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The ‘80s were a strange time—just look at photos of anyone who was a teenager in that decade. Besides curious fashion trends, music was changing, with punk and underground, alternative music quietly bubbling under the radar. Occasionally, this would erupt into the mainstream, catching people by surprise. With New Wave and post-punk, these bands were exceptional pitches from out of left field. The angular rhythms of post-punk, danceable, chicken-scratch guitar work and subversive humor found small but fiercely loyal audiences when they’re songs hit mainstream ears. The B-52s, who have been pegged the quintessential party band for most of their career, are a case in point. The band formed in 1976, earning its name from the beehive hair-dos of its two female members, Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. Along with the distinctive, nasally voice of Fred Schneider, the group earned a dedicated audience in the college-rock scene in Athens, GA. But it’s their wacky sense of humor that really earned them exposure on the national scene. Releasing their first two records in 1979 and 1980 respectively, they produced two of the band’s best known songs today: "Rock Lobster" and "Private Idaho." Both are perennial favorites on party mixes. "Rock Lobster," of course, is a song about the various undersea beasts that appear to be partying under the ocean, and the bizarre sounds they make. "Private Idaho" appears to be about feeling isolated and unwilling to mix with people (possibly while at a pool party): "Living in your own Private Idaho/Underground like a wild potato/Don't go on the patio/Beware of the pool/blue bottomless pool." Another amusing song off their first record is "6060-842," an ode to phone numbers scrawled on bathroom walls. "Tina went to the ladies room/Saw it written on a wall/’If you’d like a very nice time/Just give this number a call.’" Sadly, Tina ends up finding the number doesn’t work: "Uh, 6060-842, I’ve been trying all day/And I’m making no headway/Operator, what’s wrong?/I’ve been dialing the stupid number all day long!/Operator said, "Your number’s been disconnected!" The last line is sung in a refrain by Pierson and Wilson, who sing it softly at first, building it into a ridiculously dramatic crescendo. On their second record, ridiculousness reaches new heights with "Quiche Lorraine," a story narrated by Schneider about a bizarrely dressed up dog who escapes from her owner: "Has anybody seen a dog dyed dark green?/About two inches tall, with a strawberry blonde fall/Sunglasses and a bonnet/and designer jeans with appliques on it?/The dog that brought me so much joy/Left me wallowing in pain!" With the release of Funplex, the band’s latest record, their strange humor has been given a modern spin. Considering the number of B-52s tickets being sold, it’s clear they still haven’t lost their appeal. This article was written by Andrew Good and sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells B-52s tickets as well as sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.
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