Funky Cold Medina

"Funky Cold Medina"
Single by Tone Lōc
from the album Lōc-ed After Dark
Released	March 18, 1989
Format	7" single; CD single
Recorded	1987
Genre	Pop-rap, rap rock
Length	4:08
Label	Delicious Vinyl
Writer(s)	Young MC, Michael L. Ross, Matt Dike
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
Tone Lōc singles chronology
"Wild Thing" (1989) "Funky Cold Medina" (1989) "I Got It Goin' On" (1990)

"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 whom he rejects due to him being a heterosexual man living in the 80's and being down with the ladies., 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 drinks were created and named "Funky Cold Medina."

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)," it also includes an all-drums and rhythm remix entitled "Funky Cold Medina (Funky Beats)."

Song samplings

"Funky Cold Medina contains samples from six songs: "Honky Tonk Women" by The Rolling Stones, "Hot Blooded" by Foreigner, "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").

Track listings

[1] US 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

• Irish alternative rock band The Frank and Walters recorded a cover of the song, which was later included on their 2-disc compilation of B-sides and rarities Souvenirs in 2005.
• Molotov made their own cover version of Funky Cold Medina in 1998.
• Irish puppet turkey Dustin the Turkey 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 Dupree" in a scene in which Owen Wilson's character Dupree engages in intimate relations with his blind date, a Mormon librarian named Mandy.
• The song was used in an episode of Scrubs where a doctor is crying while she hears this song and covers up the real reason 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 Thing called "Isle Thing."
• Appears on the soundtrack of Saints Row: The Third