Wordy Rappinghood

"Wordy Rappinghood" is the debut single by American new wave band Tom Tom Club, from their 1981 self-titled debut album. It uses part of a traditional Moroccan children's song and game, "A Ram Sam Sam", made popular by the 1971 Rolf Harris recording. In the United States, the song topped the Billboard Disco Top 80 chart along with "Genius of Love".

"Wordy Rappinghood"
Single by Tom Tom Club
from the album Tom Tom Club
B-side
  • "Elephant" (UK)
  • "Spooks" (US)
Released1981 (UK)
May 1982 (US)[1]
Genre
Length6:27
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Steven Stanley
  • Tina Weymouth
  • Chris Frantz
Tom Tom Club singles chronology
"Wordy Rappinghood"
(1981)		 "Genius of Love"
(1981)
Audio
"Wordy Rappinghood" on YouTube

Structure, instrumentation and production

The song opens with the sound of a typewriter and features jarring synthesizer chords and a distinctive drum break. The words of the fifth verse are spoken in French: "Mots pressés, mots sensés, mots qui disent la vérité, mots maudits, mots mentis, mots qui manquent le fruit d'esprit"[5] which translate as: "hurried words, sensible words, words that tell the truth, cursed words, lying words, words that lack the fruit of the mind."

Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz of Tom Tom Club had bought a house in Nassau, Bahamas, next door to Chris Blackwell, owner of Island Records, and it was Blackwell who arranged the recording in his Compass Point Studios. Frantz and Weymouth brought in Steven Stanley, a 21-year-old keyboard player who had been the sound engineer on Ian Dury's album Lord Upminster, and bass player Monte Browne, a former member of T-Connection.[6]

Track listings
  • US 12" single[7]
A. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Special 12" Version) – 6:39
B. "Spooks" – 6:28
  • European 7" single[8]
A. "Wordy Rappinghood" – 3:50
B. "Wordy Rappinghood" (You Don't Ever Stop) – 4:05
  • European 12" single[8]
A. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Remix) – 6:42
B. "Elephant" – 5:11

Chart performance

Chicks on Speed version
"Wordy Rappinghood"
Single by Chicks on Speed
from the album 99 Cents
Released2003
Length6:26
LabelChicks on Speed
Songwriter(s)
  • Tina Weymouth
  • Chris Frantz
  • Steven Stanley
Producer(s)Glove
Chicks on Speed singles chronology
"We Don't Play Guitars"
(2003)		 "Wordy Rappinghood"
(2003)		 "Flame On"
(2004)
Music video
"Wordy Rappinghood" on YouTube

"Wordy Rappinghood" was covered by German electroclash group Chicks on Speed and released as the second single from their album 99 Cents in 2003. Their version featured guest vocals by other female musicians such as Miss Kittin, Kevin Blechdom, Le Tigre, Adult.'s Nicola Kuperus, and Tom Tom Club founding member Tina Weymouth.[22]

This cover was sampled in the song "Really Rappin' Something" by the Kleptones from the album From Detroit to J.A. in 2005. In 2007, the Playgroup remix of Chicks on Speed's version appeared on the compilation album FabricLive.33 by Spank Rock.[23]

Critical reception

Christopher Lloyd of Drowned in Sound described the song as an "ultra-catchy seven minute dancefloor killer".[24]

Track listings
  • European CD maxi single[25]
  1. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Radio Edit) – 4:20
  2. "Wordy Rappinghood" (The Playgroup Remix) – 5:23
  3. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Dave Clarke's Non Techno Mix) – 3:37
  4. "Wordy Rappinghood" (The Playgroup Instrumental Mix) – 5:24
  5. "Wordy Rappinghood" (music video)
  • German 12" single[26]
A1. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Album Mix) – 6:26
A2. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Acapella Version) – 4:10
B1. "Wordy Rappinghood" (The Playgroup Remix) – 5:23
B2. "Wordy Rappinghood" (Dave Clarke's Non Techno Mix) – 3:37

Charts
Chart (2003–2004) Peak
position
Belgium Dance (Ultratop Flanders)[27] 5
Scotland (OCC)[28] 72
UK Singles (OCC)[29] 66
UK Dance (OCC)[30] 4

Uffie version
"Wordy Rappinghood"
Single by Uffie
Released2011
Length3:08
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Tina Weymouth
  • Chris Frantz
  • Steven Stanley
Producer(s)DJ Mehdi
Uffie singles chronology
"Difficult"
(2010)		 "Wordy Rappinghood"
(2011)		 "Drugs"
(2018)

French-American electronic artist Uffie covered the song in 2011. The single, produced by labelmate DJ Mehdi, was released on April 18, 2011, through Ed Banger Records, Because Music and Elektra Records.[31] Her version was used in a global Evian ad campaign.[32]

See also

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100 1959-2004. ISBN 978-0898201628.
  2. Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock (3rd ed.). Rough Guides. p. 1090. ISBN 1-84353-105-4.
  3. Warren, Bruce (July 7, 2016). "#TBTXPN New Wave Day: Watch the Tom Tom Club live in concert". The Key. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  4. Breihan, Tom (April 29, 2020). "The Number Ones: Blondie's "Rapture"". Stereogum. Retrieved July 17, 2023. Soon after, other punk and new wave groups started playing around with [rap]. Later in 1981, the Tom Tom Club made "Wordy Rappinghood"...
  5. Gorin, François (January 21, 2013). "Tom Tom Club : ratiocinations lexicologiques". Télérama (in French). Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  6. Kutner, Jon (May 27, 2012). "Wordy Rappinghood". Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  7. "Tom Tom Club – Wordy Rappinghood (Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  8. "Tom Tom Club – Wordy Rappinghood". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 10, 2011.
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 311. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. "Tom Tom Club – Wordy Rappinghood" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  11. "InfoDisc : Tous les Titres par Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Select "Tom Tom Club" from the artist drop-down menu. Archived from the original on March 19, 2005. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
  12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Wordy Rappinghood". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 35, 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
  14. "Tom Tom Club – Wordy Rappinghood" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
  15. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
  17. "Bubbling Under the Hot 100" (PDF). Billboard. May 29, 1982. p. 70.
  18. "Tom Tom Club – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  19. "Jaaroverzichten 1981" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  20. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  21. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  22. Phares, Heather. "Chicks on Speed – 99 Cents". AllMusic. Retrieved May 10, 2011.
  23. "Spank Rock – FabricLive. 33 (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved May 10, 2011.
  24. Lloyd, Christopher (October 13, 2003). "Chicks on Speed – 99 Cents". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  25. "Chicks On Speed – Wordy Rappinghood (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved May 10, 2011.
  26. "Chicks On Speed – Wordy Rappinghood (Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  27. "Chicks on Speed – Wordy Rappinghood" (in Dutch). Ultratop Dance. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
  28. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  29. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
  30. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  31. "Wordy Rappinghood (Evian Mix) – Single by Uffie". iTunes Store. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  32. "The Babies Are Back: evian Announces Launch of New Live young Campaign" (Press release). PR Newswire. April 19, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
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