"Waterfalls" is a 1995 single by R&B trio TLC from their
second album
CrazySexyCooland 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. It was the 2nd biggest Hot 100 single of 1995, according
to Billboard's Year End Chart. TLC performed the song at the
2008 BET Awards along with Alicia Keys.
The music video was filmed at Universal Studios Hollywood;
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.
The song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven
weeks from July 8, 1995 - August 19, 1995. The background
vocals on the recording were performed by all three members of
TLC, as well as Debra Killings and Cee-Lo.
The song shares its title and possibly similar melodies
& lyrics with "Waterfalls", a 1980 song by Paul McCartney.
TLC's chorus begins, "Don't go chasing waterfalls / Please
stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to", while
McCartney's song begins, "Don't go jumping waterfalls / Please
keep to the lake"; the second verse begins, "Don't go chasing
polar bears".
The song was parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic as "Phony
Calls", a reference to prank calls, on the 1996 album
Bad Hair Day.
TLC performed this song on MTV's 20th Anniversary in August
2001, TLC's final performance before Left Eye's death.
"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.
International CD Single
2001 US Re-Release CD Single