I like to play Rock Band. They entered a B-52s song into the downloadables. It’s not the greatest B-52s song. Not even close. This is it.
My devotion to both Cindy and Ricky Wilson makes me a weirdo. I don’t care.
Continuing the theme of badass women from the punk/post-punk era, here’s the Au Pairs, lesbian riot girl before its time:
I went to a bar two nights in a row this week, and swear to the Disco Ball, this was the song playing on the jukebox. It’s a testament to the beauty of the cover:
That cover was one of the songs that changed my life. No joke. I bought “Horses” as a college sophomore and was vaguely skeptical of its power, and was mowed over by the beauty of the album. Patti Smith never did it again, but she cut one of the best rock ‘n’ roll albums ever, a veritable tribute to rock music that makes me, to this day, want to dance and sing and be a rock star.
X:
The Avengers:
And Ari Up from The Slits:
If you read my book, just a taste of the pro-feminist artists you get to read about in the notes.
And from another artist I deem feminist, a song that Ween covered but didn’t give proper credit:
23 Responses to “Jesus died for somebody’s sins….but not mine”
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Dig Fred Schneider in the Buddy Holly glasses and the seersucker jacket!
Though I’ll beg to differ with you on this as the greatest B-52s song; it’s really good, but their best is “Private Idaho”.
And Rock Band is a great game. There’s some great New Year’s Eve pictures of me rockin’ out on the drums.
Having done ALL 16 dances in my time, I have to admit to being a big time fan of the B-52’s. At some of their shows, I was the only Black woman in the crowd, shouting out their divine lyrics, and dancing my ass off. I miss the joy of that release! As good as “Private Idaho” and “Dance this Mess Around” are, I’d have to say “Strobe Light” is my favorite. “Wanna make love to you under the strobe light….” How f-in’ cool is that?
Before I saw this video I thought the best b52’s song was Mesopotamia cause it’s the height of their beautiful absurdity. However I’ve now changed my mind.
Having done ALL 16 dances in my time, I have to admit to being a big time fan of the B-52’s. At some of their shows, I was the only Black woman in the crowd, shouting out their divine lyrics, and dancing my ass off. I miss the joy of that release! As good as “Private Idaho” and “Dance this Mess Around” are, I’d have to say “Strobe Light” is my favorite. “Wanna make love to you under the strobe light….” How f-in’ cool is that?
Having done ALL 16 dances in my time, I have to admit to being a big time fan of the B-52’s. At some of their shows, I was the only Black woman in the crowd, shouting out their divine lyrics, and dancing my ass off. I miss the joy of that release! As good as “Private Idaho” and “Dance this Mess Around” are, I’d have to say “Strobe Light” is my favorite. “Wanna make love to you under the strobe light….” How f-in’ cool is that?
Love “Dance this Mess Around”. I think my favorite b-52s song is “Song for a Future Generation” or maybe “Mesopotamia”.
“Horses” is so fantastic. Along with the Velvet Undergrounds debut and Television’s “Marquee Moon”, it is one of the quintessential great New York albums.
Saw the B-52’s in concert two weeks ago. They’re still awesome. Private Idaho and Mesopotamia are easily top contenders, but I still have to go with the Dada-surf-punk of Rock Lobster.
I’m with mothworm: Rock Lobster!They were at their best when they were just being weird as hell.
The new songs from Funplex sounded pretty good, too. Fred kept shouting something that sounded an awful lot like “Pull over, I think I see the g-spot!” in one of them.
Speaking of which, I’d like to take this moment to plug Fred’s solo album “Just Fred”. Here’s the video for Bulldozer.
I remember seeing the B-52s on SNL wayyyyy back when I was about 10 or so, staying up way too late. They did “Rock Lobster,” and kind of freaked me out with the yelps and squeaks when I was alone in the dark.
I’ve been obsessed with Klaus Nomi lately, and a bit depressed that nothing today has the same level of in-your-face campy queerness that was a big part of the New Wave scene. If anything, it seems that pop music has gotten more conservative.
Zuzu, I remember that SNL appearance too. I was with my church youth group (don’t ask) and despite my repeated assurances, the rest of the group refused to believe that they were a real band. I liked ‘em before, but I luuuurved them after that.
I had to go search to find out which song made Rock Band. While I have to agree that most of the songs above are better*, Roam is still a great song. Missing their usual quirkiness, of course, but the harmonies are great and the lyrics are nice, too. I actually like it for showing that they are more than just a novelty band. And despite its popularity, I have to put Love Shack on any list of great B-52’s songs as well. Not at the top, mind you.
Has anybody seen a dog dyed dark green?
* Except maybe Mesopotamia
14 people were driven to voting Republican by the title of this post.
I always thought of Horses as an LA album (Redondo Beach), not NY.
And weren’t there guys in the Au Pairs? Lesbian guys? Oh well, I guess they’re Equal but Different.
I’m gonna kiss your pineapple!
In the age of Youtube there’s no clip up of Patti and the boys doing Gloria on the first ever SNL? The one hosted by Ron Nessen? That blows.
Oh, and Avengers still kick total ass. Thanks, Penelope and Greg, for reuniting. Maybe someday Jimmy Wilsey will snap out of his post-Isaak sulk and join in.
I think of “Horses” as a New York album mostly because of it’s relation to the whole New York scene. It was produced by the Velvet’s John Cale and tied to the past of avant New York underground pop, while at the same time its connection with Television and Richard Hell is the start of NYC CBGB punk. Even the Mapplethorpe cover has the mystique of arty NYC of the 1970s.
I also have been really into Klaus Nomi recently. “The Nomi Song” is fucking brilliant!
Actually, Patti’s second album, Radio Ethiopia, is about as good as Horses. After that her stuff’s pretty unexceptional. That Avengers song is one of my favroite punk tunes.
I was a little surprised they picked “Roam” for Rock Band, but I’m hoping it means we’ll get a couple more B-52 songs as time goes by.
I *think* my favourite is “Private Idaho,” but I tend to change my opinion on this every week.
Sjofn: I think it might be because “Roam” was released more recently, but still got a lot of mainstream radio airplay.
Also, thanks Amanda for forcing me to blow money at iTunes for the Patti Smith (and Joan Jett) songs that I’d been saving on a wish list for a while.
TECH Q: does that last one with the fractal animate? ‘cuz it don’t on my browser.
That SNL performance was a pivotal moment in my life as was dancing to “Rock Lobster” and The Cure’s “10:15 on A Saturday Night” at my small town high school dance. Those were the days. I have a soft spot for “Planet Claire” but “Quiche Lorraine” wins for pure wackiness.
The Slits!