119: "Rapture" vs. "Genius of Love"

FromSong Vs. Song

Start listening View podcast show

119: "Rapture" vs. "Genius of Love"

FromSong Vs. Song

ratings:

Length:

54 minutes

Released:

Jan 10, 2024

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

It's the early '80s and shockingly some of the first big rap songs were by white new wave bands. But which is the best of the two big new wave hip-hop (?) hits, "Rapture" by Blondie or "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Released:

Jan 10, 2024

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Hosted by Todd (in the Shadows) Nathanson and Alina Morgan, Song vs. Song pits two similar songs of an era against each other with controversial outcomes.

Skip carousel

17. "Back That Azz Up" vs. "Thong Song": Butts! Whose classic booty jams from the turn of the millennium shall reign supreme, Juvenile or Sisqo? Also: Find out the shocking reason that Sisqo is like Moses by Song Vs. Song
45 min listen
25: "Iris" vs. "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing": The big movie ballads of 1998! From the blockbuster "Armageddon," Aerosmith's mammoth blockbuster hit "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing!" From the decently profitable "City of Angels," The Goo Goo Dolls's mammoth blockbuster hit "Iris"! Which song will... by Song Vs. Song
55 min listen
18: "With or Without You" vs. "Every Breath You Take": That slow, driving '80s bass. Two smash rock ballads by two of the greatest rock bands of the '80s! Who will reign supreme, U2 or the Police? And as a bonus, who's more annoying, Sting or Bono? by Song Vs. Song
47 min listen
11: "Space Oddity" vs. "Rocket Man": Battle of the Space Race era sci-fi astronaut songs? Can Elton's Rocket Man take down Bowie's doomed man-in-a-can Major Tom? by Song Vs. Song
43 min listen
10: "All-Star" vs. "Smooth": Battle of the two biggest beloved smashes of 1999 that became the biggest jokes of the 2010s! by Song Vs. Song
28 min listen
21: "You Oughta Know" vs. "Criminal": Alanis Morissette and Fiona Apple! The youngest (and angriest?) of the '90s Lilith Fair crowd! Which is the better song, Fiona's guilt anthem or Alanis's burst of rage? by Song Vs. Song
56 min listen
19: "Hey Ya!" by Outkast vs. "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley: Oh man, here's a tough one. Which is the better of the genre-hopping soul-hiphop pop songs from singing rappers? "Hey Ya!" by Outkast! "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley! Who can pick?! by Song Vs. Song
45 min listen
47: "Dirt Road Anthem" vs. "Cruise" (w/Grady Smith!): Todd and Dany welcome country music expert Grady Smith to discuss the whipping boy genre of the 2010s, bro-country! Is there anything redeemable about this controversial genre, and which of its towering, game-changing early '10s smashes is the... by Song Vs. Song
56 min listen
12: "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" vs. "Sugar, We're Goin Down": The two songs that turned emo into the sound of rock music in the '00s! But which one is better? And which fanbase will eat Todd and Dany alive? by Song Vs. Song
41 min listen
13: "Get the Party Started" vs. "Since U Been Gone": Battle of the 2000s chick-rock pop stars! by Song Vs. Song
47 min listen
14: "Boys Don't Cry" vs. "This Charming Man": Battle of the Makeup Wearing '80s Sad Boys! "Boys Don't Cry" by The Cure! "This Charming Man" by The Smiths! Who will win? And can we make it to the end of the episode talking about something besides Morrissey's awful politics?! by Song Vs. Song
50 min listen
20: Not Remotely Necessary MTV Video Music Awards Coverage: Bonus episode! Hear Todd and Dany discuss the least-talked-about music event of the year! Did anyone exist besides Lizzo? Did Shawn Mendes burn up the screen with their "chemistry"? Did Lil Nas X remotely make a case for having a second hit? Is Taylor... by Song Vs. Song
36 min listen
16: "Jeremy" vs. "Black Hole Sun": Get ready for an extremely content-warning-y episode as we talk about some dark topics as we debate which dark grunge classic should reign supreme, Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" vs. Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun"! by Song Vs. Song
46 min listen
24: "Shining Star" vs. "Superstition": We head into the '70s to see which is the superior funky pop single of the '70s! Earth Wind and Fire's "Shining Star" vs. Stevie Wonder's "Superstition"! by Song Vs. Song
51 min listen
15: "Let It Be" vs. "You Can't Always Get What You Want": It's the one you've been waiting for. The main event: Beatles vs. Stones! Which quasi-religious rock masterpiece shall reign supreme? by Song Vs. Song
48 min listen
28: "Bodak Yellow" vs. "Truth Hurts": We finish off the last year of the decade with one of biggest hits of the 2010s and one of the biggest hits of 2019! Lizzo vs. Cardi! Who shall reign supreme? by Song Vs. Song
57 min listen
23: "Take Me Out" vs. "Float On": It's the enduring indie rock crossover smashes of 2004! And one of the most even matchups in the show's history? Who shall reign supreme, Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out" or Modest Mouse's "Float On"? by Song Vs. Song
51 min listen
30: "Summer of '69" vs. "Jack & Diane": The most dad of '80s dad rock! Which is the better nostalgia for your teenage years, Bryan Adams's "Summer of '69" or John Mellencamp's "Jack & Diane"? by Song Vs. Song
53 min listen
40: "Theme from Shaft" vs. "Superfly": The Pusherman vs. the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about! Which blaxploitation theme is more badassssss? by Song Vs. Song
51 min listen
26: "Let It Go" vs. "How Far I'll Go": In honor of Disney now controlling literally everything, we decided to put the big song from "Frozen" against the big song from "Moana"! Will it be Elsa's empowerment anthem or Moana traveling just around the riverbend? by Song Vs. Song
47 min listen
48: "Ghostbusters" vs. "Men in Black": It's Halloween and that means it's time for every appropriately-distanced Halloween gathering to play "Ghostbusters"! But: Is it superior to the other ridiculous just-the-plot-of-the-movie action comedy theme song, Will Smith's "Men in Black"? Who ya... by Song Vs. Song
60 min listen
61: "Move Along" vs. "Ocean Avenue": They may not have been the biggest emo bands of the '00s (or emo bands at all!) but they scored two of the best hits of the decade, but we have to pick one over the other, so listen to us decide: Which is the better hard-driving Bush-era whine anthem,... by Song Vs. Song
56 min listen
37: "Another One Bites the Dust" vs. "Eye of the Tiger": We're kickin' ass in the '80s! But which is the greater '80s fight song , Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" or Sruvivor's "Eye of the Tiger"? Touch gloves and ring the bell 'cause the main event's about to start! by Song Vs. Song
49 min listen
22: "What's Love Got to Do with It" vs. "If I Could Turn Back Time": '60s pop stars turned '80s divas! Which is the superior comeback smash, Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time" or Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do with It"? by Song Vs. Song
46 min listen
Obligatory Grammy Coverage, 2020!: What did Todd and Dany think about Billie Eilish's big night, and other things that happened in the latest, typically interminable edition of the Grammys? by Song Vs. Song
43 min listen
46: "California Love" vs. "Mo Money, Mo Problems": A Song vs. Song for the ages! A rap battle etched into history! Though 2Pac and Biggie were taken from us too early, we can now settle the beef by deciding which of their signature tunes was the greatest, "California Love" or "Mo Money Mo Problems"! by Song Vs. Song
56 min listen
45: "Stay (I Missed You)" vs. "Torn": It wouldn't be the '90s without some gently earnest female pop-rock! Whose wistful breakup ballad ruled the decade, Lisa Loeb's "Stay (I Missed You)" or Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn"? by Song Vs. Song
55 min listen
52: "Rockstar" vs. "Rockstar" (with Daren "Rap Critic" Jackson): It's the last episode of 2020 so we here at Song vs. Song wanted to put out the year with one of its biggest songs! But wait... wasn't there a rap song named "Rockstar" just a couple years ago? It's DaBaby's "Rockstar" vs. Post Malone's "Rockstar,"... by Song Vs. Song
68 min listen
42: "867-5309/Jenny" vs. "Centerfold": It's the early '80s, and we've got a couple fun tunes about dopey guys and their funny reactions to sex workers! Does the J. Geils Band's "Centerfold" make our blood run cold, or does Tommy Tutone have us dialing "867-5309"? by Song Vs. Song
42 min listen
44: "Back in Black" vs. "Crazy Train": It's an episode of ass-kicking rock and roll! Which is the greatest metal song of 1980, Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" or AC/DC's "Back in Black"? (Also, is Todd wrong about calling AC/DC "metal"? All this and more on the podcast!) by Song Vs. Song
56 min listen

More Episodes from Song Vs. Song

Skip carousel

126: "It Was a Good Day" vs. "Regulate" by Song Vs. Song
60 min listen
125: "Smack That" vs. "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" by Song Vs. Song
59 min listen
124: "Teen Age Riot" vs. "Where Is My Mind?" (ft. Ekko Astral!) by Song Vs. Song
67 min listen
123: "Last Nite" vs. "Fell in Love with a Girl" by Song Vs. Song
56 min listen
122: "I Kissed a Girl" vs. "I Kissed a Girl" by Song Vs. Song
67 min listen
121: "Goodbye Earl" vs. "Before He Cheats" (w/Natalie Weiner) by Song Vs. Song
66 min listen
BONUS EPISODE: The Grammys award Taylor Swift AGAIN by Song Vs. Song
73 min listen
120: "Baby One More Time" vs. "Genie in a Bottle" by Song Vs. Song
68 min listen
118: "Santa Tell Me" vs. "Underneath the Tree" (w/Mic the Snare!) by Song Vs. Song
63 min listen
117: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" vs. "My Generation" by Song Vs. Song
63 min listen
116: "Promiscuous" vs. "Hips Don't Lie" by Song Vs. Song
58 min listen
115: "My Hero" vs. "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" by Song Vs. Song
78 min listen
114: "White and Nerdy" vs. "I'm on a Boat" by Song Vs. Song
58 min listen
113: "Candle in the Wind 1997" vs. "One Sweet Day" by Song Vs. Song
70 min listen
112: "Iron Man" vs. "Smoke on the Water" by Song Vs. Song
52 min listen
FREE BONUS EPISODE: "The Producers '05" by Song Vs. Song
58 min listen
FREE BONUS EPISODE: "The Muppet Movie" by Song Vs. Song
55 min listen
111: "Flowers" vs. "Vampire" (w/Crash Thompson) by Song Vs. Song
74 min listen
110: "Come on Eileen" (by Save Ferris) vs. "Take on Me" (by Reel Big Fish) by Song Vs. Song
61 min listen
109: "Born in the USA" vs. "Rockin' in the Free World" by Song Vs. Song
58 min listen
108: "Wannabe" vs. "MMMBop" by Song Vs. Song
74 min listen
107: "Anarchy in the UK" vs. "London Calling" by Song Vs. Song
62 min listen
106: "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" vs. "Gangsta's Paradise" by Song Vs. Song
74 min listen
105: "Sledgehammer" vs. "Burning Down the House" by Song Vs. Song
58 min listen
104: "Jenny from the Block" vs. "Glamorous" by Song Vs. Song
62 min listen
103: "It's Tricky" vs. "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" by Song Vs. Song
63 min listen
102: "With Arms Wide Open" vs. "How You Remind Me" by Song Vs. Song
63 min listen
101: "Brick House" vs. "Super Freak" by Song Vs. Song
60 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

105: "Sledgehammer" vs. "Burning Down the House" by Song Vs. Song
58 min listen
Standout Drummers of the '80s (Part 1) with guests Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Kenny Aronoff by Totally 80s
38 min listen
The Oh. My. God. Becky Edition: What finally got hip-hop to the top of the Billboard charts? Whether conscious or gangsta, trippy or lascivious, rap’s early ’90s arrival at No. 1 started a party—but some rappers literally bum-rushed the show. by Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia
84 min listen
Hit Parade: The Oh. My. God. Becky Edition: What finally got hip-hop to the top of the Billboard charts? Whether conscious or gangsta, trippy or lascivious, rap’s early ’90s arrival at No. 1 started a party—but some rappers literally bum-rushed the show. by Slate Culture
84 min listen
102: "With Arms Wide Open" vs. "How You Remind Me" by Song Vs. Song
63 min listen
Love Nut - ¡Baltimucho! | 90s Album Review: Although only active for a short time in the 1990s, Baltimore, Maryland's Love Nut still managed to bounce from indie to major labels back to the indies over the course of their two albums. Originally recorded for Interscope Records, the band ended u... by Dig Me Out: 90s Rock
74 min listen
Public Enemy’s "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" by Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums
39 min listen
Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez & More: A History of Female Pop Stars Overlooked by Oscars by Pop Shop Podcast
37 min listen
How to Game the Billboard Hot 100: Is it just us or has the Hot 100 felt... weird this year? by Into It: A Vulture Podcast with Sam Sanders
40 min listen
Beastie Boys Way Back in History (feat. DefDave) by Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast
68 min listen
Dua Lipa on Her ‘Whirlwind’ Year & ‘Diversity’ of Debut Album, Plus: Chart Chat, Oscar Talk & More: On the latest Pop Shop Podcast, we welcome rising star Dua Lipa! The singer and songwriter talks about her “whirlwind” year (where she’s notched five top 40-charting hits on the Official U.K. Singles Chart and her first hits on the Billboard Hot 100), her upcoming debut album and more. Plus, the Pop Shop team dives into a discussion about the Academy Awards, Lorde’s new music, chart chat about Future’s anticipated back-to-back No. 1 debuts on the Billboard 200 albums chart, The Chainsmokers and Coldplay’s new single, and the chances of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s “City of Stars” hitting the Hot 100. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy by Pop Shop Podcast
42 min listen
Shakira's "Dónde Están los Ladrones?" by Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums
36 min listen
Mos Def’s ‘Black on Both Sides’ Album Review with Kipp Stone | Ep. 111: This week we sit down with one of our favourite new artists out there - Ohio’s very own, Kipp Stone is in the house to speak on a stone-cold 90s hip hop classic…Mos Def’s 1999 record, ‘Black on Both Sides’ ? ? Don’t forget to... by The Crate 808 Podcast
57 min listen
The Story Behind Blondie’s Iconic “Rapture” by The Story Behind The Song
46 min listen
'80s Standout Drummers (Part 2) with guests Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Kenny Aronoff by Totally 80s
33 min listen
112: "Iron Man" vs. "Smoke on the Water" by Song Vs. Song
52 min listen
Episode 35: “Why Do Fools Fall In Love?” by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers: Episode thirty-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at Why Do Fools Fall in Love? by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, and at the terrible afterlife of child stardom. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more informatio by A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
1 min listen
Summer Hits: Olivia Rodrigo - good 4 u (with Jessica Hopper): A history of women raging on the mic by Switched on Pop
35 min listen
#257: Hello by Poe: As we discussed in our October roundtable episode on female artists of the 90s, 1995 was a historic year thanks to Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette. But Alanis wasn’t the only artist to make an impact. The New York Times noted in early 1996 about ... by Dig Me Out: 90s Rock
30 min listen
Talking TLC With Chilli, Plus Our Favorite Girl Groups, Rihanna's Double No. 1s & More by Pop Shop Podcast
45 min listen
#409: Aerosmith In The 90s: Our "In The 90s" series exploring successful 1970s and 80s artists and bands has discovered a common theme - sometimes it was not the rise of grunge and alternative music that through a wrench into their success, sometimes overwhelming success created a ... by Dig Me Out: 90s Rock
62 min listen
Episode 158: “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane: Episode one hundred and fifty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “White Rabbit”, Jefferson Airplane, and the rise of the San Francisco sound. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcrip by A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
1 min listen
Tom Petty - "I Need To Know": At the time they released their 2nd album in 1978, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers were a struggling band hoping to break through. They had plenty to prove, and there was still a punky edge to their sound-- clearly evident on the first single from the album, "I Need To Know". At a tight two-minute-and-twenty-six-seconds, there's no fat on this track-- just a great song, a taste of the brilliant music to come. by I'm In Love With That Song Podcast
16 min listen
EP 4 - Sam Barsh (Pianist, Songwriter, Producer) by The Bass Shed Podcast
75 min listen
DJ Shadow’s ‘Endtroducing’ Album Review with Sean Murray | Ep. 109: Yo yo yo! This week we welcome actor and NCIS legend, Sean Murray, onto the pod, to speak on a bonafide classic 90s record - DJ Shadow’s 1996 masterpiece, ’Endtroducing…..’ ? So get set for a wicked hip hop chat that delves into love for... by The Crate 808 Podcast
53 min listen
Big Daddy Kane’s Lyrical Legacy: Legendary rapper Big Daddy Kane on pushing boundaries, the evolution of hip-hop, and the special joy of a Brooklyn summer. by Into America
30 min listen
Episode 45: “Blueberry Hill”, by Fats Domino: Episode forty-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at Blueberry Hill by Fats Domino, and at how the racial tensions of the fifties meant that a smiling, diffident, cheerful man playing happy music ended up starting riots all over t by A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
1 min listen
The Storyteller, with Slick Rick | 8 by Class of '88 with Will Smith
36 min listen
Episode 4: The Change of the Guard: The Sixties are about to begin and we’re feeling the change of the guard. We briefly recap the first Golden Age of Rock N Roll: 1956 to 1959. A lot happened, and fast. Too fast to last. We skid perilously into a new decade. As we open the sixties, all the big players are offstage, and a lot of folks are saying Rock N Roll is dead. We open in a police station in St. Louis, and Chuck Berry is in big trouble with the law. We detail Chuck’s legal fight to its conclusion in early ’63. We also catch up with the disc jockey Alan Freed, who is going through some legal problems of his own—legal problems that are part of a larger story. We take a look at the state of mainstream popular music in 1960. It’s grim. But the R&B charts are looking good, lots of great songs and artists. Black America is reasserting itself musically. We will get to that…but first, Rock N Roll is about to become BIG Business. So we unpack that a little bit, and devote a big part of the by Rock N Roll Archaeology
62 min listen
Death Row Records vs Bad Boy Records | Ready to Die | 3 by Business Wars
24 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

119: "Rapture" vs. "Genius of Love"

119: "Rapture" vs. "Genius of Love"

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Song Vs. Song

Related podcast episodes