The B-52s,originally presented as the B-52's,are an American new wave band formed in Athens,Georgia,in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider,Kate Pierson,Cindy Wilson,Ricky Wilson (guitar),and Keith Strickland. Ricky Wilson died of AIDS-related illness in 1985,and Strickland switched from drums to lead guitar. The band has also added various members for albums and live performances.
Catherine Elizabeth Pierson is an American singer,lyricist,and founding member of the B-52s. She plays guitar,bass and various keyboard instruments. In the early years,as well as being a vocalist,Pierson was the main keyboard player and performed on a keyboard bass during live shows and on many of the band's recordings,taking on a role usually filled by a bass guitar player,which differentiated the band from their contemporaries. This,along with Pierson's distinctive wide-ranging singing voice,remains a trademark of the B-52s' unique sound. Pierson has also collaborated with many other artists including the Ramones,Iggy Pop and R.E.M. Pierson possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range.
"Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry,the song was originally released as the second single from the album Toys in the Attic (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1977,part of a string of successful hit singles for the band in the 1970s. In addition to being one of the songs that helped break Aerosmith into the mainstream in the 1970s,it also helped revitalize their career in the 1980s when it was covered by hip hop group Run-D.M.C. on their 1986 album Raising Hell. This cover was a touchstone for the new musical subgenre of rap rock,or the melding of rock and hip hop. It reached number 4 on the Billboard charts and becoming the first rock/hip hop single to reach the top five on the charts,and won both groups a Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap Single in 1987 Soul Train Music Awards. Both versions are in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Brick by Brick is the ninth studio album by American singer Iggy Pop,released in June 1990 by Virgin Records.
"Shiny Happy People" is a song by the American rock band R.E.M.,released as the second single from their seventh studio album,Out of Time (1991). It features guest vocals by Kate Pierson of the B-52's,who also appears in the music video.
"Wuthering Heights" is a song by English singer Kate Bush,released as her debut single on 20 January 1978 through EMI Records. Inspired by the 1847 Emily Brontënovel of the same name,the song was released as the lead single from Bush's debut studio album,The Kick Inside (1978). It peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart for four weeks,making Bush the first female artist to achieve a number-one single with an entirely self-penned song. It also reached the top of the charts in Australia,Ireland,Italy,New Zealand,and Portugal.
"The Final Countdown" is a song by Swedish rock band Europe,released in 1986. Written by lead singer Joey Tempest,it was based on a keyboard riff he made in the early 1980s,with lyrics inspired by David Bowie's "Space Oddity". Originally made to just be a concert opener,it is the first single and title track from the band's third studio album. The music video by Nick Morris,made to promote the single,has received 1 billion views on YouTube. The video features footage from the band's two concerts at Solnahallen in Solna,as well as extra footage of the sound checks and footage from Stockholm. The song "Pictures",from the 2017 album Walk the Earth,is a sequel to "The Final Countdown".
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track from their 1987 album The Joshua Tree and was released as the album's second single in May 1987. The song was a hit,becoming the band's second consecutive number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 while peaking at number six on the UK Singles Chart.
"China Girl" is a song written by Iggy Pop and David Bowie in 1976,and first released by Pop on his debut solo album,The Idiot (1977). Inspired by an affair Pop had with a Vietnamese woman,the lyrics tell a story of unrequited love for the protagonist's Asian girlfriend,realizing by the end that his Western influences are corrupting her. Like the rest of The Idiot,Bowie wrote the music and Pop improvised the lyrics while standing at the microphone. The song was released as a single in May 1977 and failed to chart.
"Don't Give Up" is a song written by English rock musician Peter Gabriel and recorded as a duet with English singer Kate Bush for Gabriel's fifth solo studio album So (1986). The single version was released as the second single from the album in the UK in October 1986 and as the fourth single in the US in March 1987. It spent eleven weeks in the UK Top 75 chart in 1986,peaking at number nine.
"Piece of My Heart" is a romantic soul song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns,originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. Franklin's single peaked in December 1967 at number 10 on the Billboard Hot Rhythm &Blues Singles chart in the United States.
"It's in His Kiss" is a song written and composed by Rudy Clark. It was first released as a single in 1963 by Merry Clayton that did not chart. The song was made a hit a year later when recorded by Betty Everett,who hit No. 1 on the Cashbox magazine R&B charts with it in 1964. Recorded by dozens of artists and groups around the world in the decades since,the song became an international hit once again when remade by Cher in 1990.
"Roam" is a song by American new wave band the B-52's released as the fourth single from their fifth studio album,Cosmic Thing (1989). The vocals are sung by Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson,making it the only vocal track on the album without any vocal involvement from Fred Schneider. It is also the only track from the album in which the B-52's worked with a co-writer,Robert Waldrop,who penned the lyrics. Released as a single in 1989,"Roam" peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and entered the top 10 in Canada,Ireland,and New Zealand.
"Send Me an Angel" is a song by the German rock band Scorpions,recorded for their 11th studio album,Crazy World (1990). The song was composed by Rudolf Schenker,written by Klaus Meine,and produced by Keith Olsen and the band. It was released as the album's fourth and final single in September 1991. Along with "Wind of Change",the song became the album's signature track,reaching number 44 on Billboard Hot 100 Chart on 25 January 1992,number 8 on the Mainstream Rock Chart on 19 October 1991,and high chart positions in many European countries.
"Wild One" or "Real Wild Child" is an Australian rock and roll song written by Johnny Greenan,Johnny O'Keefe,and Dave Owens. While most sources state that O'Keefe was directly involved in composing the song,this has been questioned by others. Sydney disc jockey Tony Withers was credited with helping to get radio airplay for the song but writer credits on subsequent versions often omit Withers,who later worked in the United Kingdom on pirate stations Radio Atlanta and,as Tony Windsor,on Radio London.
"Holiday in Spain" is a song by American rock band Counting Crows from their fourth studio album,Hard Candy (2002),and later recorded as a duet with Dutch pop-rock group BLØF in 2004. This version features BLØF singing parts of the song in Dutch,whereas the parts performed by Counting Crows are sung in English. Regardless of language changes,the lyrics remain consistent throughout the song. The duet version is included on BLØF's 2004 compilation album,Het eind van het begin.
"The Cover of 'Rolling Stone'" is a song written by Shel Silverstein and first recorded by American rock group Dr. Hook &the Medicine Show. Produced by Ron Haffkine and released in 1972,it was the band's third single and peaked at No. 6 on the U.S. pop chart for two weeks on March 17–24,1973. The song satirically laments that the band had not appeared on the cover of the Rolling Stone,a magazine that focuses on music,politics,and popular culture. The song's success led to the band appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone in 1973,albeit in caricature.
"Planet Claire" is a song by the B-52's,released as the second single from their self-titled debut album in July 1979. Based on Duane Eddy's version of Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn theme,the single reached number 43 on the Australian Kent Music Report chart and number 24 on the Billboard dance chart in the US.
"Love Shack" is a song by American new wave band the B-52's from their fifth studio album,Cosmic Thing (1989). It was released on June 20,1989,and was produced by Don Was. The song was a comeback for the band,following their decline in popularity in the mid-1980s and the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson in 1985.
"Funtime" is a song written by Iggy Pop and David Bowie,first released by Iggy Pop on his 1977 album entitled The Idiot. It reflects Iggy and Bowie's growing fascination with the German music scene,and bears marked similarities to "Lila Engel" by krautrock band Neu!. It has since been covered by multiple artists including Blondie,Boy George,Bebe Buell,Peter Murphy,R.E.M. and The Cars.
