"Rock Lobster" | ||||
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![]() Warner Bros. vinyl rerelease | ||||
Single by The B-52's | ||||
from the album The B-52's | ||||
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Recorded | February 1978 | |||
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Length | 3:57 (radio edit) 4:52 (single) 6:49 (album) | |||
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The B-52's singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Rock Lobster" on YouTube |
"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. [7] [8]
The song launched the band's career and became one of their signature tunes. [9] "Rock Lobster" was well received by critics, and went on to place at No. 147 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time [10] list in December 2004. The song also inspired the name of Athens, Georgia's ice hockey team, the Rock Lobsters.
This section needs additional citations for verification .(August 2021) |
The original DB Records single version has a duration of 4:37, and is faster in tempo and more "raw" than the 1979 single version, basically due to lower sound quality and the absence of a bassline. It has the same lyrics as the re-recorded version, but with more lines during the sequence that lists marine animals. The 1979 single version is edited down from the album version, which lasts about seven minutes and contains an additional verse.
According to a "Behind the Vinyl" video with B-52's singer Fred Schneider for CHBM-FM, the song was mostly inspired by the 2001 Club in Atlanta, where instead of having a light show, the club projected a slide show with pictures of puppies, babies, and lobsters on a grill. [11]
The song's lyrics describe a beach party while mentioning both real and imagined marine animals ("There goes a dogfish, chased by a catfish, in flew a sea robin, watch out for that piranha, there goes a narwhal, here comes a bikini whale!"), with absurd noises accompanying each, provided by Kate Pierson on the higher-pitched sounds and Cindy Wilson the lower-pitched ones. The chorus features Pierson and Wilson singing a long "ahhh" at an ascending pitch, followed by Schneider exclaiming the phrase "rock lobster!".
"Rock Lobster" is written in the key of C minor (with a raised fourth in the chorus) and is in common time. Instruments used in the music include a baritone-tuned surf-style Mosrite electric guitar, a Farfisa combo organ, and drums. Pierson played the song's bassline on a Korg SB-100 synthesizer in the 1979 version.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called the song "incredibly infectious" and "memorable". [9] Cash Box called it a "silly yet utterly enjoyable affair." [12] Record World said that "The dance-oriented -rock band from Georgia has already charmed critics and cults. This quirky, intriguing cut from their self-titled LP should do the same for AOR-pop fans." [13]
The version of "Rock Lobster" released by Warner Bros. was the band's first single to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, where it reached No. 56. A major hit in Canada, the single went all the way to No. 1 in the RPM national chart. "Rock Lobster" reached #37 on the UK Singles Chart in August 1979; when reissued as a double A-side with "Planet Claire" in 1986, it peaked at No. 12. [14] In Australia, it peaked at No. 3 in 1980. [15]
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On January 26, 1980, the band appeared on Saturday Night Live , where they performed "Rock Lobster" and "Dance This Mess Around".
In the spring of 1980, John Lennon, whose post-Beatles music career had been on hiatus for nearly five years while focusing on raising his son Sean, was prompted to record again after hearing "Rock Lobster". [27] According to Lennon, "it sounds just like Ono's music, so I said to meself, 'it's time to get out the old axe and wake the wife up!'" [28] [29] His return to the studio led to the release of 1980's Double Fantasy , which would be his final album. [27] At a 2002 B-52's concert in New York, Ono joined the band on stage for the performance of this song. [30]
The song appears in the Family Guy episodes "The Cleveland–Loretta Quagmire" (in which Peter plays it on guitar), [31] and "Screams of Silence: The Story of Brenda Q" (as "Iraq Lobster").
It also appears in the 2008 movie The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie (as "Rock Monster"). [32] [33]
Early Commodore Amiga 500 units had "B52/ROCK LOBSTER" etched on the main circuit board. [34]
The song is playable in the video games Donkey Konga , [35] Rock Band 3 , [36] and Just Dance 4 . [37]
Panic! at the Disco sampled the song's guitar riff for their song "Don't Threaten Me with a Good Time" from their fifth studio album Death of a Bachelor (2016). [38]
On May 15, 2024, it was announced that the city of Athens, Georgia - where The B-52's were formed - would name their Federal Prospects Hockey League team the Rock Lobsters, honoring the song and the band. [39] The decision came after an online poll that began in April 2024 closed with two options for a team name: The Rock Lobsters or the Classic City Panic. The former was the winner of a runoff poll, where it won over the latter by 565 votes. A large internet following also helped promote voting for the Rock Lobster option. [40] A design contest was also held for the team's mascot, which has yet to be officially revealed.
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.
The B-52's is the debut album by American New wave band the B-52's. The kitschy lyrics and mood, and the hook-laden harmonies helped establish a fanbase for the band, who went on to release several chart-topping singles. The album cover was designed by Tony Wright.
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.
Frederick William Schneider III is an American singer-songwriter and frontman of the rock band the B-52's, of which he is a founding member. Schneider is well known for his sprechgesang, which he developed from reciting poetry over guitars.
Wild Planet is the second studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released in 1980 by Warner Bros. Records.
Cosmic Thing is the fifth studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released in 1989 by Reprise Records. It contains the singles "Love Shack", "Roam" and "Deadbeat Club", which reached the Top 10, 20 and 30 of the US Billboard Hot 100 charts, respectively. 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-52's, 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 B-52's 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.
Ricky Helton Wilson was an American musician best known as the original guitarist and founding member of rock band the B-52s. Born in Athens, Georgia, Wilson was the brother of fellow member Cindy Wilson. The B-52s were founded in 1976, when Ricky, Cindy, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland and Fred Schneider shared a tropical flaming volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant and, after an impromptu music session at the home of their friend Owen Scott III, played for the first time at a Valentine's Day party for friends. Wilson's unusual guitar tunings were a large contribution to the band's quirky sound.
Party Mix! is a remix album by American new wave band the B-52's, originally released in 1981 by Warner Bros. Records.
"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.
"Deadbeat Club" is a song written and performed by American new wave band the B-52's. 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).
"Antmusic" is a song by English rock band Adam and the Ants, released as the third single in the UK from the album Kings of the Wild Frontier.
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 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.
"Legal Tender" is the first single released by American new wave band the B-52's from their third studio album Whammy! (1983).
"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.
{{Infobox song | name = Peter Gunn | type = single | artist = Henry Mancini | cover = | album = The Music from Peter Gunn | B-side = The Brothers Go to Mother's | released = Jan 1959 | recorded = 1958 | studio = Radio Recorders, Los Angeles | genre = Instrumental theme music | length = 2:04 | label = RCA Victor | composer = Henry Mancini | producer = Simon Rady | misc = {{External music video|header=Official audio|{{https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tK-vUY6erQU} }
The B-52s' "Rock Lobster," another of the first new wave tracks to be played on disco dance floors, did not quite mock disco.
Featuring the quirky lead vocals of Fred Schneider, the group's début album, The B-52's (1979), became an instant classic with upbeat, lyrically amusing dance rock numbers such as 'Rock Lobster',...
Amazingly, the song reaches a type of punk intensity, and Schneider yelling "Let's rock!" as the band clicks into a reckless frug-groove is one of the most thrilling moments of the '70s.
Fred Schneider's brilliant Jacques Cousteau-gone-bonkers lyrics...made it a psychedelic beach rocker for the ages.
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