Walk the Dinosaur
Encyclopedia
"Walk the Dinosaur" is a hit single recorded and released by the band Was (Not Was)
in 1987, later featured on their hit 1988 album, What Up, Dog?
When released in the UK in 1987, the song reached #10 on the charts, becoming the group's first Top 10 hit there. After the music video
to the song (which featured four scantily clad cavewomen dancing to the song, a Flintstones
-style TV playing clips from Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur
, and then modern people dancing to the song in the "Everybody kill the dinosaur" part) received heavy rotation on MTV
, the song reached #7 on the U.S. charts in 1989, two years after its UK success. The song is the biggest hit single for the band in their home country.
recorded a cover of "Walk the Dinosaur" which was the theme song for the 1993 film Super Mario Bros.
, with slightly modified lyrics to reference the film.
This song appeared on the soundtrack of The Flintstones
in 1994.
"Walk the Dinosaur" featured in the soundtrack of 1989 comedy movie The Dream Team
.
Queen Latifah
cut a cover version of the song for the Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
feature-length animated film (which also featured John Leguizamo
, who previously appeared in Super Mario Bros., which the song appeared in). However, Queen Latifah's cover for the movie never made it onto the official soundtrack (also, the lyric "slave" was replaced with "friend" to make it more family-friendly). It was produced by Miami hitmakers Cool & Dre
.
Recently, samples of the song have been used at the end of commercial breaks on The Stephanie Miller Show
, and also, a hint of the chorus was sampled by Tony Cha Cha and Sidney Samson
for their 2009 song 'Get On The Floor'.
Also, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio
ranked the song at #61 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, warning the listeners to look out for a meteor, followed up with a "Boom! Boom! Aka-lacka-lacka-boom!" and the exaltation that the song "is knocked into extinction. Our ears are saved!"
The song is used as background music in a shock site
known as "Walk the Dinosaur" which depicts two dinosaurs in the 69 Position.
In summer of 2011, a cover of Walk the Dinosaur was included in the animatronic show at Chuck E. Cheese's
. The band members poked fun at the ambiguity of the name Was (Not Was).
As of October 2011, the song can be heard in the prehistoric area of Disney's Animal Kingdom
theme park. As well, a snippet of the tune can be heard during the Electrical Water Pageant
float parade at Walt Disney World Resort
in the Seven Seas Lagoon.
Was (Not Was)
-Studio albums:-Compilation albums:-Singles:-Contributions:* A Christmas Record - "Christmas Time In The Motor City"* That's The Way I Feel Now: A Tribute to Thelonious Monk - "Ba-Lue-Bolivar-Ba-Lues-Are"...
in 1987, later featured on their hit 1988 album, What Up, Dog?
What Up, Dog?
-LP edition:-UK CD edition:* The UK CD edition and Cassette editions featured this configuration-Personnel:* David "Michigan-Boy Snake" Was — flute, keyboards, harmonica, vocals* Don "Rope Drink" Was — bass, keyboards, guitar, mandolin...
Song info
The song features a tight, funky sound, punctuated by horns and cowbell, along with what sounds like cavepeople chanting in the background, while the lyrics relate to life in prehistoric times.When released in the UK in 1987, the song reached #10 on the charts, becoming the group's first Top 10 hit there. After the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
to the song (which featured four scantily clad cavewomen dancing to the song, a Flintstones
The Flintstones
The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
-style TV playing clips from Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur
Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur
Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur is a 1939 Merrie Melodies animated cartoon short directed by Chuck Jones and produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions for Warner Bros. Pictures. The cartoon is notable as being the first Daffy Duck cartoon directed by Jones...
, and then modern people dancing to the song in the "Everybody kill the dinosaur" part) received heavy rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, the song reached #7 on the U.S. charts in 1989, two years after its UK success. The song is the biggest hit single for the band in their home country.
In popular culture
George ClintonGeorge Clinton (funk musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
recorded a cover of "Walk the Dinosaur" which was the theme song for the 1993 film Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. (film)
Super Mario Bros. is a 1993 American action film directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel. Based on the Super Mario Bros.video game and its entire franchise, the film features Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper and Samantha Mathis. It tells the story of the Mario brothers, Mario and...
, with slightly modified lyrics to reference the film.
This song appeared on the soundtrack of The Flintstones
The Flintstones (film)
The Flintstones is a 1994 American live-action comedy film based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon television series of the same name about a Stone-Age man, his family and his best friend. The film was directed by Brian Levant, written by Tom S. Parker, Jim Jennewein and Steven E...
in 1994.
"Walk the Dinosaur" featured in the soundtrack of 1989 comedy movie The Dream Team
The Dream Team (film)
The Dream Team is a 1989 comedy film directed by Howard Zieff and produced by Christopher W. Knight for Imagine Entertainment and Universal Pictures. It stars Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd, Peter Boyle and Stephen Furst as mental-hospital inpatients who are left unsupervised in New York City...
.
Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
cut a cover version of the song for the Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, also known as Ice Age 3, is a 2009 3-D computer animated film. It is the third installment of the Ice Age series, produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox...
feature-length animated film (which also featured John Leguizamo
John Leguizamo
Jonathan Alberto "John" Leguizamo is an Colombian-American actor, producer, voice artist, and comedian.-Early life:...
, who previously appeared in Super Mario Bros., which the song appeared in). However, Queen Latifah's cover for the movie never made it onto the official soundtrack (also, the lyric "slave" was replaced with "friend" to make it more family-friendly). It was produced by Miami hitmakers Cool & Dre
Cool & Dre
Cool & Dre are a team of hip hop producers from Miami, Florida, consisting of Marcello "Cool" Valenzano and Andre "Dre" Christopher Lyon.-Epidemic Records:...
.
Recently, samples of the song have been used at the end of commercial breaks on The Stephanie Miller Show
The Stephanie Miller Show
The Stephanie Miller Show is a syndicated progressive talk radio program that discusses politics, current events, and pop culture using a fast-paced, impromptu style. The three-hour show is hosted by comedienne Stephanie Miller along with voice artist Jim Ward and the show's engineer and executive...
, and also, a hint of the chorus was sampled by Tony Cha Cha and Sidney Samson
Sidney Samson
Sidney Samson is a Dutch DJ and dance musician. Samson started DJing at the age of 13, focusing on hip-hop music before working seriously on house music from 1999. He is a resident DJ at The Matrixx, a major Dutch nightclub and released "Bring That Beat Back" and "It’s all funked up" on the...
for their 2009 song 'Get On The Floor'.
Also, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio
AOL Radio
AOL Radio powered by Slacker, , is an online radio service available only in the United States.- Roots :...
ranked the song at #61 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, warning the listeners to look out for a meteor, followed up with a "Boom! Boom! Aka-lacka-lacka-boom!" and the exaltation that the song "is knocked into extinction. Our ears are saved!"
The song is used as background music in a shock site
Shock site
A shock site is a website that is intended to be offensive, disgusting and/or disturbing to its viewers, containing materials of high shock value which is also considered distasteful and crude, and is generally of a pornographic, scatological, extremely violent, insulting, painful, profane, or...
known as "Walk the Dinosaur" which depicts two dinosaurs in the 69 Position.
In summer of 2011, a cover of Walk the Dinosaur was included in the animatronic show at Chuck E. Cheese's
Chuck E. Cheese's
Chuck E. Cheese's is a chain of family entertainment centers. Chuck E...
. The band members poked fun at the ambiguity of the name Was (Not Was).
As of October 2011, the song can be heard in the prehistoric area of Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom is an animal theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort. The fourth park built at the resort, it opened on April 22, 1998, and it is the largest single Disney theme park in the world, covering more than . It is also the first Disney theme park to be themed entirely...
theme park. As well, a snippet of the tune can be heard during the Electrical Water Pageant
Electrical Water Pageant
The Electrical Water Pageant is a show that takes place several times every evening on Walt Disney World's Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake. It features 14 floats with lights that depict images of sea creatures...
float parade at Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
in the Seven Seas Lagoon.
Chart positions
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.K. 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 ... |
10 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
11 |
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
| U.S. 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... |
7 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
11 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes... |
36 |
| U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... |
30 |