1979. Where were you? I was on that floor lying on my back listening to college radio at about 2 am in the pitch dark. WESU out of Trinity College was where it was at. I have no idea what program was on but I know that I was terrified I would get caught- school night. 2am not cool when you're a high school freshman. That's when I heard it. The incredible thump ala "Peter Gunn", that was it…I would never be the same again.
They B52's out of Athens GA were bee hived weirdos who song the weirdest shit ever. It began with "Planet Claire" and I never looked back. I had seen Kate Pierson on the arm of David Bowie in some Gossip zine so of course.. I knew who they were. Musically "Planet Claire' was outrageously beautiful, even Fred's voice couldn't kill the magic. "drove a Plymouth satellite, faster than the speed of light" what the freakin hell is he talking about but more importantly who cares. The song is magical.
"52 Girls" got me off my ass. I was so pissed they didn't say my name. "SUZY AND ANITA!" Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson were the perfect girl voices to this plucky pogo worthy tune. How can anyone sit still to this? You're a corpse.
"Dance this Mess Around" was so sexy and sultry and a proclamation to not being cheese "WHY WONT YOU DANCE WITH ME? IM NOT A LIMBURGER" poor dairy product. Fred is so hysterical in this with 'the shy tuna' and 'do he hypocrite', I had no idea he was gay. I was young and he was cute. Again, he was cute, no harm no foul.
"Rock Lobster", this song got so popular that I don't like it. At first listen i didn't know what a bikini whale was. The guitar work is awesome in this. Like cheeky surf music on acid.
"Lava" was another song that I didn't 'get' at the time. This duet was weirdly sexually 'ooo volcano all over you', its a desperate pleading love song. I'm pretty sure I love any song with a defined tambourine. Vocally this song is really pretty. Why cant chicks sing like this anymore.
I think Fred has an orgasm, but I'm not sure with who.
"Theres a Moon in The Sky" sucks. "SATURN!", its filler and it annoys me. The only good thing about this song is it made me find out what the Van Allen Belt was.
"Hero Worship", the best song on the album. I screamed this song so loud I'm surprised I didn't break glass. "on my knees I try to please, eyes his idol eyes" Yeah this was pretty much my 13 year old theme song. One of my friends bands actually learned this and I sang it when I was at their gigs 'God Give me his soul'. I was damn good at it too. My biggest fear is one day it'll surface on YouTube. I'd off myself on the spot. Just sayin'.
"6060852" still sing this in the shower while doing the soap Watusi. This song is another that makes no damn sense but after a few drinks and a hit who gives a shit. You'd dance your heels thin on this. 'pulled out a thin dime', hey there is cowbell AND bongo on this one.
The closing tune 'Downtown', that fake Liza Doolittle accent was fun to mimic. This was a great tribute to the pure fun that B52's were. It's a sad thing that they became a near parody band with drunken suburbanites dancing to 'Love Shack" years later.
The yellow and the red album were masterpieces for the hip underground kids. In a world of blank generation and on the cusp angry hardcore it was just plain lighthearted quirky fun. It was a very nice welcome break in the bleak side of punk rock and as the youngest in my group it gave me a great chance to wipe of pouty scowl and have a silly good time.