"Love Shack" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by the B-52s | ||||
from the album Cosmic Thing | ||||
B-side | "Channel Z" | |||
Released |
| |||
Studio | Dreamland (West Hurley, New York) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
| |||
Label | Reprise | |||
Songwriter(s) | The B-52's | |||
Producer(s) | Don Was | |||
The B-52s singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Audio sample | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Love Shack" on YouTube |
"Love Shack" is a song by American new wave band the B-52s 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. [6]
"Love Shack" is considered one of the band's signature songs and has been a concert staple since its release. Commercially,the single topped the charts in Australia,Ireland,and New Zealand and reached number two on the UK Singles Chart,number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 (becoming their first top-40 hit),and number five on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles chart. The song was later named one of the 365 Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America and one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone .
The genesis of the song came from B-52's frontman Fred Schneider,and was inspired by a club outside of Athens,Georgia,called the Hawaiian Ha-Le:"It was an African-American club that had a lot of good shows. It looked like a shack,you wouldn't expect it to be what it was,and when you opened the door,it was a wild band playing." [7] Kate Pierson stated that it was "kind of like the juke joint in The Color Purple ",and that the band would hang out there with a large "bohemian" group of friends. [8] Cindy Wilson added,"It used to be this funky building with a tin roof that was old and rusty. They would have Soul Train [dance] lines." [7]
Another inspiration for the song was thought to be a cabin near Athens with a tin roof,where the band had conceived "Rock Lobster",a single from their 1979 debut album. [9] The five-room cabin,which was located on a dairy farm,had once been rented by Pierson and her then-husband,after they had relocated to Athens in the 1970s. [10] Author Mats Sexton recalled that Pierson had stated several of the band's early songs were conceived in the cabin through jamming,including "many different guitar riffs and assorted lyrics". [10] The cabin,which was on the cusp of being reoccupied and renovated,burned down in December 2004. [9]
The song was the last to be recorded for the Cosmic Thing album and was devised when the band's sessions with producer Don Was finished a day early. [11] The band had a 15-minute long piece that was undeveloped and presented it to Was,who suggested integrating another piece they'd been improvising about a "love shack" as the song's chorus. [11] Pierson later recalled,"It wasn't even gonna make the album because it wasn't solidified. But after we added that chorus,Bingo,here it is;it sounds like a hit. But we didn't aim to write hits,we aimed to heal ourselves and channel Ricky [Wilson]'s spirit. That was the goal,and I knew his presence was there." [11] The section that begins "the love shack is a little old place where..." was initially only in the song once,but both Pierson and Was felt it should repeat,although Schneider disagreed. [8]
Wilson's line "tin roof rusted" originated from a jam session for the song,where the band were rehearsing along with pre-recorded instrumentation. [8] Wilson was yelling the line as the backing tape stopped,which the band found amusing and thought provided a suitable ending. [12] Wilson later elaborated,"It was just a vision in my head of my love shack." [12] While there has been speculation about the meaning of the line,Pierson has also corroborated that the line is literally referencing a rusted tin roof. [13] Wilson mused,"It's amazing what people have come up with in the past about it. I kind of like that. Let the people participate in the meaning. I'm fine with that." [12]
According to Was,Wilson's performance of the "tin roof rusted" line in the song's first proper recording session had an "exuberance that shocked everybody ... she infused it with so much feeling,it threw everybody." [11] After further attempts to re-record it failed to recreate the same "manic energy",Was decided he would keep the take and punch in the remainder of the song. [11] During the recording of one take,a lightning storm caused the power to go out in the studio during the breakdown section,which put the session temporarily on hold. [11] When the band reconvened,they realized the incomplete take was so good that they would keep it and splice it together with another take. [11]
I had to go with our A&R person, bless her heart, and beg radio stations to play it — they thought it was too weird. We felt 'Love Shack' was probably the most accessible commercial thing we'd ever done, and finally they started playing it, and it made it all the way to No. 3 on the Billboard charts.
—Fred Schneider; Entertainment Weekly magazine, 2018 [14]
"Love Shack" became the band's biggest hit song as well as their first million-copy seller. [15] It was the band's first song to reach the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number three in November 1989, and spending a total of 27 weeks on the chart. [16] It also reached number five in Canada, [17] number two in the United Kingdom, [18] and number one in Australia (eight weeks), [1] Ireland (one week) [19] and New Zealand (four weeks), [20] as well as on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart (four weeks). [21]
Caren Myers from Melody Maker said, "This wins hands down on packaging of the week, as it comes in a fold-out, pop-up love shack that you can brighten your mantelpiece with. The shack is the sort of place that shimmies when people start grooving there. The B-52's are still pretty much making the same frivolous music they always have, but I'd take their joyful silliness over a whole warehouse full of self-conscious iconoplasts any day. Next Thursday would be fine." [22] David Giles from Music Week wrote, "The B-52's deserve a hit after their fine return to form last summer with the Cosmic Thing LP, but I'd be surprised if this is the track to do it." He added, "Like 'Party Out of Bounds', it tries to conjure up a wild, chaotic celebration, but unlike that particular track it is neither inventive nor melodic enough." [23] Pan-European magazine Music & Media named it "the best track from the disappointing Cosmic Thing. Good clean fun from some of the US' most productive eccentrics." [24] Ian McCann from NME felt it was a rip-off of the Miracles' "Going to a Go-Go". [25] People magazine noted the "wild abandon" of the song. [26]
In retrospective reviews, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described it as "an irresistible dance number with delightfully silly lyrics and hooks as big as a whale that unbelievably gave the group a long-awaited Top Ten hit." [27] Matthew Hocter from Albumism cited "Love Shack" as an example of the band's "own unique brand of upbeat, lyrically positive and infectious dance grooves". [28] The Daily Vault's Denise Henderson commented, "The celebration of life in dance and music is demonstrated by the repetitive chorus 'Everybody's movin/everybody's groovin baby!' Well, when in doubt, dancing and drinking and having a little fun always worked for me!" [29]
"Love Shack" was named one of the Recording Industry Association of America's 365 Songs of the Century in 2001. [30] In 2005, Rolling Stone named it the best single of 1989, [15] and in 2010 ranked it 246th on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. [31]
The accompanying music video for "Love Shack" was directed by American film, music video and television director Adam Bernstein and shot at the home and studio of ceramic artists Philip Maberry and Scott Walker in Highland, New York. [32] [33] Bernstein initially wanted to shoot the video in a New York studio but was convinced to relocate once he saw the house. [11]
The video features a cameo from a pre-fame RuPaul in his first mainstream appearance. [34] Pierson later recalled, "we invited all our friends and had a party. ... We started out really early in the morning and it turned into this rave. RuPaul got the dance line going, and it almost felt like we weren't being videotaped." [11] Guitarist Keith Strickland stated that the dance line scene was an homage to the television show Soul Train, and that RuPaul stepped in to direct the scene when Bernstein "didn't get the process". [11] Video artist Tom Rubnitz also appears in the video as the bartender. [35] The video won the award for Best Group Video at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards. [36]
The single release contained different tracks in different countries of release. Some countries, including the United States, had singles backed with "Channel Z", while other releases included live versions of "Planet Claire" and "Rock Lobster" as the B-side recorded at the Cleveland Music Hall (Cleveland, Ohio) on December 2, 1989. In January 1999, [37] the single was released again with a number of remixes, including one by DJ Tonka. Although the re-release did not chart in the United States, it did enter the UK Singles Chart. [38]
|
|
Credits are lifted from the Cosmic Thing album booklet. The Uptown Horns consist of Chris Cioe, Paul Litteral, Arno Hecht, Bob Funk, and Carl Beatty. [53]
Studios
Personnel
Weekly charts
"Love Shack 99"
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [69] | 2× Platinum | 140,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [74] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [75] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Europe | June 20, 1989 | 7-inch vinyl | Reprise | [1] |
United States | August 18, 1989 |
| [75] | |
Japan | January 25, 1990 | Mini-CD | [76] | |
United Kingdom | February 19, 1990 |
| [77] | |
March 5, 1990 | 7-inch Love Shack Pack | [78] |
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, and Keith Strickland. Ricky Wilson died of AIDS-related illness in 1985, and Strickland permanently 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.
Wild Planet is the second studio album by American new wave band the B-52s, released in 1980 by Warner Bros. Records.
Good Stuff is the sixth studio album by American new wave band the B-52s, released in 1992 by Reprise Records. It was conceived after the band's manager urged them to quickly issue a follow-up to their highly successful album Cosmic Thing (1989), and was created without founding member Cindy Wilson, who was on a temporary hiatus. The album peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and its title track peaked at No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. Good Stuff was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards.
Cosmic Thing is the fifth studio album by American new wave band the B-52s, released in 1989 by Reprise Records. It contains the hit singles "Love Shack", "Roam" and "Deadbeat Club". The music video for "Love Shack" won the award for Best Group Video at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards. Six of the album's songs were produced by Nile Rodgers in New York City, and the remaining four by Don Was in upstate New York.
Whammy! is the third studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released on April 27, 1983, by Warner Bros. Records. It was recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, in December 1982 and produced by Steven Stanley. The album spawned three singles: "Legal Tender", "Whammy Kiss", and "Song for a Future Generation".
Bouncing off the Satellites is the fourth studio album by American new wave band the B-52s, released on September 8, 1986, by Warner Bros. Records. It was recorded in July 1985 and was produced by Tony Mansfield. Founding member and guitarist Ricky Wilson died of AIDS after most of the work on the album was completed, but a year prior to its release. The band had gone on hiatus by the time Bouncing Off the Satellites was released, and it took three years for the band to recover from Wilson's death and release their next studio album, Cosmic Thing.
Cynthia Leigh Wilson is an American musician and one of the vocalists, songwriters and founding members of new wave rock band the B-52's. She is noted for her distinctive contralto voice and also plays percussion during live shows. She is the younger sister of the late guitarist Ricky Wilson (1953–1985), who was also a founding member of the band.
"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.
"Rock Lobster" is a song written by Fred Schneider and Ricky Wilson, two members of the B-52's. It was twice recorded and released as a single, first by DB Records as their debut release in April 1978, and again the following year for the band's self-titled debut album on Warner Bros. Records.
"Wicked Game" is a song by American rock musician Chris Isaak, released from his third album, Heart Shaped World (1989). Released as a single in July 1989, it became a sleeper hit after being featured in the 1990 David Lynch film Wild at Heart, starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern. Lee Chesnut, an Atlanta radio station music director who loved David Lynch films, began playing the song, and it quickly became an American top-10 hit in March 1991, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Internationally, the single became a number-one hit in Belgium and reached the top 10 in several other nations.
Party Mix! is a remix album by American new wave band the B-52's, released in 1981 by Warner Bros. Records.
Mesopotamia is an EP by American new wave band the B-52's, released in 1982. It was produced by David Byrne of Talking Heads and was originally planned to be the band's third studio album. Due to conflicts with Byrne and record label pressure, recording sessions were aborted prematurely and only six of ten songs to be completed were released. The record was distributed as a 12-inch EP by Warner Bros. in the U.S. and by Island Records on vinyl and cassette in the UK and other non-U.S. markets.
"Sweetest Thing" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It was originally released as a B-side on the "Where the Streets Have No Name" single in 1987. The song was later re-recorded and re-released as a single in October 1998 for the band's compilation album The Best of 1980–1990.
"Roam" is a song by American new wave band the B-52s released as the fourth single from their fifth studio album, Cosmic Thing (1989). The vocals are sung by Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. 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 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and entered the top 10 in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand.
"Deadbeat Club" is a song written and performed by American new wave band the B-52s. The song was released as the fifth and final single from their fifth studio album, Cosmic Thing (1989).
"Channel Z" is a song by American band the B-52's from their fifth studio album, Cosmic Thing (1989).
Funplex is the seventh studio album by the B-52s, recorded during 2006 and 2007. The album was released on March 25, 2008, by Astralwerks Records. It was the first album of new material the group had released since Good Stuff in 1992, although the band did record two new songs for their 1998 compilation album Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation.
"Planet Claire" is a song the B-52s released in July 1979 as the second single from their first album The B-52's. 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.
This is the discography and videography of American rock band The B-52s.
From groundbreaking songs like "Rock Lobster," ... to chart-topping hits like "Love Shack" ... the B-52s' unforgettable dance-rock tunes start a party every time their music begins.
There's been a lot of speculation about what 'tin roof, rusted' means. It was a rumour that it meant you were pregnant. Nobody in the band was, like, how did that...? Or you were drunk, or... You know, people were like, what does that mean? Well, it's just literal. In Georgia, there's a lot of cabins, my house has that, had a rusted tin roof, 'cause it was a funky old shack. Fifteen dollars a month.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)