Heart Beat, pt 3

Heart Beat and Thursday Throwback are on a collision course for this, the third entry to our Valentine’s Day countdown. As with decades before it and since, the nineties featured more than a few heart-filled tunes, from alt rock fare like Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box” or the Wallflowers’ “6th Avenue Heartache” to top-forty fluff a la “My Heart Will Go On” and every other single released by the Backstreet Boys. For my money, though, all pale in comparison to Deee-Lite’s 1990 one-hit wonder, “Groove Is in the Heart.” Funky, colorful, and—obviously—groovy, the song exemplifies the house/hip hop fusion that was dominating the charts in the early nineties (see: “Hippy Chick,” “Jump Around,” “Connected,” “Unbelievable,” “What is Love,” etc.). For its part, “Groove” road seamless sampling and an upbeat flow to the fourth spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Oh, and for those in the mood for something a bit more velveteen (Andy), Rick Braun apparently did a smooth jazz cover of the song a few years back….