Funky Cold Medina
Encyclopedia
"Funky Cold Medina" is a hip hop
song written by Young MC
, Michael L. Ross and Matt Dike, and first performed by Tone Lōc
. It was the second single from Lōc's debut album Lōc-ed After Dark
(1989). The single was released on March 18, 1989, and rose to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100
the following month. It peaked on the UK Singles Chart
at #13 in May of that year.
The song title refers to a fictional aphrodisiac
, which is presented in the accompanying video as a steaming love potion. The lyrics tell the tale of Lōc's initially unsuccessful attempts to attract women. At the suggestion of a barman, he plies his intended with "that medina thing". He first tests the drink on his dog, who immediately latches onto his leg and attempts to mate with him. Lōc's subsequent encounters with women also backfire on him; first he attracts a transsexual woman, and then a woman intent on marriage
from the very first date (recounting his experiences on the game show Love Connection
).
After the song became popular, several different mixed drink
s were created and named "Funky Cold Medina". Also, Lōc himself sang a parody of this song at the Epcot
animatronic show, Food Rocks
. In this show, he portrayed Fud Wrapper, a singing food wrapper, and sang "Always Read the Wrapper".
" by The Rolling Stones
, "Hot Blooded
" by Foreigner
(whose guitar riff dominates the song), "Christine Sixteen
" by Kiss
, "All Right Now
" by Free
, "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
" by Bachman–Turner Overdrive, and the introduction to "Jamie's Cryin'
" by Van Halen
(from which the drum break during the song's bridge is derived, this song was also sampled in "Wild Thing
").
US vinyl, 12", promo
US promo
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
song written by Young MC
Young MC
Marvin Young , better known by his stage name Young MC, is an English-born American singer and actor. He is best known for his 1989 hit "Bust a Move"...
, Michael L. Ross and Matt Dike, and first performed by Tone Lōc
Tone Lōc
Anthony Terrell Smith , better known by his stage name Tone Lōc, is an American rapper and actor.-Early life and career:...
. It was the second single from Lōc's debut album Lōc-ed After Dark
Loc-ed After Dark
Lōc-ed After Dark is the debut album by rapper, Tone Lōc. The album was released in 1989 for Delicious Vinyl Records and was a huge success, making it to #1 on the Billboard 200 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop album charts...
(1989). The single was released on March 18, 1989, and rose to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
the following month. It peaked on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at #13 in May of that year.
The song title refers to a fictional aphrodisiac
Aphrodisiac
An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexuality and love. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable...
, which is presented in the accompanying video as a steaming love potion. The lyrics tell the tale of Lōc's initially unsuccessful attempts to attract women. At the suggestion of a barman, he plies his intended with "that medina thing". He first tests the drink on his dog, who immediately latches onto his leg and attempts to mate with him. Lōc's subsequent encounters with women also backfire on him; first he attracts a transsexual woman, and then a woman intent on marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
from the very first date (recounting his experiences on the game show Love Connection
Love Connection
Love Connection is an American television game show, hosted by Chuck Woolery, in which singles attempted to connect with a compatible partner of the opposite gender. The show debuted in syndication on September 19, 1983 and ended on July 1, 1994, after more than 2,000 shows. Reruns continued to air...
).
After the song became popular, several different mixed drink
Mixed drink
A mixed drink is a beverage in which two or more ingredients are mixed. Some mixed drinks are alcoholic beverages that contain liquor; others are non-alcoholic.-Types:Some popular types of mixed drinks are:...
s were created and named "Funky Cold Medina". Also, Lōc himself sang a parody of this song at the Epcot
Epcot
Epcot is a theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort, located near Orlando, Florida. The park is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely international culture and technological innovation. The second park built at the resort, it opened on October 1, 1982 and was initially named...
animatronic show, Food Rocks
Food Rocks
Food Rocks was an attraction at Epcot's The Land pavilion presented by Nestlé in the Walt Disney World Resort. It was a musical stage show, with audio-animatronic figures.-Synopsis:...
. In this show, he portrayed Fud Wrapper, a singing food wrapper, and sang "Always Read the Wrapper".
Promo single
The 12" vinyl promo of "Funky Cold Medina" is a much sought-after collector's item amongst vinyl record collectors. In Addition to Funky Cold Medina (Funky Acappella), this 12" vinyl promo also includes an all-drums and rhythm remix entitled Funky Cold Medina (Funky Beats).Song samplings
This song contains samples from six songs, "Honky Tonk WomenHonky Tonk Women
"Honky Tonk Women" is a 1969 hit song by The Rolling Stones. Released as a single on 4 July 1969 in the UK and a week later in the US, it topped the charts in both nations.-Inspiration and Recording:...
" by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, "Hot Blooded
Hot Blooded
"Hot Blooded" is a song by the British-American hard rock band Foreigner, from their second studio album Double Vision. It was released as a single in July 1978 and reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that September...
" by Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
(whose guitar riff dominates the song), "Christine Sixteen
Christine Sixteen
"Christine Sixteen" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss. The song originally appeared on their 1977 album Love Gun. Released as a single in the United States in 1977, the single peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that year, and would do well in Canada, peaking at number...
" by Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, "All Right Now
All Right Now
"All Right Now" is a rock single by the English rock band Free. The song, released in mid-1970, hit #2 on the UK singles chart and #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "All Right Now" originally appeared on the album Fire And Water, which Free recorded on the Island Records label, formed...
" by Free
Free (band)
Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...
, "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
"You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" is a rock song written by Randy Bachman and performed by Bachman–Turner Overdrive on the album Not Fragile. It was released as a single in 1974 with an instrumental track "Free Wheelin'" as the B-side...
" by Bachman–Turner Overdrive, and the introduction to "Jamie's Cryin'
Jamie's Cryin'
"Jamie's Cryin" is a song by Van Halen from their 1978 debut album, Van Halen. The song was written and recorded live during the three week sessions for the album. The song discusses a woman who meets a man that only wants a one-night stand. She turns him down, but is sad for what might have been...
" by Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
(from which the drum break during the song's bridge is derived, this song was also sampled in "Wild Thing
Wild Thing (Tone Lōc song)
"Wild Thing" is the name of rapper Tone Lōc's 1988 single from the album Lōc-ed After Dark. The title is a reference to the phrase "doin' the wild thing," a euphemism for sex, unlike The Troggs' hit song, "Wild Thing", in which the "wild thing" was a girl.Tone Lōc's song peaked at number two on...
").
Track listings
http://www.discogs.com/search?type=all&q=Funky+Cold+Medina&btn=SearchUS vinyl, 12", promo
- A1 Funky Cold Medina [Vocal] 4:11
- A2 Funky Cold Medina [Funky Beats] 2:46
- B1 Funky Cold Medina [Instrumental] 4:08
- B2 Funky Cold Medina [Funky Acappella] 1:18
US promo
- 1 Funky Cold Medina [7" version] 4:11
In Popular Culture
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alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
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recorded a cover of the song, which was later included on their 2-disc compilation of B-sidesB-SidesB-Sides is an iTunes-exclusive album from the Coventry Trio The Enemy, consisting of ten songs that were B-sides to the single releases from their debut album We'll Live and Die in These Towns.-Track list:#Fear Killed the Youth of Our Nation...
and rarities Souvenirs in 2005. - MolotovMolotov (band)Molotov is a four-time Latin Grammy Award-winning Mexican rock band formed in Mexico City on September 23, 1995. Their lyrics feature a mixture of Spanish and English, rapped and sung by all members of the group. Musically, Molotov blends heavy basslines with heavy guitar riffs...
made their own cover version of Funky Cold Medina in 1998. - Irish puppet turkey Dustin the TurkeyDustin the TurkeyDustin the Turkey is a puppet, "television presenter" and star of RTÉ television's The Den since 1989. A turkey with a strong Dublin accent, Dustin is voiced by John Morrison, brother of Ciaran Morrison who was one of the creators of Zig and Zag. Dustin first appeared on The Den with Zig and Zag in...
covered the song on his 1998 album Faith of our Feathers, with the lyrics "Funky Ford Cortina". - Funky Cold Medina is featured in the movie "You, Me and DupreeYou, Me and DupreeYou, Me and Dupree is a 2006 romantic comedy film directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, written by Mike LeSieur, and produced by Mary Parent, Scott Stuber, and Owen Wilson....
" in a scene in which Owen WilsonOwen WilsonOwen Cunningham Wilson is an American actor and writer, known for his roles in the films The Haunting, The Royal Tenenbaums, Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Wedding Crashers, You, Me and Dupree, Bottle Rocket, the Cars series, The Darjeeling Limited, Marley & Me, Midnight in Paris, Shanghai Noon,...
's character, Dupree, engages in intimate relations with his blind date, a MormonMormonThe term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
librarianLibrarianA librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
named Mandy. - The song was used in an episode of ScrubsScrubs (TV series)Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
where a doctor is crying while she hears this song and covers up why by saying her brother was killed by a "Funky Cold Medina." - Weird Al Yankovic mentioned Funky Cold Medina in his parody of Loc's song Wild ThingWild Thing (Tone Loc song)"Wild Thing" is the name of rapper Tone Lōc's 1988 single from the album Lōc-ed After Dark. The title is a reference to the phrase "doin' the wild thing," a euphemism for sex, unlike The Troggs' hit song, "Wild Thing", in which the "wild thing" was a girl.Tone Lōc's song peaked at number two on...
called "Isle Thing".