🎵 Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love REACTION

[@Johnny_Socko]

Yeah, this song has been sampled more times than Baskin Robbins.

[@BradAndLex]

😆😆

[@Koudey]

More times than Costco vendors

[@jimipurple123]

179 times

[@PayMeuponrequest]

Because that beat go hard.

[@FlamesCagney]

The opening quote "What you gonna do when You get out of jail. 'I'm gonna have some fun'" is from when James Brown was interviewed leaving jail.

[@galedribble9535]

James BROOOOWWWWWNNNN Lol they were just shouting out various funk and reggae heavyweights. Giving them props

[@davea5794]

In the late 80s, I saw Tom Tom Club with Debbie Harry and the Ramones. What a show that was!

[@vinceedwards3978]

Lucky you!!! That had to be a great show

[@MadSlantedPowers]

That must have been that Escape From New York tour. I clipped a short article out of the newspaper about it. The fate of Talking Heads was still uncertain at the time.

[@davea5794]

@@MadSlantedPowers It was, indeed, the Escape from New York tour.

[@gigikat5902]

Lucky!

[@Mark-zu6oz]

I went to one of the shows. After Debbie's set, a huge storm came up and drenched everyone. The rest of the acts were canceled. I have seen the Tom Tom Club but never got to see the Ramones.

[@surlechapeau]

Brad & Lex, Tom Tom Club is Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz from the Talking Heads, their side project! Instrumental part of the song was a great music bed for radio production work. They are married and their "Wordy Rappinghood" is next for you!!

[@jonsey156]

Oh Yeah - Gotta love "Wordy Rappinghood"

[@portiadavenport9866]

Blimey this brings back some memories!

[@surlechapeau]

@@TheHandyman1999 anytime LOL

[@c3host]

Wow… Y’all are bringing back some memories! I first met Tina just before the Talking Heads took off. She was the sweetest thing ever. I was a teenager… Now I’m 59. Talking Head Tom Tom club… Tina is a goddess bassest beyond belief

[@surlechapeau]

@@c3host bassist too! LOL

[@tobin3594]

This track is a staple of hip-hop sampling. It's probably sampled in over 100 hip-hop tracks alone! EPMD, The Boogiemonsters, WC, Mack 10, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Tupac, Busta Rhymes, Afrika Bambaataa, Funkdoobiest, Kwest Tha Mad Lad, amongst others.

[@Ezoangelofdeath]

2nd II None - Niggaz Trippen DJ Quik sampled to put that beat together as well

[@Braedensground]

Most famously used in the Mariah Carey big hit 'Fantasy' Great video!

[@tobin3594]

@@Braedensground I ignored that 'famous' track for a reason: everybody seems to know it, which is a testament to Mariah's marketing rather then the production quality.

[@spiderbass65]

Amazing that you know all that!

[@galedribble9535]

@@tobin3594 it was still a great song though…with a feature from Ol Dirty (rip) Great list by the way

[@miguelnavarrete3893]

This is the original from the early 80’s. It’s been sampled so often, best sampling was “Fantasy” by Mariah Carey.

[@RenR70]

I like “Genius Rap” by Dr. Jeckyl & Mr. Hyde. Probably the first time it was sampled, maybe “It’s Nasty” by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious 5.

[@smarmydave]

Big Energy by Latto, released in 2021 and played / streamed constantly on radio & streamers today, is probably the most recent popular song that samples Genius of Love. This is classic AF!

[@tobin3594]

@@RenR70 My money is on Afrika Bambaataa using it first. I'm gonna have to dig on the crates to find the tracks tittle.

[@tobin3594]

'Best sampling?!?!' I think you mean 'most obvious/unimaginative.' Sure, everybody has heard Mariah's track and it obviously samples this track, but that's the kind of unimaginative sampling that makes people think that sampling is just theft.

[@RenR70]

@@tobin3594 Which song? I didn’t know Bam even sampled it.

[@serving-to-serve3100]

This song has been sampled over 170 times - people like Red Man, Busta, Cube, Snoop, 2 pac, X Clan, Cam-ron ..... etc etc all used various pieces of this one song. May still hold the top spot for most sampled song in hip-Hop.

[@mickshealthjourney3635]

Not anymore, but it's up there. The drum break from "Amen Brother" by The Winstons has been sampled over 5000 times (also known as the "Amen Break"), most notably for "Straight Outta Compton" by NWA and TV intros song for Futurama and The Powerpuff Girls.

[@sjgamingwarrio3448]

U seriously forgot Mariah Carey?

[@dancarter482]

@@sjgamingwarrio3448 _Grandmaster Flash_ was at least 2 decades ahead of ALL the above!

[@ContentHouseFilms]

The live version from the Talking Heads movie STOP MAKING SENSE is awesome!

[@calebclunie4001]

Bernie Worrell, on keys, from Parliament Funkadelic.

[@llorona7847]

This is one of those songs that can’t be deconstructed. You just have to enjoy it or hit the dance floor. That’s all you can do

[@GhostlyEcheveria]

FINALLY! We've been trying to get you to listen to this for months. This is the original. It's just an iconic song from the 80's.

[@mikecaetano]

"Who needs to think when your feet just go 'Bohannon, Bohannon, Bohannon, Bohannon'"! Those are shout outs to percussionist Hamilton Bohannon, credited for popularizing the "four-on-the-floor" beat during the 70's. "Genius of Love" was a top ten hit back in 1981. Musically, that was a fun time to be a teenager. "I'm gonna have some fun" -- explains all the goofy sounds. Tina Weymouth bass. Tom Tom Club, was the side group she formed with her husband Talking Head's drummer Chris Frantz. So for more like that, check out more from Talking Heads -- "Once In A Lifetime", "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)", "Girlfriend Is Better", "Pulled Up", "Take Me To The River", "Life During Wartime", "Crosseyed and Painless", and "Nothing But Flowers" are some of their better known songs. And their live concert film "Stop Making Sense" is great too. They play this song in that movie as well.

[@chrisa4695]

Bohannon’s real claim to fame is that he hired 15 Michael Henderson on bass (Miles Davis, Norman Connors & solo) and 14 year old Ray Parker, Jr. on guitar. They went on to briefly record with Marvin Gaye joined by Wah Wah Watson & Eddie Bongo Brown.

[@debjorgo]

They've did "Once in a Lifetime", Buring Down the House, Psycho Killer and maybe more.

[@jacqueline4514]

Had the pleasure of seeing Bohannon at the Brooklyn club “Plaza Suite” in my club days; we danced like hell; best times of my life!!!

[@FMoran1966]

The track was recorded at renowned Compass Point, Bahamas (Chris Blackwell/Island Records, impresario of the delivery of Reggae to the world). It's more than a shout-out to Bohannon, which in itself is pretty fabulous; it's an anthem to the groove, univerSAAAALE, from Motown, Soul, Funk, Disco, Reggae, Ska and Hip Hop - "Mavens of Funk Mutation", even though I like to refer to it as "Thumputation": George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bob Marley, Sly & Robbie, Kurtis Blow, Smokey Robinson, and James Brown, who were the real stars of this track. The video production design was also in the funk zeitgeist, strata, constellation, what have you, rendered by James Rizzi, comparable to the vibe of Overton Loyd (Atomic Dog). Also interesting is the relationship between Talking Heads and The Staple Singers.

[@FMoran1966]

@@jacqueline4514 Fierce, child. Once in a lifetime moments.

[@bigchris7709]

It was DEFINITELY played by Mama Lex while cleaning the house. PLUS Mariah Carey sampled this for her hit 'Fantasy'..and just recently Latto sampled both for her hit 'Big Energy'..👀😎

[@johnstjohn6658]

I HATED Mariah until I heard "Fantasy" Morales Sweet Dub Mix.

[@AW11-e4h]

I can smell the skating rink 🤘

[@juanbecerra7138]

Tom Tom Club = New wave/avant- garde rhythm section/couple produce a side project.

[@Ezoangelofdeath]

The side band of Talking Heads members, very weird, but very sampled by early hip hop acts

[@daz_n]

Much like The B-52s...Don't ask why, just enjoy it for what it is. Art.

[@kylesage-clontz]

Tom Tom Club is basically just Talking Heads without David Byrne. This song gets sampled by someone or another pretty much once per decade since it was written.

[@jimmcdonald4087]

Without Byrne and Jerry Harrison. So half of Talking Heads -- the rhythm section.

[@lLushKitty]

Once per decade? This track has been sampled well over 200xs since 1981.

[@jeter274]

Glad to see you do other genres other than Rock. This is a classic

[@AgOG47]

Such a great song. I really enjoy watching y'all get a look on your face when you've heard the beat before, and have to come to a realization that this is the actual song it comes from. Priceless.

[@johnnyborealis]

regarding the visuals, the artist's name is James Rizzi. he was a brooklyn born pop (& graffitti) artist from the 80's. epic song, great visuals

[@galedribble9535]

Thanks for that info 👍🏾

[@stevenroach6809]

The drummer mentioned that the rhythm guitar part was inspired by the rhythm guitar in "More Bounce to the Ounce" by Zapp.

[@fern]

This track was a massive 80s dancefloor track especially with all the different UK import versions

[@KelsaRavenlock]

Why would there be UK import versions? Neither the band nor the label are in the UK.

[@RenR70]

This song has been sampled sooooo many times.

[@gaz0463]

This takes me right back to the very early 1980s. It was a trip then and is still a trip now. As a side note I served under Tina Weymouth’s fathers command, Vice Admiral Ralph Weymouth when I was stationed between Iceland and Greenland. I met Tina and her then boyfriend now husband twice when they were members of the band Talking Heads.

[@chrisb9577]

Brad, this type of new wave/post-disco music is meant to be immersed in, not focused on. Put headphones on and just relax. Its like a musical kaleidoscope.

[@bryanforis1839]

Great songs and great music in1982 to 1984 talking heads had this group. Soft cell and human league and the biggest 12 inch single blue Monday that not counting cure

[@rickclark8657]

First sampled by grandmaster flash and the furious five in their song It’s nasty” Bohannon biggest hit was “let’s start the dance”

[@scorpiouk5914]

Great 1993 memories of this song in the club. Wish I could remember the song the DJ flowed this one into, but I was on the floor for 20 minutes dancing like crazy.

[@joesmith8725]

Classic new wave, funky punk band. This was also post-disco (early-mid '80s disco was fading away and changing into different style music). Dance-rock. Funky bass lines. Tom Tom Club was Talking Heads side project band during the '80s and early '90. Very similar to Talking Heads, also check out a group called Nu Shooz, they were similar. Music like this was huge at dance clubs, parties, skating rinks, arcades, malls, etc. I bet Lex mom danced to this stuff back in the days, too. Lot of people did, especially the funky bass guitar. Lex, how did artists learn to sample this? Simple. Music like this and new wave punk was huge during the late '70s, '80s and early '90s. Artists were once kids themselves and heard it on the radio, from parents, parties, skating rinks, arcades, malls, and music videos, especially MTV. Many early rappers sampled music from different genres back then. Rock, funk, disco, blues, new wave, punk, metal, etc. They definitely sampled lots of new wave, very electronic music. The instrument you were hearing was keyboards, synthesizers. Very common in new wave music and other music from the late '70s, '80s and early '90s. Poor Brad, usually has trouble with new wave music and synthesizers, lol. Get used to it Brad! Going to be a lot more coming your way on the '80s stream and especially another new wave stream or post punk, goth and others streams in the future! Yes, Mariah Carey , ODB (RIP...from Wu Tang Clan) sampled this on huge 1995 hit "Fantasy". R&B, pop, rap song. Watch the video. Check out Tom Tom Club other videos like "Wordy Rappinghood" (its a new wave funky rap song lol), and "Pleasure of Love".

[@throwabrick]

I'm sure someone else will have said, but these guys are a side-project from members of The Talking Heads. They even did some Tom Tom Club tracks during the Talking Heads movie "Stop Making Sense".

[@KEvronista]

one the most sampled songs in the history of modern music. hundreds of examples. KEvron

[@storiedworlds6261]

Haven’t heard this one in a long while. When Mariah sampled this in the 90s, it was a sensation for a second time.

[@jeffreekoch9298]

It's a synthesizer (the instrumental sound) guys. 😆 This is new wave music. So '80s. Also, lot of rappers sampled this kind of music years ago, they grew up hearing this kind of music and shared the electronic elements in their music, too.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

What parts are synth and what parts are guitar? With Adrian Belew it’s not always easy to tell.

[@boristhebugg782]

Love watching young people trying to wrap their heads around the trails our generation blazed.

[@jr1soto]

this is THEE original, everyone has sampled this song. Mariah Carey, J Dilla, Redman, 2Pac, Grandmaster Flash, Mark Morrison etc…

[@ministry2627]

For any Hip Hop heads out there, this was also sampled by Eric Sermon on a tune called Genius E Dub.

[@Transmodulator]

Yes, another favourite of mine and a Talking Heads offspring, really fun music for parties, never gets old for me, thanks.

[@scottstewart5784]

Big song in the clubs back in the day, and "Bohannon" (they whispered the name for some bars) is a tribute to a big name in a particular genre of music.

[@annaoswald5943]

Such a fun song and reaction. Instantly put a smile on my face. A similar sounding song from the same era is Nu Shooz - "I Can't Wait". I think both of you will like it.

[@edwardvgarrick8748]

Great song

[@PinchewachE]

🔥🔥🔥

[@augiemesa9429]

One of my most favorite songs ever. Thank you.

[@AndersVinkler]

It´s the original. Tom Tom Club ( Base -Tina Weymouth ) is the rhythm section from Talkin´Heads. Listen to Wordy Wrappinghood. WR is the major dancehit from the album.

[@angelagoodwin5758]

If you listen closely, you will hear names like Bootsy Collins, Bob Marley, Curtis Blow (rap pioneer), and other musical artists of that time. This was skating music for sure!

[@davidexel11]

Angela it's Kurtis Blow with a K but I do respect that you caught and recognized him in the song. Kurtis Blow is a TRUE Old School Rap Pioneer!

[@angelagoodwin5758]

@@davidexel11 OOPS!

[@dggydddy59]

Don't forget James Brooowwwnnn!! Lol!

[@angelagoodwin5758]

@@dggydddy59 Soul Brother #1!

[@gregorybrown3272]

The vocals were performed by Bassist Tina Weymouth and her two sisters. It sounds like two of them are singing the lead line in unison with the other singer singing the third harmony note. The opening lines in the song come directly from a James Brown song, which is why his name is so prominently featured. Some of the other musicians that are namechecked in the song are : Kurtis Blow, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Bob Marley, and Smokey Robinson.

[@daveborder7751]

The album was really good-a funky cover of Under The Boardwalk, Wordy Rappinghood, L'Elephant, Lorelei. Their sound must have inspired Stereolab & similar bands.

[@robertleeluben]

Yeah I picked up the LP in a record collection in the mid 2000s, I ended up selling most of the collection off but this was a keeper.

[@dionisioiacobelli6689]

Chris and Tina met while students at the Rhode Island School Of Design. He told her to go learn bass guitar your in the band.

[@SweetThing]

This was the original! Tom Tom Club has a special place in music history. Side project of Tina Weymouth (bass, vocal, synth) and Chris Frantz (drums) from Talking Heads, also married. They listed all their musical genius influences. One of the most sampled 80s's song in history. The dog was saying: "James Brown!"

[@adnap]

How do you guys not know Mariah Carey “Fantasy” ? It’s in Rush Hour, and it was pretty much the driving force behind Free Guy. It’s been everywhere, lol

[@johnpfenning]

This song has been sampled a jillion times. AND ITS STILL NOT ENOUGH

[@stevedahlberg8680]

Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth are one of my favorite musical couples. They were the rhythm section (drums and bass, respectively) in one of my favorite bands, the Talking Heads. Neither of them are technical bad asses but they were just so good at what they did. The perfect mix of really workmanlike quality, Slinky sexy whimsical intelligent dance vibe fun. And always so creative. They were just about having fun so much. So when they did the Tom Tom Club I loved it. And they would often do like the middle section of a show during the later Talking Heads tours. And this was a big hit for a while on the dance floor at clubs. And yeah, sampled at least a few times.

[@AW-yj6md]

I so love songs that give honorable mentions, nods to the greats that came before,..Smokey Robinson, James Brown,..love how they eased that honorable mention of Smokey,..Spandau Ballet does it with Marvin Gaye,..its really cool,..like a little tribute,..you know, we remember who came before,..who influenced us,..this was on the radio,..MTV every minute,..bassist was with Talking Heads,..she's brilliant,..Godspeed, Peace ✌

[@sandragray4598]

This song had a lot of of mentions of popular musicians, ones they admired and that influenced them, including James Brown. They mentioned Bootsy Collins, Kurtis Blow, Smokey Robinson, and several others. It was sampled often, and it's considered a classic.

[@tommc4916]

Made about a year or so before MTV went on the air. Definitely a classic of the video era.

[@MrSmith-ot9ei]

That song was sampled quite a few times. Mariah Carey has a song she did with Ol Dirty Bastard that sampled this song. X Clan also sampled it back in the day!

[@Stacy55ish]

Poor Brad, always bewildered by experimental music.

[@pizura]

This song was released in 1981. Herbie Hancock's Rockit was still 2 years from being released. It's samples and beat mixes long before it became mainstream. For context, the top songs in 1981 were Bette Davis Eyes (Kim Carnes), Endless Love (Diana Ross / Lionel Richie), Lady (Kenny Rogers), Jessie's Girl (Rick Springfield), Celebration (Kool & the Gang).

[@kevinericsnell4092]

Oh wow I'd love to hear a mashup of this and Hancock's Rockit ^_^

[@El_Pacheco]

I remember this song at the skating ring they played this song all the time also at the carnival.

[@helgar791]

Much of this song is, of course, a tribute to many artists from Bob Marley to Kurtis Blow to James Brown. As much as this song has been sampled to me. I remember when it first came out and how the clubs reacted to it. A classic example of the earliest trip hop.

[@tbjfsu]

Married couple Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads side project, named Tom Tom Club from a dance hall in the Bahamas.

[@charlesberton2581]

Always loved that one. The bassist and drummer are from the Talking Heads.

[@pl9584]

Best roller skating song! Perfect summer song! It's a fun little song. This was the original song that has been sampled a gazillion times.

[@r.plante2916]

You gotta understand the context of when/where this came out: downtown NYC, and the mix of early rap, funk, punk, graffiti, and underground art galleries.

[@kathyjam2482]

They were ahead of their time and many parts of this song has been re-sampled many times.

[@FerryFalco]

Sly & Robbie produced the Tom Tom Club album and check out their heritage for some cool shit too..

[@happymethehappyone8300]

Tom Tom Club "Suboceana"...Nuff Said.

[@pjm8779]

The strange sound you hear is a flanger effect. A flanger mixes two audio signals, with one at a slower speed. This gives the whooshing sound you hear. Very 80s.

[@jimmymac4559]

Good description. I would have just said “flanger” like a dumbass lol

[@MarcosElMalo2]

@@jimmymac4559 and maybe someone (I guess it’s me this time) should point out it’s flanger with a soft G. Flanger Stranger Danger Manger. Not like Hanger or Banger or Wanger (one who wangs).

[@domstone6344]

I'm a metal head from hell but this was the Sh!+ when I was a kid...thx for the memory

[@kinjakahn]

this was it in the early 80's, everything after is sampled.

[@lumpyfishgravy]

Yes! Tom Tom Club!

[@johnstjohn6658]

Benny and the Jets now this? Y'all must be on a crossover groove today. Art of Noise "Moments of Love" and Toto "Georgy Porgy" also come to mind.

[@whodafeak]

This song is played in multiple episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

[@johnhawk1089]

Great song. It never gets old.

[@projectlimitless5898]

If Brad listened to UK Drum and Base his head would explode.

[@bryanhale5254]

You know it's funny they mentioned Kurtis Blow and James Brown and Bootsy Collins that's awesome which is pretty cool because they actually had two or three players join the band when they did their live show the played with Parliament Funkadelic Bernie Worrell was the keyboard player that played with Talking Heads when they did their life show

[@monk1210]

This was a jam at the skating rink in the 80s ❤️❤️❤️

[@lookinforthe70s]

I've always thought of this as a nice "happy" song.

[@blastingweevil2968]

back when music was just fun and good to listen to. no deep meaning just pure fun and smile value.

[@donaldgilbreath4200]

Hell Yeah! House Party!!! Lex's mom needs to be there.

[@tinamarie6871]

How have you not heard this song before?! It's a great song!

[@jonpaulevans31]

Not sure what actual musicians think of Tina Weymouth's bassist skill, but she's up with Les Claypool and Victor Wooten in my mind. Plus, everybody in Talking Heads/TTC would essentially run a few miles every show, while playing. Watch 'Stop Making Sense' to see what I mean.

[@Oxmustube]

She is terrific! Very underrated.

[@reymontcantil199]

this is a lowrider anthem. not bad for a artpunkfunk side project of talking heads. this came out at the brilliant time when hip hop/ dance/ funk/ house/ new wave/ electro/ synth pop were all kind of infiltrating each other- cross pollinating if you will. prince is kindve the circus ringleader of that movement in my opinion. but also- you will always hear this at a parking lot with some lowriders on the west coast.

[@kelpkelp5252]

Been sampled sooo much over the years.

[@stevensprunger3422]

Thank you for reacting to one of my favorite songs

[@davidsweet9163]

The sounds you are asking about are made by a synth.

[@briandehart6014]

I think P Diddy did a sample of this in the 90’s

[@Alpha_7227]

Absolutely brilliant base line and synth little sounds. Such a great groove.

[@johnboy2562]

If you get their first album, the crossover from track 1,Wordy Rappinghood, into this track is brilliant. The album version of this track is much longer too.👏🎶

[@MikeDest]

James BrOOOOWN, James Brown, James BrOOOOWN, James Brown

[@ronid90]

Another fun song that came out about the same time was Double Dutch Bus by Frankie Smith Oh Good times

[@jamesy4003]

In the Army 1982 this was THE jam in the clubs - wore out the dance floor on this one / just funk funk funk !

[@chrisa4695]

Instrumental track used by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five in It’s Nasty which was a big hit for them in 1982. It was a couple years before sampling technology. Rappers would hire a band to go into the studio and re-record the instrumental track. Mariah Carey sampled this song.

[@willfromyadkinville]

always hit the dance floor in mere seconds!

[@SearlesHernandez]

Been sampled in 100+ songs including by 2pac, Redman and most famously Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

[@richard_n]

OMG! I had this pop up on my playlist just yesterday and I was going to suggest it for you guys. That's crazy.

[@leqauty6884]

I remember when that song came out in the summer of 1980

[@Bulshitero]

Tom Tom Club = Talking Heads minus David Byrne

[@txstranger78]

Mariah Carey did a cover on her song “Fantasy” around 1995

[@lonalxaia]

She is a child of the 80s.

[@primeminister66]

Old school classic right there! Early 80s…. I think some of the members are members of the Talking Heads. Long version way better

[@calebclunie4001]

James Brown, is the God Father Of Soul.

[@strush2005]

Check out the Thompson Twins same era