The MARK’S VINTAGE VINYL page features something from Mark’s collection of recordings from over the years. Most of it is on vinyl – hence the name – though there will be a few entries from his CDs (remember those?).
The B-52’s, by The B-52’s
- Debut album self titled album by the new wave group The B-52’s, released in 1979.
- In the late 70s/early 80s, I was a big fan of new wave – the odder, the better. When The B-52’s hit the airwaves with their cult classic Rock Lobster, with Fred Schneider’s punky rapping (before rap music was a thing), and Kate Pierson’s shrieking, I was immediately hooked.
- Speaking of hooked – The B-52’s were great at somehow putting hooks into their weird songs. And the songs definitely were weird. Lyrics include “We were at a party, His ear lobe fell in the deep, Someone reached in and grabbed it, It was a rock lobster” (from Rock Lobster), “Planet Claire has pink air, All the trees are red, No one ever dies there, No one has a head” (from Planet Claire), and “Roll-roll-roll-roll-rollin’ in Andromeda, Won-ton-ton-ton rama-in Andromeda” (from There’s A Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon)).
- In true new wave style, the band from Athens Georgia looked as kitschy as their songs. The women had over-the-top beehive hairdos, called “B-52’s” because they resembled the nose cone of the B-52 aircraft.
- Not only did the album establish their fan base, it was beloved by the critics. Rolling Stone puts the album at #152 on their Greatest Albums of All Time list, and the song Rock Lobster is at #147 on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Songs of All Time list. Plus, John Lennon commented shortly before his death that the album was one of his favorites.
- For more on the B-52’s, see my blog on the band from August 22, 2018.
- Here’s the video for Rock Lobster – yes, it is very weird too! Aaah – love new wave music!