10 Greatest One-Hit Wonders Of The '80s
3. Tom Tom Club - "Genius Of Love"
It’s not entirely fair to call Tom Tom Club’s most endearing track a one hit wonder - they’ve a few other famous songs, some reasonable selling albums, and of course the members make up 50% of the original Talking Heads. Nothing, however, has come close to the enduring cultural impact of their groundbreaking sophomore single “Genius Of Love”.
Built around the idiosyncratic vocals of bass player Tina Weymouth, backing vocals from her sisters and bandmate and husband Chris Frantz, and one of the most earwormy synth lines you’ll ever here, “Genius Of Love” is simple but incredibly effective, an unshakable melody and a performance that stays just the right side of novelty.
The track was a US #1 on the dance charts and #2 for hip hop and R&B, but its real legacy is the sheer number of artists who have sampled it. From Maria Carey to Cam’ron to Tupac, “Genius Of Love”’s hook is one that every musician wishes they’d written, both because it’s an undeniable jam, and because it has made Chris and Tina a hell of a lot of money.