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Whammy!

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This article is about the 1983 album by The B-52's. For the game show that aired on Game Show Network, see Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck. For other uses of the word, see Whammy. For the Philippine franchise, see Whammy! Push Your Luck.
Untitled

Whammy! is the third studio album by new wave band The B-52's. It was recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, in December 1982 and was produced by Steven Stanley. The record was refined and mastered at Sterling Sound, New York City. It was released on April 27, 1983 in the United States, with Warner Bros. Records as the primary label. Sales for Whammy! were generally weaker than their previous album, but overall successful, spawning the popular singles "Legal Tender," "Whammy Kiss," and "Song for a Future Generation." The album entered the Billboard 200 twice in 1983, reaching both number 29 and 171 throughout the year, while "Legal Tender" reached the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Singles chart alongside its two respective singles.

The band's goal with Whammy! was to update their signature sound with drum machines and synthesizers. The album was also the first to feature vocal performances by all five members of the band, as exemplified in "Song for a Future Generation." On initial pressings of the album, the seventh track was "Don't Worry," a cover version of the Yoko Ono song "Don't Worry, Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow)." However, the song was removed during later pressings due to legal issues. On subsequent pressings, the song was replaced with "Legal Tender"'s B-side, "Moon 83," a remake of their earlier track "There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)."

Reviewers generally treated Whammy! as weaker than their first two albums The B-52's and Wild Planet, but overall stronger than their previous album Mesopotamia.

Origins

The B-52's initially conceived Whammy! in early 1982, during a visit to Compass Point Studios, where the band commenced re-recordings of three songs ("Butterbean", "Big Bird", and "Queen of Las Vegas");[1] all three tracks were originally intended to be included on their previous album Mesopotamia; however, none of them were completed due to pressure and time constraints from Warner Bros. and their manager Gary Kurfirst.[2] Recordings on the remaining six songs ("Legal Tender", "Whammy Kiss", "Song for a Future Generation", "Trism", "Don't Worry", and "Work That Skirt") spread throughout December 1982.[1] Unlike their previous albums, all instruments on Whammy! were played exclusively by Keith Strickland and Ricky Wilson;[1] both played the guitar and keyboards, while Strickland played the drums and Wilson played the bass.[3] Producer Steven Stanley supported Wilson and Strickland's concept of mixing the album into one continuous track in a manner similar to the band's previous album Party Mix!;[4] however, both Kurfirst and Warner Bros. vetoed this decision in favor of the more traditional track order.[3]

Reception

Commercial

Sales for Whammy! were generally weaker than their previous album,[5] but overall successful, spawning the popular singles "Legal Tender", "Whammy Kiss", and "Song for a Future Generation". The album entered the Billboard 200 twice in 1983, reaching both number 29 and 171 throughout the year,[6] while "Legal Tender" reached the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Singles chart alongside "Whammy Kiss" and "Song for a Future Generation".[7]

Critical

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [8]
Robert ChristgauA− [9]
Rolling Stone [10]

Critical feedback for Whammy! was almost unanimously positive at the time of its release.[3] Critics and fans alike frequently indicated that the band "was now back on track," and regarded the album as a "return to form" and "upturn" from the alleged "seriousness" of their previous album Mesopotamia, which they felt strayed too far from the band's signature sound. Praise was given to the drum machines and synthesizers, which "create[d] upbeat and highly danceable songs,"[11] as well as the "tight lyrics" and "over the vocals."[3]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic said the album was "certainly entertaining, even with its faults," praising the songs "Legal Tender", "Whammy Kiss", "Butterbean", and "Song for a Future Generation" and overall regarding the album as a strong follow-up to Mesopotamia.[8] Robert Christgau continued his support making it a "Pick Hit" and stating "[t]hough [The B-52's] still pick up some great ideas at interplanetary garage sales, their celebration of the pop mess-around is getting earthier."[9]

Ben Wener of The Spectator commented favorably on Whammy!, describing as an "overlooked gem".[5] However, the album also attracted criticism; Allmusic criticized the album's overuse of drum machines and synthesizers.[8]

Track listing

Original vinyl

All tracks are written by The B-52's, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."Legal Tender" (Lyrics: Robert Waldrop)Pierson, C. Wilson3:40
2."Whammy Kiss"Schneider (C. Wilson, Pierson)5:20
3."Song for a Future Generation"Pierson, Schneider, Strickland, C. Wilson, R. Wilson4:00
4."Butterbean"Schneider (C. Wilson, Pierson)4:14
Side two
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."Trism"Pierson, Schneider, C. Wilson3:23
2."Queen of Las Vegas"Pierson, C. Wilson4:40
3."Don't Worry" (Lyrics: Yoko Ono)Pierson, Schneider, C. Wilson3:50
4."Big Bird"Schneider (C. Wilson, Pierson)4:14
5."Work That Skirt"Instrumental3:48
Total length:37:17

Later pressings and CD

No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."Legal Tender"Pierson, C. Wilson3:40
2."Whammy Kiss"Schneider (C. Wilson, Pierson)5:20
3."Song for a Future Generation"Pierson, Schneider, Strickland, C. Wilson, R. Wilson4:00
4."Butterbean"Schneider (C. Wilson, Pierson)4:14
5."Trism"Pierson, Schneider, C. Wilson3:23
6."Queen of Las Vegas"Pierson, C. Wilson4:40
7."Moon 83"Pierson, Schneider, C. Wilson3:58
8."Big Bird"Schneider (C. Wilson, Pierson)4:14
9."Work That Skirt"Instrumental3:48
Total length:37:29

Personnel

Chart performance

Chart (1983) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 29 [6]
UK Albums Chart 33

Certifications

Region Certification
United States (RIAA)[12] Gold

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Sexton 2002, p. 61.
  2. ^ Sexton 2002, p. 59.
  3. ^ a b c d Sexton 2002, p. 67. Cite error: The named reference "FOOTNOTESexton200267" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. ^ Sexton 2002, p. 64.
  5. ^ a b Wener, Ben (1998-08-11). "The B-52s party on!: Nearly 20 years after turning the pop world on its ear, the group is gaining in popularity". The Spectator. p. D-10.
  6. ^ a b Whammy! - B-52's > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at AllMusic
  7. ^ Whammy! - The B-52's > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at AllMusic. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  8. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Whammy! at AllMusic. Retrieved 17 October 2004.
  9. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (June 28, 1983). "Christgau's Consumer Guide: Pick Hit: B-52's: Whammy!". The Village Voice. Retrieved 22 November 2011. Also posted at "B-52's: Whammy! > Consumer Guide Review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
  10. ^ Connelly, Christopher (June 9, 1983). "Whammy". Rolling Stone. No. 397. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 26 July 2007.
  11. ^ Sexton 2002, p. 271.
  12. ^ "American album certifications – B-52 – Whammy!". Recording Industry Association of America.

References

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