Songoftheday 10/16/16 - This here's a tale for all the fellas tryin' to do what those ladies tell us...


"Bust A Move" - Young MC
from the album Stone Cold Rhymin' (1989)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #7 (one week)
Weeks in the Top-40: 20

Today's song of the day comes from Marvin Young, aka Young MC, who was born in London but moved to New York as a toddler. While studying economics in college, Young met the future heads of his record label, Delicious Vinyl. There, he first got noticed for aiding in the production and writing of rapper Tone Loc's #1 Loc-ed After Dark album, most of all with the massive singles from the set, "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina". With that momentum, he recorded his own solo album, Stone Cold Rhymin', with a lead single that's even more infectious and fun than the Tone Loc hits. "Bust A Move", co-written and produced by those friends Matt Dike and Michael Ross, and even got some help from Red Hot Chili Pepper Flea...


"Bust A Move" became Young MC's first (and only) top-10 pop hit in October of 1989, spending more time in the top-40 (five months) than any other single in 1989. The record also climbed to #9 on Billboard's R&B chart, while the 12" extended version went to #7 on their Dance Club Play list. Internationally, the track topped the Australian singles chart, and made the top-40 in the Netherlands (#14), Canada (#17), and New Zealand (#25), but was only a minor hit in the UK (#73). "Bust A Move" did earn Marvin the second Grammy Award given out for best rap performance (beating out "Funky Cold Medina", among others).

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Here's Young MC getting interviewed then performing the track live on Arsenio Hall in 1989...


Glee used the song in their first season, with Matthew Morrison doing the rapping, and the result actually made the American Hot 100 at #93 (and #78 in Canada) in 2010...


...and finally, just because...


Up tomorrow: A dance trio lipsynchs for their life!



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