4. Tom Tom Club, “Genius of Love”
Another honorary Caribbean selection, this is pretty clearly the Tom Tom Club’s answer to the burgeoning rap and reggae scenes in 1981 New York (probably recorded to impress Tina Weymouth’s Latin boyfriend). The music they shout out in the lyrics — Bohannon, James Brown, Bootsy Collins, Kurtis Blow and Smokey Robinson in addition to the sing-along moment: Wailing and shaking to Bob Marley / Reggae’s expanding with Sly & Robbie — Makes a pretty good guide to picnic jams in itself.