The B-52′s “The B-52′s” 1979. Today, April 27th, is singer Kate Pierson’s birthday (b. 1948). It’s also the anniversary release date of Whammy but for whatever reason we don’t have that album on vinyl so their debut record The B-52′s gets to be taken for a spin. It’s kitschy and clever, poppy and boppy, mixing new wave, surf a-go-go with “jerky, angular funk” making it “irresistibly danceable.”

The B-52′s made it to #59 on the Billboard charts and has been cited on many “Best of” album lists. The first, and enduringly popular, single “Rock Lobster” reached #56 on the US charts and #37 in the UK, while in Canada it went to #1. “Planet Claire” was also released as a single, making it to #24 on the US Hot Dance Club chart. I also really love the non-singles “Lava” – “Fire, fire, burnin’ bright, turn on your love lava, turn on your lava light” and the space-alieny “There’s a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)” which I remember dancing to at teen Y dances back in the mid-80′s. My punkish teenage ears misheard the lyrics “Cause there are thousands of others like you, others like you, others like you” as “there are thousands of others like you. I DON’T LIKE YOU!” and happily chanted, mistakenly, along, “Yeah! I DON’T LIKE YOU!”

We saw The B-52′s at Summerfest in Milwaukee in July 2010. I remember dancing to most of the set (and hopefully singing along more accurately) and then sprinting across the entire Summerfest venue to get to the other end to catch Joan Jett playing. A breathlessly excellent 80′s music evening.