The B-52s

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The B-52s are a New Wave Band out of Athens, Georgia, the same birthplace of REM. They are most well-known for their quirky Sci-fi themed songs and beehive hairdos worn by the female members. The members are:

  • Fred Schneider - vocals, cowbell, toy piano, glockenspiel
  • Kate Pierson - vocals, keyboards, maracas
  • Keith Strickland - guitar, drums, keyboards, programming, backing vocals
  • Cindy Wilson - vocals, tambourine, bongos
  • Ricky Wilson (deceased) - guitar
Discography:
  • The B-52's (1979)
  • Wild Planet (1980)
    • both albums were later released as a single album called The B-52s/Wild Planet
  • Party Mix (1981)--Remix Album
  • Mesopotamia (1982)--EP produced by Talking Heads member David Byrne
    • Both were later released as a single album called Party Mix/Mesopotamia
  • Whammy! (1983)
  • Bouncing off the Satellites (1986)
  • Cosmic Thing (1989)
  • Good Stuff (1992)
  • Time Capsule: Songs For A Future Generation (1998)--Greatest Hits album
  • Nude on the Moon(2002)--A 2-disc anthology of previously recorded songs from between 1979-1998
  • Funplex (2008)
  • With the Wild Crowd(2012)--Live album
The B-52s provides examples of the following tropes:
  • A Good Name for a Rock Band: They're named after Kate and Cindy's trademark beehive hairdos.
  • Author Existence Failure: Ricky Wilson died of AIDS in 1986, during recording of Bouncing Off the Satellites
  • Beehive Hairdo: Was one of the band's calling cards in the 70s and 80s via Cindy and Kate.
  • Call-and-Response Song: Pretty much most of their entire discography is this, with Kate and Cindy doing the response parts.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: All five members, but Fred seems the goofiest.
  • Cool Car: Fred describes one in "Love Shack": I got me a Chrysler, it's as big as a whale"
  • Cut Song: Originally Whammy included a cover of Yoko Ono's "Don't Worry" without her consent. Under threat of lawsuit, it was replaced on subsequent copies by a re-recording of "There's A Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon).", but was still labelled as "Don't Worry." Fortunately, if you want to hear the cover, then YouTube is your friend.
  • Did Not Do the Research: Shamelessly admitted in the song "Mesopotamia".
  • The Eighties
  • Precious Puppies: "Quiche Lorraine" is actually about a poodle who runs away from Fred Schneider, dumping him for a Great Dane. Fred gets his revenge by throwing away the key to her kennel.
  • Exactly What It Says on the Tin: "Cake", "Housework" and "Wig".
  • Greatest Hits Album: Time Capsule: Songs For A Future Generation, released in 1998. Also has two new songs exclusive to it: "Debbie" and "Hallunicating Pluto".
  • Intercourse with You: "Strobe Light", "Good Stuff", Deviant Ingredient" and "Love in the Year 3000."
  • Instrumentals: "Work That Skirt", "Follow Your Bliss", and "The World's Green Laughter"
  • Large Ham: Fred Schneider. Give him a mic and he will ham it up, even if the song doesn't need it.
  • List Song: "52 Girls" is mostly a list of girl names.
  • Mind Screw: "Detour Thru Your Mind"
  • New Wave
  • The Nineties
  • Non-Appearing Title: "Legal Tender", "Moon 83". And by definition, all their instrumental songs count.
  • Protest Song: "Juicy Jungle" and "Channel Z"
  • Repurposed Pop Song: "Junebug" was used in a Target commercial. They also used the intro to "52 Girls".
  • Self-Titled Album: Like many bands, their debut was this.
  • Signature Song: "Rock Lobster", or arguably "Love Shack".
  • Shaped Like Itself: "There's A Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)"
  • The Something Song: "Song For a Future Generation", "Theme For a Nude Beach" also qualifies, since a song is also a theme.
  • Title-Only Chorus: "Rock Lobster"
  • Unusual Euphemism: "Strobe Light" has one: "Let me kiss your tummy/Let me kiss your pineapple!"
  • Vocal Tag Team: Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, and Cindy Wilson.
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