Wild Thing (Tone Lōc song)
{{short description|1989 single by Tone Lōc}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2009}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Wild Thing
| cover = Wild Thing (1989 Tone Loc single) cover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Tone Lōc
| album = Lōc-ed After Dark
| B-side = Loc'ed After Dark
| released = October 1988
| recorded = 1988
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
- Rap rock{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=idYFcmXcRm4C&q=tone+loc+wild+thing+rap+rock&pg=PT199|title=The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop|first=Dan|last=Charnas|date=1 November 2011|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9781101568118|via=Google Books}}
| length = 4:23
| label = Delicious Vinyl, 4th & B-Way
| writer = Anthony Terrell Smith, Marvin Young, Matt Dike, Michael Ross
| producer = Matt Dike, Michael Ross
| prev_title = On Fire
| prev_year = 1987
| next_title = Funky Cold Medina
| next_year = 1989
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|387ZDGSKVSg|"Wild Thing"}}}}
}}
"Wild Thing" is a single by American rapper Tone Lōc from his 1989 album Lōc-ed After Dark. The title is a reference to the phrase "doin' the wild thing," a euphemism for sex. According to producer Mario Caldato Jr., who engineered and mixed the song, producer Michael Ross was inspired by an utterance of Fab 5 Freddy "Come on baby let's do the wild thing" in Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It, and asked Young MC to write the lyrics.{{cite web|url=http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/magazine/key-tracks-mario-caldato-on-wild-thing|title=Red Bull Music Academy|website=www.redbullmusicacademy.com}}
Tone Lōc's song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1989, only behind Paula Abdul's breakthrough hit "Straight Up".{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/1989-02-18/hot-100 |title=The Hot 100 : Feb 18, 1989 | Billboard Chart Archive |publisher=Billboard |date=1989-02-18 |access-date=2013-08-02}}
It inspired at least two parodies (the Gilligan's Island-themed "Isle Thing" by "Weird Al" Yankovic, which was Yankovic's first rap parody; and "Child King" by Christian band ApologetiX). It eventually sold over two million copies. It also peaked at number 21 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2008, "Wild Thing" was ranked number 39 on Vh1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
Sampling controversy
The song uses an uncredited sample of Van Halen's "Jamie's Cryin'". Van Halen's management at the time asked for a flat fee (credited in some reports to be US$5,000) as payment to have the song sampled by Tone Lōc. Apparently, the sampling decision was made without consulting the band's original members (credited as co-authors of the song). They had no idea "Wild Thing" would become a major hit. A subsequent civil lawsuit was settled out of court,{{Cite magazine |last=Hart |first=Ron |date=2019-01-25 |title=Tone Loc Talks His Debut Turning 30 & His Run-In With Eddie Van Halen |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/tone-loc-loc-ed-after-dark-album-8495031/ |access-date=2023-03-11 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} with Van Halen receiving US$180,000 as settlement payment. Alex Van Halen has said that he had heard partially "Wild Thing" over the radio and didn't realize his song had been sampled until he recognized his (by now famous) tom-tom break at least a few times. Concerning the settlement, he said: "Well, at least we got something. Tone Lōc and his people made millions out of it..."{{cite quote|date=June 2017}}
Music video
A music video directed by Tamra Davis was made for the song at a reported cost of $500, copying the style of Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love." Mini-skirted women play guitars next to Tone Lōc; the video was frequently shown on MTV. The leading lady in the video is played by actress Tracy Camilla Johns.
Peaches remix
{{Infobox song
| name = Wild Thing (Peaches Remix)
| alt =
| caption = {{deletable file-caption|Saturday, 8 March 2025|PROD}}
| type = single
| artist = Tone Lōc featuring Peaches
| album =
| released = 2007
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Techno, electroclash
| length =
| label =
| writer = Anthony Terrell Smith, Matt Dike, Marvin Young
| producer = Peaches
| chronology = Peaches
| prev_title = Boys Wanna Be Her
| prev_year = 2006
| next_title = Talk to Me
| next_year = 2009
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|ikwTunWjC_Y|"Wild Thing (Peaches remix)"}}}}
}}
"Wild Thing (Peaches Remix)" is a version of Tone Lōc's "Wild Thing". The song features vocals by Tone Lōc and Peaches herself. This remix was made to celebrate Delicious Vinyl's 20th anniversary. It peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales.
=Music video=
The music video for "Wild Thing Remix" shows Peaches and Tone Lōc performing live at Avalon during the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Delicious Vinyl.
Uses in popular culture
"Wild Thing" was used in the 1989 film Uncle Buck (starring John Candy) during the scene when the titular character goes to the school of his nephew and niece to talk to the principal.
In 1991, figure skater Tonya Harding used the track of "Wild Thing" in the last third of her free skate to win the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
In the 2000 film Bedazzled, the song is used when Brendan Fraser's character Elliot first meets the Devil, played by Liz Hurley.
In Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), the song is used to soundtrack the scene in which Cameron Diaz's character Natalie rides a mechanical bull.
In Taxi (2004), Gisele Bündchen's character Vanessa is introduced by the song walking out of a building with her female henchmen as they prepare for another bank robbery.
The song was used in the trailer for the 2004 film Garfield: The Movie.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV5y4yTDtBI |title=Garfield (2004) Official Trailer # 1 - Bill Murray HD |language=en |access-date=2024-03-28 |via=www.youtube.com}}
The song is also heard, in much-edited form, in the 2016 film The Angry Birds Movie.
In 1989, the song was used in the Season One episode of the TV series Midnight Caller entitled "The Fall". Also in 1989, the song was used in the pilot episode of Doogie Howser, M.D..
The song is briefly heard at a bar in the third chapter of the 2012 video game The Darkness II.
In 2012, Bob Sinclar and Snoop Dogg made an electro house cover.{{cite web|title=Bob Sinclar - Disco Crash (Album) / 2KMUSIC.COM|url=http://www.2kmusic.com/fr/album/disco-crash/15883|website=2kmusic.com|access-date=12 November 2016}}
Charts
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Charts (1988-1989)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|Australia|15|artist=Tone Loc|song=Wild Thing}} |
| {{singlechart|Flanders|18|artist=Tone Loc|song=Wild Thing}} |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume+49-No.+21-March+20-25%2C+1989.pdf Canada Top Singles peak] RPM Magazine
| style="text-align:center;"|7 |
| {{singlechart|Dutch40|3|year=1989|week=11}} |
| {{singlechart|Dutch100|4|artist=Tone Loc|song=Wild Thing}} |
| {{singlechart|New Zealand|1|artist=Tone Loc|song=Wild Thing}} |
| {{singlechart|Switzerland|23|artist=Tone Loc|song=Wild Thing}} |
| {{singlechart|UK|21|date=1989-01-28|access-date=13 February 2016}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|2|artist=Tone Loc|access-date=January 17, 2021}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardrandbhiphop|3|artist=Tone Loc|access-date=January 17, 2021}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboarddanceclubplay|1|artist=Tone Loc|access-date=January 17, 2021}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardrapsongs|2|artist=Tone Loc|access-date=January 17, 2021}} |
| US Hot Crossover 30 (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Billboard-IDX/IDX/80s/1989/BB-1989-02-18-OCR-Page-0111.pdf |title=Hot Crossover 30: February 18, 1989 | magazine=Billboard |access-date=December 6, 2017}}
|align=center|1 |
| {{singlechart|West Germany|18|artist=Tone Loc|song=Wild Thing|songid=1942}} |
| Chart (2008)
!Peak |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales{{cite web
| url = {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p105/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} | title = allmusic ((( Tone-Loc > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles ))) | publisher = Allmusic. Rovi Corporation | access-date = 2010-08-09}} | style="text-align:center;"|4 |
=Year-end charts=
Certifications
{{certification Table Top}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=Australia|artist=Tone Lōc|title=Wild Thing|award=Gold|certyear=1989|certref=}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|title=Wild Thing|artist=Tone Loc|award=Gold|relyear=1988|certyear=1989|access-date=August 2, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|title=Wild Thing|artist=Tone Loc|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=1988|certyear=1989|access-date=February 21, 2022}}
{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}
References
{{Portal|1980s}}
{{Reflist|40em}}
{{Tone Lōc}}
{{Peaches singles}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wild Thing (Tone Loc Song)}}
Category:Music videos directed by Tamra Davis
Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand
Category:Peaches (musician) songs
Category:Songs about prostitutes
Category:Song recordings produced by Peaches (musician)
Category:Songs written by Young MC
Category:Delicious Vinyl singles
Category:4th & B'way Records singles