- The song “Walk the Dinosaur” by Was (Not Was) unexpectedly became a major pop hit in the late ’80s, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1989.
- Despite its initial release in 1987, the song gained popularity due to its catchy hook, playful lyrics, and easy-to-copy dinosaur dance featured in the music video.
- “Walk the Dinosaur” has endured as a nostalgic favorite, with over 12 million streams on Spotify and a resurgence on TikTok, where users continue to put their own spin on the iconic dance.
“Boom boom acka-lacka-lacka boom …” It was the late ’80s, and suddenly people across the U.S. were stomping around like dinosaurs at school dances, weddings, and parties. That’s because the quirky song “Walk the Dinosaur” by Was (Not Was) had become one of the most memorable pop hits (and dance crazes) of the late ’80s.Was (Not Was) were no typical pop band. Formed in Detroit in 1979 by David Weiss and Don Fagenson — soon to be known as David Was and Don Was — the group spent years making offbeat funk, rock, and experimental music before unexpectedly breaking into the mainstream with “Walk the Dinosaur.”
The dance-pop and funk track gained massive popularity and played in heavy rotation on radio stations and MTV, which made the song impossible to escape. The earworm chant, playful lyrics, and an easy-to-copy dinosaur dance, thanks to the video’s cavewomen and their choreographed moves, made it impossible to forget
In discussing the song’s trajectory, Randy Jacobs, the band’s guitarist and one of the song’s writers summed it up to the Detroit Metro Times like this, “The song’s about nuclear Armageddon. It became a dance because of the video. They connected it with the girls in the little Pebbles and Bam Bam outfits. All the sudden it became, like, ‘do the mashed potato’ or ‘the twist.'”
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That’s right. The catchy hit that inspired a goofy dance craze actually began as a clever commentary on nuclear anxiety
Although the song was released on their 1987 album What Up, Dog?, it didn’t become a major success in the U.S. for another couple of years. “Walk the Dinosaur” reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1989, making it the band’s biggest hit and only Top 10 success in the U.S. The What Up, Dog? album sold around a million copies worldwide
Although the song was often dismissed as a novelty hit, its nostalgic appeal has endured. It still pops up at sporting events, parties, and on retro playlists. “Walk the Dinosaur” has more than 12 million streams on Spotify and has found new life on TikTok, where users reminisce about it and continue putting their own spin on the iconic dinosaur dance
A few #walkthedinosaur cases in point from TikTok:
While many late-’80s dance crazes faded quickly, “Walk the Dinosaur” endured because it combined a catchy hook, an easy dance, and a wink of satire. Decades later, hearing “Boom boom acka-lacka-lacka boom …” is enough to get people instinctively “walking the dinosaur.”
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Watch the “Walk the Dinosaur” music video from Was (Not Was):
This story was originally published byParadeon Jul 7, 2026, where it first appeared in theEntertainmentsection. Add Parade as aPreferred
