Young MC “Bust a Move” released

Bust a Move Young MC

Writer(s): Marvin Young, Matt Dike, Michael Ross (see lyrics here) Released: May 22, 1989 First Charted: July 15, 1989 Peak: 7 US, 9 CB, 22 GR, 16 RR, 9 RB, 73 UK, 17 CN, 11 AU, 13 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 45.0 video, 108.32 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Marvin Young (Young MC) was born to Jamaican immigrants in London in 1967. His family moved to Queens, New York, when he was eight years old. He was “a promising hip-hop writer/performer” TC who caught the attention of legendary producer Quincy Jones. Jones produced Young MC’s 1989 debut album, Stone Cold Rhymin’. It became a hit, reaching the top 10 on the Billboard album chart. That was largely due to the third single, “Bust a Move,” a phrase “which means to take action of some kind.” SF It was Young MC’s first song to chart in the United States, going all the way to the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was his only top-10 hit as an artist, but he also wrote the top-10 hits “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina” for Tone Loc. “Bust a Move” “follows a guy who seems hapless with women, but somehow keeps getting lucky.” SF It became “one of the great dance singles of the ‘80s.” TC It “may not have been heavy but it did spread the hip-hop gospel onto the pop charts” TC making “rap music acceptable for a much wider audience.” SF It was a “humorous, sexy invitation to shake one’s booty.” TC The song is built on a sample of “Found a Child”by the Seattle-based funk group Ballin’ Jack. The drums are sample from RoyalCash’s “Radio-Activity.” There are also beats from Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band’s “Scorpio” and Bette Midler’s “Daytime Hustler” in the breakdown segment. WK The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea played bass on the song and appeared in the video. SF The song has been featured in a variety of movies including Uncle Buck (1989), Dude, Where’s My Car? (2000), See Spot Run (2001), The Blind Side (2009), Up in the Air (2009), 17 Again (2009), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), and It (2017). Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Young MC TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Pages 736-7. SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 6/26/2023.

Tone Lōc “Wild Thing” charted

Wild Thing Tone Lōc

Writer(s): Marvin Young, Anthony Terrell Smith, Matt Dike, Michael Ross, Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen, Edward Van Halen (see lyrics here) Released: October 1988 First Charted: December 3, 1988 Peak: 2 BB, 3 CB, 7 GR, 4 RR, 3 RB, 10 CO, 21 UK, 7 CN, 15 AU, 5 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 2.5 US, -- UK, 2.59 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 69.08 video, 75.76 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Rapper Tone Lōc was born Anthony Terrell Smith in 1966 in Los Angeles, California. He released his first single, “On Fire,” in 1987. It failed to chart, but his second outing, 1988’s “Wild Thing” became a monstrous hit and a significant marker in rap history, bringing “the deep-throated Tone Lōc from underground obscurity to mainstream pop stardom in one giant leap.” TB Author Toby Creswell called it “one of the most delightful tracks from rap’s first golden era.” TC The phrase “wild thing” was used as a euphemism for having sex in an era when it was still taboo to openly talk about it. Tone was inspired by Spike Lee’s 1986 movie She’s Gotta Have It, specifically a scene where rapper Fab 5 Freddy says to a woman, “Let’s do the wild thing!” WK The original lyrics were “far more lustful.” SF Tone infused the song with more “ambiguity and comedy to pass the taste tests of most radio stations.” SF Still, the subject matter did hurt the song somewhat when it came to airplay, which prevented it from topping the charts. It did, however, become the best-selling song of the year, giving Tone Lōc the distinction of being the first black rap artist to achieve a platinum single. SF The song also garnered controversy over its unauthorized use of Van Halen’s “Jamie’s Cryin’.” With rap still in its commercial infancy, it was common for artists to sample songs without crediting the original artists. The members of Van Halen were eventually credited as co-writers and received a $180,000 settlement. WK In the song, Loc describes encounters with four women. When the last one turns out to be a prostitute, he opts not to do the wild thing and tells her, “Hasta la vista, baby.” It became a catchphrase for Arnold Schwarzengger in the 1991 movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day. SF Resources: TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Pages 436-7. SF Songfacts TB Thunder Bay Press (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits & Classic Cuts. Outline Press Ltd.: San Diego, CA. Page 234. WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 1/22/2026.