TLC released “Waterfalls,” the 1995 single that addresses drug use, unsafe sex and HIV/AIDS.
The song was written by Marqueze Etheridge, Organized Noize and TLC member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes. Its lyrics use two cautionary stories before moving to the repeated warning that listeners should avoid chasing destructive ambitions and risky choices.
“Waterfalls” appeared on TLC’s second studio album, CrazySexyCool. Its innovative music video used computer-generated imagery and dramatized the song’s stories, helping make it one of the best-known socially conscious pop videos of the decade. The song is sometimes confused with TLC’s other major singles, including “No Scrubs,” but “Waterfalls” was released in 1995.