The B-52's (album)

The B-52's
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.)
The B-52's chronology
The B-52's (1979) Wild Planet (1980)
Singles from The B-52's
"Planet Claire" Released: July 6, 1979 "Rock Lobster" Released: 1978 "Dance This Mess Around" Released: July 6, 1979

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.

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]

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
Total length:				39:14

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

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

Certifications

Organization	Level	Date
RIAA – U.S.	Gold	November 11, 1980
RIAA – U.S.	Platinum	May 13, 1986

References

1. ^ ^{a b} The B-52's > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at Allmusic. Retrieved 16 October 2004.
2. ^ ^{a b c} The B-52's > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at Allmusic. Retrieved 16 October 2004.
3. ^ imdb.com
4. ^ 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. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Erlewine, Stephen. The B-52's The B-52's > Review at Allmusic. Retrieved 22 March 2004.
6. ^ Christgau, Robert. "The B-52's: The B-52's". Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=201. Retrieved 31 March 2006. 
7. ^ 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. 
8. ^ 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. 
9. ^ 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. 
10. ^ 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."

External links

• The B-52's at Discogs (list of releases)
• The B-52's at Myspace (streamed copy where licensed)