The B-52's (album)
| The B-52's | ||||
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| Studio album by The B-52's | ||||
| Released | July 6, 1979 | |||
| Recorded | 1979 at Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas | |||
| Genre | New Wave | |||
| Length | 39:14 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros.(U.S.) Island(U.K.) |
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| The B-52's chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The B-52's | ||||
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The B-52's is the eponymous debut album by the Athens, Georgia-based New Wave rock band The B-52's. The kitschy lyrics and mood, and the hook-laden harmonies helped establish a fanbase for the band, who went on to release several chart-topping singles. The album cover was designed by Tony Wright (credited as Sue Ab Surd).
The B-52's peaked at number 59 on the Billboard 200[1] and "Rock Lobster" reached number 56 on the Hot 100[2]. In 2003, the television network VH1 named The B-52's the 99th greatest album of all time. Shortly before his death, John Lennon said he enjoyed the album.[3] In his 1995 book, The Alternative Music Almanac, Alan Cross placed the album ninth on the list of 10 Classic Alternative Albums. In 2003, the album was ranked number 152[4] on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Contents |
[edit] Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |  [5] |
| Robert Christgau | A [6] |
| Rolling Stone | [7] |
| Rolling Stone Album Guide |   [8] |
Critical reception for The B-52's was generally favorable; critics praised the album's kitschy lyrics and party atmosphere.[5][9]
[edit] Track listing
All songs written and composed by The B-52's, except where noted.
| Side one | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length | |||||
| 1. | "Planet Claire" | Henry Mancini[10], Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland | Schneider, Pierson | 4:35 | |||||
| 2. | "52 Girls" | Joe Ayers, Ricky Wilson | Pierson, Wilson | 3:34 | |||||
| 3. | "Dance This Mess Around" | Schneider, C. Wilson | 4:36 | ||||||
| 4. | "Rock Lobster" | Schneider, R. Wilson | Pierson, Schneider, C. Wilson | 6:49 | |||||
| Side two | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length | |||||
| 1. | "Lava" | Pierson, Schneider, C. Wilson | 4:54 | ||||||
| 2. | "There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)" | Pierson, Schneider, C. Wilson | 4:54 | ||||||
| 3. | "Hero Worship" | Robert Waldrop, R. Wilson | C. Wilson | 4:07 | |||||
| 4. | "6060-842" | Pierson, Schneider, C. Wilson | 2:48 | ||||||
| 5. | "Downtown" (Petula Clark cover, 1964) | Tony Hatch | Pierson, C. Wilson | 2:57 | |||||
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Total length:
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39:14 | ||||||||
[edit] Personnel
- Fred Schneider – cowbell, toy piano, keyboard bass, Vocals, walkie talkie
- Kate Pierson – organ, guitar, keyboard bass, vocals
- Keith Strickland – percussion, drums, "Planet Claire" sounds
- Cindy Wilson – guitar, bongos, tambourine, vocals
- Ricky Wilson – guitar, smoke alarm
[edit] Chart performance
Album
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 [1] | 59 |
| UK Albums Chart | 22 |
Singles
| Single | Chart (1980) | Position |
|---|---|---|
| "Planet Claire/Rock Lobster/Dance This Mess Around" | Billboard Club Play Singles [2] | 24 |
| "Rock Lobster" | Billboard Hot 100 [2] | 56 |
[edit] Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA – U.S. | Gold | November 11, 1980 |
| RIAA – U.S. | Platinum | May 13, 1986 |
[edit] References
- ^ a b The B-52's > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at Allmusic. Retrieved 16 October 2004.
- ^ a b c The B-52's > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at Allmusic. Retrieved 16 October 2004.
- ^ imdb.com
- ^ Levy, Joe; Steven Van Zandt (2006) [2005]. "152 | The B-52's - The B-52's". Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (3rd ed.). London: Turnaround. ISBN 1932958614. OCLC 70672814. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/the-b-52s-the-b-52s-19691231. Retrieved 8 Aug 2011.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen. The B-52's The B-52's > Review at Allmusic. Retrieved 22 March 2004.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (September 3, 1979). "Christgau's Consumer Guide: The B-52's Pick Hit". The Village Voice. http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv9-79.php. Retrieved 13 January 2012. Relevant portion posted with a new rating at "The B-52's: The B-52's > Consumer Guide Album". Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=201. Retrieved 31 March 2006.
- ^ Blashill, Pat (October 16, 2003). "The B-52's The B-52's > Review". Rolling Stone (933). Archived from the original on 20 Jun 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070602150125/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theb52s/albums/album/198700/review/5942002. Retrieved 22 Mar 2004.
- ^ Considine, J.D. (2004). "The B-52's". In Brackett, Nathan with Hoard, Christian. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. London: Fireside. pp. 67–68. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. http://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&lpg=PA68&vq=b-52's&pg=PA67#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
- ^ Carson, Tom (September 20, 1979). "The B-52's: The B-52's Music Reviews". Rolling Stone (300). Archived from the original on 21 June 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080621121307/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theb52s/albums/album/198700/review/5942002. Retrieved 21 February 2009.
- ^ Mancini is credited as a co-author of "Planet Claire" on reissues of the album due to the song's use of the bass line from Mancini's "Peter Gunn."
[edit] External links
- The B-52's at Discogs (list of releases)
- The B-52's at Myspace (streamed copy where licensed)
