Van Halen vs. Tone-Loc

This week in 1989, Tone-Loc was blocked from the #1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 by Paula Abdul and her first hit song "Straight Up."

Sharp-eyed readers will note that this is the third mention of Abdul on this blog, something I never would have guessed when I launched this.

Anyway, Tone-Loc's "Wild Thing" rocketed into the hearts of music lovers around the world thanks to a classic hip hop move: Borrowing an element from something that was tired at the moment and re-inventing it for new audiences.

In this case, the song's guitar riff and drum roll were instantly identifiable from Van Halen's "Jamie's Cryin'" off their first album in 1978 (!) According to Wikipedia (the primary research resource here at "Little Brett, Big City"), the Van Halen management team allowed the sample to be included in "Wild Thing" for a flat fee of $5,000.

But apparently the band members hadn't heard anything about it. Drummer Alex Van Halen said he first heard "Wild Thing" on the radio -- and immediately recognized his own tom-tom break a few times in the song. A civil lawsuit was filed and settled out of court for a reported $180,000. Regarding the settlement, Van Halen reportedly said, "Well, at least we got something. Tone-Loc and his people made millions out of it..."

Tone-Loc returned to The Hot 100 later that spring, reaching #3 with "Funky Cold Medina." At my graduation party in my Bowling Green apartment that August, we filled a kiddie pool with a stew of all kinds of liquor calling it "Funky Cold Medina." I knew better then not to try any of it. But I might now.

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l i t t l e b r e t t , BIG CITY

When I left college in 1989, I was a virgin with corn-fed drive and a terrifying secret. It could disappoint or disgust my family and friends. It could even kill me. But I couldn’t hide from it anymore. With "The World's Heaviest Briefcase," I escaped on a midnight train from Lima, Ohio to the YMCA on West 34th Street in Manhattan. Being gay had to be easier in New York, even though I was arriving with no home or job. Right away, a hooker chased me in Times Square, and perverts watched me shower at the Y. I filled payphones with quarters each day, desperately seeking work. Ultimately, I was confronted by my biggest fear when dating my first man – a member of AIDS activist group ACT UP. Could I really survive in one of the hardest cities in the world? Or would I fail and return to Ohio, back in the closet to find a wife and a lawn to mow. l i t t l e b r e t t , BIG CITY celebrates finding your own place in the world. Here I recall and sal

Paula Abdul Became "Forever Our Girl" This Week in 1989

Paula Abdul’s second single entered its second week at #1 this day in 1989. I was kicking off my last semester at Bowling Green, but I didn’t really connect with the song. I was more “alternative.” Think “120 Minutes.” But it's sure in my head 30+ years later. Paula Abdul is like the Gen X version of Cher. Earlier this year, she wrapped a residency in Vegas , filling seats with fans of her videos, her choreography, and her iconic role as a talent show judge. Her appeal, like her resume, crosses generations. She’s still not on any of my playlists, but I appreciate her hustle. Check out the video for this song. She wasn’t so big that she couldn’t pay tribute to some of the biggest videos a few years before her. Even if it was just to fuel her quest to be our girl, forever. Elijah Wood makes his acting debut here too as one of the “Boys of Summer.”

We Got The Beat - For Cardiac Supplements!

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