The B-52's (album)
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| The B-52's | ||
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| Studio album by The B-52's | ||
| Released | July 7, 1979 | |
| Recorded | Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas, 1979 | |
| Genre | New Wave | |
| Length | 39:14 | |
| Label | Warner Bros. | |
| Producer(s) | Chris Blackwell | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| The B-52's chronology | ||
| The B-52's (1979) |
Wild Planet (1980) |
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The B-52's is an eponymous New Wave album by Athens, Georgia-based rock band The B-52's. The kitschy lyrics and mood, and the hook-laden harmonies helped establish a fanbase for the band, who would go on to release several chart-topping singles.
The B-52's peaked at number 59 on the Billboard 200 and "Rock Lobster" peaked at number 56 on the Hot 100. In 2003 the TV network VH1 named The B-52's the 99th greatest album of all time. In 2003, the album was ranked number 152 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
- "Planet Claire" (Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland) – 4:35
- "52 Girls" (Joe Ayers, Ricky Wilson) – 3:34
- "Dance This Mess Around" (Kate Pierson, Schneider, Strickland, Cindy Wilson, R. Wilson) – 4:36
- "Rock Lobster" (Schneider, R. Wilson) – 6:49
- "Lava" (Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, C. Wilson, R. Wilson) – 4:54
- "There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)" (Schneider, Pierson, Strickland, C. Wilson, R. Wilson) – 4:54
- "Hero Worship" (Robert Waldrop, R. Wilson) – 4:07
- "6060-842" (Pierson, Schneider, Strickland, R. Wilson) – 2:48
- "Downtown" (Tony Hatch) – 2:57
[edit] Miscellanea
- Shortly before his death, John Lennon considered the album to be his all-time favorite. link
- The album's release was briefly delayed when Tony Hatch, writer of "Downtown," a big hit for English singer Petula Clark, expressed some concern over a new wave band recording a version of his song. However, once he heard the B-52's version, he was more than happy for the release to go ahead. [citation needed]
- "52 Girls" has been covered several times since its release, notably by punk band The Offspring.
[edit] Personnel
- Fred Schneider – piano, keyboards, vocals, walkie talkie
- Kate Pierson – organ, guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Keith Strickland – percussion, drums, sound effects
- Cindy Wilson – guitar, bongos, tambourine, vocals
- Ricky Wilson – guitar
[edit] Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Billboard Pop Albums | 59 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | "Planet Claire/Rock Lobster/Dance This Mess Around" | Billboard Club Play Singles | 24 |
| 1980 | "Rock Lobster" | Billboard Pop Singles | 56 |
[edit] Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA – U.S. | Gold | November 11, 1980 |
| RIAA – U.S. | Platinum | May 13, 1986 |
| The B-52's |
| Fred Schneider | Kate Pierson | Cindy Wilson | Keith Strickland | Ricky Wilson |
| Discography |
|---|
| Studio albums: The B-52's | Wild Planet | Party Mix EP | Whammy! | Bouncing Off the Satellites | Cosmic Thing | The Best Of the B-52's: Dance This Mess Around | Party Mix / Mesopotamia EP (re-issue) | Good Stuff | Time Capsule: Songs For a Future Generation | Nude on the Moon: The B-52's Anthology |
| DVDs: The B-52's 1979-1989 | The B-52's Time Capsule: Videos for a Future Generation 1979-1998 |
