Song #95: "Rock Lobster"--The B-52's (1979 Version)

When "Rock Lobster" hit my little, but powerful, silver and black radio that used to sit (I kid you not) next to my bed on top of my trash can in early 1980, I was completely mesmerized. It was like nothing I had ever heard before. (My end table had a clock radio on it and didn't have room for the bigger, "little" radio.)  :)

The opening riff, the crazy background singers, the immensely wild bridge to the end (Here Comes The Stingray!), it all came together for what was, I think, one of the four songs you would put on the "Mount Rushmore" of New Wave music. We can discuss the other three on another day. :)

What I didn't know was this was the second incarnation of the song, as it was originally released in 1978, then redone for The B-52's debut album the following year. When I think of the year 1980, I think of this song, and vice versa.

Long before they hit it really big on the charts with "Love Shack", to me, the signature song of this group is my favorite. Of course, we post the extended version here, which didn't get what little radio airplay this song received (mostly on Q107 in Washington if I recall correctly).