Released January 1989 Length 4:23 | Recorded 1988 | |
Writer(s) Anthony Terrell Smith, Matt Dike, Marvin Young Producer(s) Matt Dike, Michael Ross | ||
"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, unlike The Troggs' hit song, "Wild Thing", (later covered by Jimi Hendrix) in which the "wild thing" was a girl. According to producer Mario Caldato, Jr., who engineered and mixed the song, producer Matt Dike was inspired by an utterance of "wild thing" in Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It, and asked Young MC to write the lyrics.
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Tone Lōc's song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1989, only behind "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul, and it spawned at least two parodies (by "Weird Al" Yankovic, called "Isle Thing", about Gilligan's Island and was Yankovic's first rap parody, and by Christian band ApologetiX, called "Child King"). It eventually sold over two million copies. It also peaked at number 21 on the UK Singles Chart.
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, this decision was taken without consulting the band's original members (credited as co-authors of the song), who in turn did not expect "Wild Thing" to become the major hit it became. A subsequent civil lawsuit was settled out of court, with the band receiving US$180,000 as settlement payment. Alex Van Halen has gone on record saying that he had heard the song over the radio halfway and not realizing it 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..."
Music video
A music video directed by Tamra Davis was made for the song at a reported cost of only $500, copying the style of Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" with mini-skirted women playing guitars next to Tone Lōc, which went into heavy rotation on MTV. The leading lady in the video is played by actress Tracy Camilla Johns.
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 #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
The song is heard, in much-edited form, in the 2016 film The Angry Birds Movie.
In 2012 Bob Sinclar and Snoop Dogg made an electro house cover.
It is also used in the 1989 film Uncle Buck starring John Candy