Waterfalls (TLC song)
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| Single by TLC | ||||||||||
| from the album CrazySexyCool | ||||||||||
| B-side | Remix | |||||||||
| Released | August 5, 1995 (UK) May 29, 1995 (USA) |
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| Format | CD single, CD maxi | |||||||||
| Recorded | January 1995 D.A.R.P. Studios Doppler Recording Studios Bosstown Recording Studios (Atlanta, Georgia) |
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| Genre | R&B, hip hop soul | |||||||||
| Length | 4:18 (Single Version) 3:46 (Radio Edit w/o Rap) 4:39 (Album Version) |
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| Label | LaFace | |||||||||
| Writer(s) | Marqueze Etheridge, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Organized Noize | |||||||||
| Producer | Organized Noize | |||||||||
| Certification | RIAA: Platinum | |||||||||
| TLC singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Waterfalls" is a Grammy Award nominated 1995 single by American musical trio TLC, from their second album CrazySexyCool, and arguably the group's signature song. The song was produced by Organized Noize and written by Marqueze Etheridge, TLC member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Organized Noize.
The single is TLC's most successful single, spending seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 from July 8, 1995 to August 19, 1995. It is TLC's second number one single and sixth top 10 single. The background vocals on the recording were performed by all three members of TLC, as well as Debra Killings and Cee-Lo Green.
It was the 2nd biggest Hot 100 single of 1995, according to Billboard's Year End Chart. In 2010, Billboard awarded the song the top position of summer songs in 1995.
The song was listed as #8 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 1990s.[1]
"Waterfalls" was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards.[2]
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[edit] Song
TLC performed this song on MTV's 20th Anniversary in August 2001. The occasion marked Left Eye's final performance with the group before her death.
TLC performed the song at the 2008 BET Awards along with Alicia Keys.
In a 2007 interview, while discussing some songs of his he felt were underrated, Paul McCartney commented that he felt TLC had ripped off some aspects of his song "Waterfalls".[3]
At Left Eye's funeral, the lyrics "Dreams are hopeless aspirations, in hopes of coming true, believe in yourself, the rest is up to me and you" were engraved to her casket.
[edit] Music video
The music video was filmed at Universal Studios Hollywood in June 1995; directed by F. Gary Gray and features Ella Joyce, Bokeem Woodbine, Shyheim, Paul J. Alessi and Gabrielle Bramford. The song and video tackle the issues of drug dealing and HIV, two problems plaguing the inner cities.
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[edit] Critical reception
"Waterfalls" was listed 5th on The Village Voice's 1995 Pazz & Jop critics' poll. It was also ranked 13th in VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years and 8th on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s.
In 1996 the song was nominated for two Grammy Awards: Record of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal while the song's accompanying music video was included on Channel Max's Top 100 Sexy Women.
The music video for "Waterfalls" won TLC four MTV Video Music Awards, including "Best Choice", voted by viewers, and "Video of the Year".
[edit] Track listings
International CD Single
- "Waterfalls" (Single Version) - 4:18
- "Waterfalls" (ONP Remix) - 4:36
- "Waterfalls" (DARP Remix) - 4:28
- "Waterfalls" (Instrumental) - 4:39
2001 US Re-Release CD Single
- "Waterfalls" (Single Edit) - 4:18
- "Waterfalls" (DARP Remix) - 4:28
- "Waterfalls" (Instrumental) - 4:42
- "Waterfalls" (ONP Remix) - 4:35
- "Waterfalls" (ONP Instrumental) - 4:37
- "Waterfalls" (Album Version) - 4:39
[edit] Charts and sales
[edit] Peak positions
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[edit] End of year charts
[edit] End of decade charts
[edit] Certifications
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[edit] Chart successions
| Preceded by "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" by Bryan Adams |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single July 8, 1995 – August 19, 1995 (7 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Kiss From a Rose" by Seal |
| Preceded by "How Deep Is Your Love" by Portrait |
New Zealand (RIANZ) number-one single August 11, 1995 – September 1, 1995 (4 weeks) |
Succeeded by "You Are Not Alone" by Michael Jackson |
| Preceded by "You Are Not Alone" by Michael Jackson |
Swiss number-one single October 8, 1995 (1 week) October 29, 1995 (1 week) |
Succeeded by "You Are Not Alone" by Michael Jackson Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio featuring L.V. |
[edit] Cover versions
- The song was parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic as "Phony Calls", a reference to prank calls, on the 1996 album Bad Hair Day.
- The song has also been covered by Avril Lavigne with some lyrics changes, on her third studio album The Best Damn Thing.
[edit] Notes
- ^ "Breaking News - VH1's '100 Greatest Songs of the 90s' Grunges Up as Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' Takes the #1 Spot". TheFutonCritic.com. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20071212vh101. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
- ^ Crowe, Jerry (January 5, 1996). "The 38th Annual Grammy Nominations : The Grammys' New Vitalogy". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1996-01-05/entertainment/ca-21189_1_grammy-nominations.
- ^ Siegel, Robert (June 27, 2007). A.V. Club. http://www.avclub.com/articles/paul-mccartney,14120/.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Waterfalls", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
- ^ a b "Single top 100 over 1995" (in Dutch) (PDF). Top40. http://www.top40.nl/pdf/Top%20100/top%20100%20-%201995.pdf. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ "TLC singles, German Singles Chart" (in German). musicline. http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/TLC/single. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ^ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
- ^ UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
- ^ a b c d e Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved September 2, 2008)
- ^ 1995 Australian Singles Chart aria.com (Retrieved September 2, 2008)
- ^ Canada Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1995
- ^ 1995 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com (Retrieved January 30, 2009)
- ^ 1995 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved September 2, 2008)
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1995". http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1995. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
- ^ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. http://books.google.co.kr/books?id=9w0EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PP1&lr&rview=1&pg=RA1-PA4#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('Waterfalls')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=Waterfalls&strInterpret=&strTtArt=alle&strAwards=checked. Retrieved September 2, 2008.
- ^ UK certifications bpi.co.uk (Retrieved September 2, 2008)
- ^ U.S. certifications riaa.com (Retrieved September 2, 2008)
[edit] References
- The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits (fifth edition)
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