimes at a live show some of it would slip out.

[@chrisellis3797]

Blackie🤣 I thought what Brad thought too lol

[@varyingredbeard9827]

i had a crush on blondie

[@Frankie--da-fixer]

Late 70s till this day she still Sings and has been in movies as well,and She had one of the Best Drummer's in the world in Clem Burke!!