carmelb:

somesongsconsidered:

“Genius of Love (Stop Making Sense Version)” – Tom Tom Club
(Words/music: Adrian Belew, Chris Frantz, Steven Stanley, Tina Weymouth, available on Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense: Special New Edition, Warner Brothers 1999)

Like many in my generation, my introduction to “Genius of Love” came through Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy,” one of many songs to sample “Genius of Love” since its release in 1981.  It’s understandable why it’s been sampled so much – Weymouth and Frantz, the Talking Heads’ rhythm section and the main members of the Tom Tom Club, understood the blossoming hip hop culture of the early ‘80s, so it makes sense that they would be open to having their hit sampled.  In addition to its sample-friendly creators, “Genius of Love” has a relentless groove.  The version in the Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense (essentially the extended Heads lineup minus David Byrne, who left the stage to change into his exaggerated “big suit” for the finale) really accentuates the groove, playing to the strengths of the musicians on stage (some of which played with some of the bands referenced in the song).  I also love Chris Frantz’s turn as the MC, interjecting throughout the track.  I imagine some might prefer the original and find Frantz distracting, but I find him endearing, in particular the way he “directs” the band at the end of the track.

Few would argue with the instrumental performance of “Genius of Love,” but it features a clever lyric in addition to all of the funk/soul/hip hop name dropping.  In fact, it might be the finest song ever written about a music snob.  Tina Weymouth’s narrator describes her infatuation with her music loving boyfriend (who she dubs “the maven of funk mutation” in the verse omitted in the Stop Making Sense version).  Sure, it’s his dancing that sweeps her off her feet, but he’s also quite opinionated about the music he likes, filling her ear with his musical opinions, including the future of reggae (Sly & Robbie) and funk innovators (Bootsy Collins, etc).  The narrator loses herself in his presence, only to have him disappear to the dance floor later in the song.  I hear the final verse as slightly tongue-in-cheek, reacting to her boyfriend ditching her to go dance on his own.  She pointedly reminds him, the “genius,” that if he doesn’t need to think when his feet are going, then he won’t feel hurt when she leaves him.

More on Tom Tom Club: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

OMG MY CHILDHOOD