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    Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia

    "Wild Thing"
    Single by Tone Lōc
    from the album Lōc-ed After Dark
    B-side"Loc'ed After Dark"
    ReleasedOctober 1988
    Genre
    Length4:23
    Label
    Songwriter(s)
    Producer(s)
    • Matt Dike
    • Michael Ross
    Tone Lōc singles chronology
    "On Fire"
    (1987)     		"Wild Thing"
    (1988)     		"Funky Cold Medina"
    (1989)
    Music video
    "Wild Thing" on YouTube

    "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.[2]

    "Wild Thing" peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 in February 1989 and reached number one in New Zealand for two weeks in April. It eventually sold over two million copies in the United States, receiving a double-platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The song 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).

    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,[3] 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..."[This quote needs a citation]

    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.

    Charts

    Certifications

    Region Certification Certified units/sales
    Australia (ARIA)[22] Gold 35,000^
    Canada (Music Canada)[34] Gold 50,000^
    United States (RIAA)[35] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

    ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

    Peaches remix

    "Wild Thing (Peaches Remix)"
    Single by Tone Lōc featuring Peaches
    Released2007
    Songwriter(s)Anthony Terrell Smith, Matt Dike, Marvin Young
    Producer(s)Peaches
    Peaches singles chronology
    "Boys Wanna Be Her"
    (2006)     		"Wild Thing (Peaches Remix)"
    (2007)     		"Talk to Me"
    (2009)
    Music video
    "Wild Thing (Peaches remix)" on YouTube

    "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 number four on the US Billboard Dance Singles Sales chart.[36]

    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.

    Charts

    Chart (2008) Peak
    position
    US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[36] 4

    "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.[37]

    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.[38]

    References

    1. ^ Charnas, Dan (November 1, 2011). The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop. Penguin. ISBN 9781101568118 – via Google Books.
    2. ^ "Red Bull Music Academy". www.redbullmusicacademy.com.
    3. ^ Hart, Ron (January 25, 2019). "Tone Loc Talks His Debut Turning 30 & His Run-In With Eddie Van Halen". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
    4. ^ "Tone Loc – Wild Thing". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
    5. ^ "Tone Loc – Wild Thing" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
    6. ^ "RPM 100 Singles" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 21. March 20, 1989. p. 9.
    7. ^ "RPM 20 Dance Singles" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 14. February 4, 1989. p. 14.
    8. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 12. March 25, 1989. p. 25.
    9. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Wild Thing / Loc'ed After Dark". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
    10. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 11, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
    11. ^ "Tone Loc – Wild Thing" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
    12. ^ "Tone Loc – Wild Thing". Top 40 Singles.
    13. ^ "Tone Loc – Wild Thing". Swiss Singles Chart.
    14. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
    15. ^ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. February 18, 1989. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
    16. ^ "Dance Singles Sales". Billboard. January 28, 1989. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
    17. ^ "Dance Club Songs". Billboard. February 4, 1989. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
    18. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. February 18, 1989. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
    19. ^ "Hot Crossover 30" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 7. February 18, 1989. p. 87. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
    20. ^ "Dance Club Songs". Billboard. March 11, 1989. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
    21. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Tone Loc – Wild Thing" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
    22. ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
    23. ^ "Top 100 Singles of '89". RPM. Retrieved April 30, 2025 – via Library and Archives Canada.
    24. ^ "Top 25 Dance Singles of '89". RPM. Retrieved April 30, 2025 – via Library and Archives Canada.
    25. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
    26. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1989". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved June 10, 2020.
    27. ^ "End of Year Top 50 Singles 1989". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
    28. ^ "1989 The Year in Music: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. Y-22.
    29. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1989".
    30. ^ a b "1989 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. Y-40.
    31. ^ "1989 The Year in Music: Top Black Singles". Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. Y-28.
    32. ^ "1989 The Year in Music: Top Rap Singles". Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. Y-48.
    33. ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1989" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
    34. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Tone Loc – Wild Thing". Music Canada. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
    35. ^ "American single certifications – Tone Loc – Wild Thing". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
    36. ^ a b "allmusic ((( Tone-Loc > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
    37. ^ Garfield (2004) Official Trailer # 1 - Bill Murray HD. Retrieved March 28, 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
    38. ^ "Bob Sinclar - Disco Crash (Album) / 2KMUSIC.COM". 2kmusic.com. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
    Credit: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Thing_(Tone_L%C5%8Dc_song)

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