You left out the most important thing that he said in that interview QUOTE: "I was at a dance club one night in Bermuda. Upstairs, there were playing disco, and downstairs I suddenly heard ROCK LOBSTER by the B-52s for the first time. It SOUNDS JUST LIKE YOKO'S MUSIC, so I said to meself, 'It's time to get out the old ax and wake up the wife'" Meaning that maybe NOW people would accept YOKO's music as her vocalizations were actually being copied (probably unconsciously) by the girls in the B-52s. In another interview he felt that after hearing Rock Lobster that the world finally caught up with Yoko as she had been doing this type of music years before the B-52s.
@@patticrichton1135 oh for gods sake you cannot seriously actually think the girls from B52s took ANYTHING from yoko vocally or otherwise. She sucked dude experimental music has progressed, there will never come a time where her talentless wailing is accepting as genius, at least widely. I mean if we’re gonna talk about “stealing” CONSCIOUSLY let’s talk about Lennon and yoko doing a show with Zappa, then later releasing one of the songs he wrote as their own on the live in New York album or whatever it was called. They credited themselves as the only writers, and regardless of her solo music she will never not be hated for what happened with the Beatles. I’m sure lots of people don’t think she’s the main reason but I think she was, you have to have a real narcissist of a girlfriend for her to basically insert herself in the band, not caring what anyone thinks about it I mean look at what happened when John played with Chuck berry and she literally ruined it and made Chuck noticeably uncomfortable. The writing in Rock Lobster alone is literally more compelling and well written then anything yoko ever wrote herself
@@patticrichton1135 by the way you realize there’s artists who did what yoko was trying to do before her and well? You can’t throw a bucket of random paints at the wall, and then look at some newer painting that used the same color and say it had to be influenced by that. I mean there’s some similarities in certain select songs that I can hear but to say she’s been making this kind of music forever and now it’s acceptable Is insulting to the B52s who actually had like lots of really dope classic albums.
@@byHexted Whether you agree with Fred Schneider or not, he has said the "animal sound" vocals on Rock Lobster were "definitely inspired by Yoko." ua-cam.com/video/TADWl5_1GGU/v-deo.html And whether you think the B-52's were directly inspired by Yoko and John Lennon's music or not, the fact is that John Lennon heard them and he thought modern music had "caught up" to what they were doing years earlier. ua-cam.com/video/dym-gW52TRo/v-deo.html
I saw the B-52s on their first tour and it was the craziest audience I have ever seen in my life. When Fred said "Lets Rock!" , I thought the balcony was going to fall down as it was bouncing up and down. Those were the days.
Funny reaction. The B-52s have epitomized quirky throughout their career. I'd say their earlier stuff straddles the weird line more than the quirky, but even the weird stuff will downright get you moving. This is the greatest party band ever. Going to see them live was like going to a party with thousands of people you don't know. Always dancing and being silly and fun. Just don't let that distract you from how tight these guys are as a group and what talented musicians they are. This performance is lip synched for the show, so it's hard to appreciate here. The official video for this song is a live performance. I wish you would have started there. No worries tho, I have another great live performance of theirs for you to check out and it will blow your mind. Check out the link below. This is called Big Bird and the lyrics make no sense, the dancing is kooky, but...well, just check it out please ua-cam.com/video/lijGzY4A5gc/v-deo.html
This band ... 100 % fun and happy , 0 drama ... just 100% FUN ! actually the entire album is so amazing and when it dropped you couldn't not bop your head and smile ... can't thing of another band or album that is a musical journey into what feels like Pee Wee Herman's head lol
I am a rock and hard rock fan but i really love The B-52's. "Planet Claire", "Private Idaho", "Rock Lobster", "Dirty Back Road", "Party Out of Bounds", "Legal Tender"... there are a lot of creative songs.
The more normal you are, the stranger you will find the B52s. Inspired zaniness, creative insanity, all sorts of extraterrestrial intergalactic nookie and always visual, colourful and bouncy. Party time!
🕺🏼💃🏻🕺🏼💃🏻” Here comes the bikini whale!” Oh the high school memories this song brings back! We danced to this song just like they do in the video, a lot of jumping and just moving😂 Love this song to this day. Fun song and great reaction! Thanks MBADEPT🔥
For some reason this song was always on the playlist at my high school dances (89-93). The first time I heard it, I was perplexed, but it quickly became a favorite dance floor bop. We would all fall all the way down to the dance floor during that part and pop back up when the music picked up again. Such much chaos; so much silly fun. It was great! Love Shack was also a fave at the dances.
Back in high school during the early 80s in OC (in So Cal) this was THE song that got EVERYBODY on the dance floor at our h.s. dances! Didn't matter what group or "clique" you belonged to - you got out there and went nuts to this song - and it was awesome. 😎🥳
I have a friend who was mainly into thrash metal and punk but had a "secret" love of the B-52's.... like I am into Berlin.... This song always makes me think of SpongeBob Squarepants and that clip you showed! Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson were always worth a look!
This was from the bridge between post-punk & new wave. But if you listen to the California surf music of the 1960's you can hear this song's origins. For reference, listen to the Surfari's "Wipe Out" and legendary guitarist Dick Dale 's instrumental music. You'll get it. The B-52's were named after a beehive style hairdo women wore in the 1960's ua-cam.com/video/mKpsuGMeqHI/v-deo.html
I’m sure he does not regret the performance at all. He is out and proud and I’m sorry but gay men make for some incredible performers. I saw them recently and he still just as crazy as ever
You can laugh at the song, but if you noticed, your head was bobbing along with the beat the whole song. It's just a fun song you want to have fun dancing to.
This was pure performance art while not taking things too seriously. I’m sure Fred and the rest of the members would have changed nothing about this performance. They where punk in their completely own way.
Now the only thing Fred regrets is that he can't dance like that anymore now that he's older he mentioned it in an interview, the song is written first of all the guitar riff is brilliant they removed one string of the guitar and retuned it so it's like Ricky Wilson is playing two different guitars, then they use poetry that they rewrote that Fred had written previously about nightmares being chased by sea creatures!
Great reaction, mate. Don't ask why, but The B52's were massive in Scotland, Glasgow especially, around 1979 - 1982. I had most of their records, singles and albums. Check out the song Planet Claire. Its a classic !
Been a HUGE fan of The B-52's since 1979. This band's main goal was to make you shake your booty .... and they succeeded. Their music was funky, tight, fun and played masterfully. The lyrics were always deliberately wacky and hysterical. We fans didn't love this band for delivering deep meaning ... we loved them because they made us drop the stress and worry and pick up the happy vibes. My personal belief is this: If the B-52's debut album "The B-52's" isn't in your music collection, then you aren't a serious collector.
Little lessen here from a guy who saw the B-52s in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Pure garage band. They had no bass player. In concert Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson played synthesizers and keyboards. That’s where the bass sound came from. To appreciate the band you really have to listen to every song on their first three albums… ‘78 to ‘82. On this song did you not notice that the guitarist Ricky Wilson, Cindy’s brother was playing a guitar with only four strings? He died in the mid 80s from aids. The drummer Keith Strickland took over that slot. When they look back upon their early concerts and performances are they ashamed or embarrassed? Absolutely not! The B-52s should be in the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame. You mention Love Shack from there early 90s breakthrough album Cosmic Thing. I’m glad their music was introduced to the masses but their real genius was there early stuff. A drummer, guitarist, keyboard and synthesizer… It’s sad that more Americans have not heard their music.
The B-52's are also an amazing recovery story after losing their guitarist Ricky (brother of bandmate Cindy) Wilson during the AIDS epidemic. They floundered for a few years in grief before hitting even bigger with the Cosmic Thing album.
“Later we [Culture Club] played with them a few times and they had the most unique, hypnotic sound. It’s trashy Americana, John Waters, Divine, the Shangri-La’s, high camp and bubblegum punk. The beat is everything. Fred always reminded me of Dr Zachary Smith from Lost in Space. I never thought about whether the B-52’s had a gay angle. They were just against rules in general - taking classic American kitsch and giving it a punk, space-age irreverence, like a beautiful car crash with pop surrealism. They were very camp but very funky: always on it, melodic but effortlessly free. It’s the sort of pop music that I want to hear.” Boy George reflecting on the B-52’s in The Guardian.
"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 list in December 2004... I'm sure Fred doesn't regret it at all... And this was not the only time he performed the song...
Fred had no regrets. Their first album was full of songs like this- Planet Claire ,Lava ,Dance This Mess Around ,Quiche Lorraine.. John and Yoko caught one of their performances back in 1978/79 and it is said they inspired John to get back in the studio . They were doing concerts all over the world by 1980 including one in London at Hammersmith Palais
Dude, you should have got the version where they're all on ACID at a live Holloween Show. Do I rekon, Fred, the Cancerian from New Jersey looks back on this like it was bad? Nah mate, he's solid. Like Olga from TOY DOLLS.
Play this at your next party and watch your kids go nuts. Have you heard of Jimmy Barnes and John Farnham, "When Something is Wrong With My Baby." The best one is on "Hey, Hey It's Saturday."
Your reaction cracked me up. I was hysterical watching your reaction. Used to dance to this song all the time in the early 80s when out at the club. Always fun to then and again fun watching TV your reaction! LOL
If you are art students out of Athens, Georgia (US) and all you hear in the late 70's is disco, this is the reaction to it. Very artsy. This is supposed to be FUN. It is a bit like Madness....they are hilarious, with their "Nutty Sound"! B-52's got you to laugh, right?
That was the point, laugh and have fun. If you don't want to dance to this, I don't know about ya. Check out Planet Claire, Dance this mess around or Legal Tender. The B52's are like a carnival ride! ride!
He's obviously puzzled by much of this. Let me explain: when Fred commands "Down, down!" you are to gradually sink down to the dance floor. Which I did, along with a great many other people, decades ago.
When you strip the “quirkiness” of the vocals from the song it is an absolute banger. There are drops and switchups. just imagine a metal band covering this. Some of those vocal backups are drummer or guitar fills. Death metal scream. I wouldn’t change the song for a minute, but just saying.
Its pure unadultered fun and joy by a a self-described "Tacky little dance band from Athens, Georgia". I was a teenager back then and when this played everyone was up and dancing like crazy.
This is just early New Wave (when there was still a little punk in it), avant-garde, silly fun....with a small touch of social commentary and tribute references. You talked over the end of the naming sea creatures part where he yells "There goes a bikini whale!" Hmmmmm.
Besy dance/party song ever! I saw them in concert live twice, in Denver and thwn two days later in Austin, about 2 years ago. They had the same energy, the big hair, the whole package,for both shows ❤ The girls' clothes were much current and more sparkly 😂
The meaning is: have fun. And rock. I've seen several reactions to this song and in every one the reactors has said something like, what's going on? What just happened?
This is almost techno in sorts! B52 were this type of band. They also have serious songs. Watch some other high performance musician like Mick Jagger freaking would almost act crazy as hell! This was their type of music they put out! Techno kinda
@@infin8reactions Seriously,Being in southern California it's great to see somebody across the pond acknowledging how bonkers music can be in the US. Seeing you "wtf" is akin to my initial reaction decades ago. Check out Summertime Blues by the Flying Lizards, or Kiss Off by Violent Femmes, or the worst/best band ever The Shaggs. I'll be on the lookout for more bizarreties !
I don't care what anyone says, if your not grooving 30 seconds into this song...your dead. You can't help it, it just makes your body start bobbing up and down.
Enjoy the music and don't try making since of lyrics or you'll go mad 🤪 Song started just from a picture on the wall of a lobster and someone reading a novel where a bunch of crazy stuff unwinding
I don't think he would regret, he was up against hairballs and grunge and did this. He's probably a special type of bada** This song it's like Mr Rogers had a homosexual mystical peyote beach experience and decided to be a kid song rock star ever after.
They we so young then (me too!). The guitarist Ricky Wilson, was very respected by his peers. He died of HIV AIDS around 1985. Cindy Wilson, his sister (in the black wig) said they almost dissolved the band out of sheer grief. RIP, dear Ricky.
Hey mate. Inside joke. Guitar has no g string. They were so poor they often times couldnt eat. When a guitar string broke they often times just playing, however after playing around with it a bit, he found a really unique sound almost sounding like 2 separate guitars due to the missing string. You can see it when it zooms in.
Rock lobster is beach slang for a number 2. This song is about someone stepping in crap and tracking it back to the beach party causing everyone to get ill. Then a bunch of sea creatures show up bombing them with rock lobsters of their own,culminating in a massive bombing attack by the "bikini whale".
Legends. And no, I don't think Fred regrets a second of this.
Not as he counts his money!
Just what I came here to say. 👍
Amen to that
Of course he doesn't regret this! And nearly do I, when I think back to what I looked like and what I did in 1979, while dancing to the B-52s.
Nope. This is classic Fred in a nutshell. Why regret that?!?
Fred Schneider is a 100% character and performer. He would be nothing but proud of this performance. The guy was always entertaining.
I was going to reply exactly. Fred always fully committed. He had no shame, in the best way. Amazing front man for a truly unique band.
Hes not British so isn't paralyzed by shame.
The more I listen to this, the more I think it's an absolute masterpiece. The energy, the dancing and singing is absolutely amazing
In a famous interview John Lennon referenced this song as reinvigorating his interest in writing music.
You left out the most important thing that he said in that interview QUOTE: "I was at a dance club one night in Bermuda. Upstairs, there were playing disco, and downstairs I suddenly heard ROCK LOBSTER by the B-52s for the first time. It SOUNDS JUST LIKE YOKO'S MUSIC, so I said to meself, 'It's time to get out the old ax and wake up the wife'" Meaning that maybe NOW people would accept YOKO's music as her vocalizations were actually being copied (probably unconsciously) by the girls in the B-52s. In another interview he felt that after hearing Rock Lobster that the world finally caught up with Yoko as she had been doing this type of music years before the B-52s.
Oh wow I never knew that
@@patticrichton1135 oh for gods sake you cannot seriously actually think the girls from B52s took ANYTHING from yoko vocally or otherwise. She sucked dude experimental music has progressed, there will never come a time where her talentless wailing is accepting as genius, at least widely. I mean if we’re gonna talk about “stealing” CONSCIOUSLY let’s talk about Lennon and yoko doing a show with Zappa, then later releasing one of the songs he wrote as their own on the live in New York album or whatever it was called. They credited themselves as the only writers, and regardless of her solo music she will never not be hated for what happened with the Beatles. I’m sure lots of people don’t think she’s the main reason but I think she was, you have to have a real narcissist of a girlfriend for her to basically insert herself in the band, not caring what anyone thinks about it I mean look at what happened when John played with Chuck berry and she literally ruined it and made Chuck noticeably uncomfortable. The writing in Rock Lobster alone is literally more compelling and well written then anything yoko ever wrote herself
@@patticrichton1135 by the way you realize there’s artists who did what yoko was trying to do before her and well? You can’t throw a bucket of random paints at the wall, and then look at some newer painting that used the same color and say it had to be influenced by that. I mean there’s some similarities in certain select songs that I can hear but to say she’s been making this kind of music forever and now it’s acceptable Is insulting to the B52s who actually had like lots of really dope classic albums.
@@byHexted Whether you agree with Fred Schneider or not, he has said the "animal sound" vocals on Rock Lobster were "definitely inspired by Yoko." ua-cam.com/video/TADWl5_1GGU/v-deo.html
And whether you think the B-52's were directly inspired by Yoko and John Lennon's music or not, the fact is that John Lennon heard them and he thought modern music had "caught up" to what they were doing years earlier. ua-cam.com/video/dym-gW52TRo/v-deo.html
Canada is the only country where Rock Lobster reached number one on the charts. We're cool like that.
Haha sounds like a great place to be!!
Canada sucks.
I'm one of these Canadians that bought the 45 rpm in 1978. :)
I bought the LP in Canada in 1980.
You got your good points but you lost your freedom.
I saw the B-52s on their first tour and it was the craziest audience I have ever seen in my life. When Fred said "Lets Rock!" , I thought the balcony was going to fall down as it was bouncing up and down. Those were the days.
Funny reaction. The B-52s have epitomized quirky throughout their career. I'd say their earlier stuff straddles the weird line more than the quirky, but even the weird stuff will downright get you moving. This is the greatest party band ever. Going to see them live was like going to a party with thousands of people you don't know. Always dancing and being silly and fun. Just don't let that distract you from how tight these guys are as a group and what talented musicians they are. This performance is lip synched for the show, so it's hard to appreciate here. The official video for this song is a live performance. I wish you would have started there. No worries tho, I have another great live performance of theirs for you to check out and it will blow your mind. Check out the link below. This is called Big Bird and the lyrics make no sense, the dancing is kooky, but...well, just check it out please
ua-cam.com/video/lijGzY4A5gc/v-deo.html
These guys were so cool back in the day.
Used to listen to these guys all the time. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Don't try to figure out a special meaning. They were fun band, outrageous and just themselves. I was so inspired by them as a teen in the early 80s.
This band ... 100 % fun and happy , 0 drama ... just 100% FUN !
actually the entire album is so amazing and when it dropped you couldn't not bop your head and smile ... can't thing of another band or album that is a musical journey into what feels like Pee Wee Herman's head lol
I am a rock and hard rock fan but i really love The B-52's. "Planet Claire", "Private Idaho", "Rock Lobster", "Dirty Back Road", "Party Out of Bounds", "Legal Tender"... there are a lot of creative songs.
Countdown was an Australian music TV show in the 70s and 80s. Hosted by Ian "Molly" Meldrum
Cool thanks steve
The more normal you are, the stranger you will find the B52s. Inspired zaniness, creative insanity, all sorts of extraterrestrial intergalactic nookie and always visual, colourful and bouncy. Party time!
Fred is great!!! Doing the Pogo. The B 52s are one of the greatest party bands ever!
🕺🏼💃🏻🕺🏼💃🏻” Here comes the bikini whale!” Oh the high school memories this song brings back! We danced to this song just like they do in the video, a lot of jumping and just moving😂 Love this song to this day. Fun song and great reaction! Thanks MBADEPT🔥
Hahah I didn't know it was an actual song when I saw it on family guy 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Bikini whales...is that what they're calling Karens at the beach now?
For some reason this song was always on the playlist at my high school dances (89-93). The first time I heard it, I was perplexed, but it quickly became a favorite dance floor bop. We would all fall all the way down to the dance floor during that part and pop back up when the music picked up again. Such much chaos; so much silly fun. It was great! Love Shack was also a fave at the dances.
Back in high school during the early 80s in OC (in So Cal) this was THE song that got EVERYBODY on the dance floor at our h.s. dances! Didn't matter what group or "clique" you belonged to - you got out there and went nuts to this song - and it was awesome. 😎🥳
Saw the B-52's open up for The Who in 1982! Joan Jett and the Black Hearts were also on the bill that day!
I have a friend who was mainly into thrash metal and punk but had a "secret" love of the B-52's.... like I am into Berlin.... This song always makes me think of SpongeBob Squarepants and that clip you showed! Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson were always worth a look!
Funny when you mentioned the lyrics. My first thought was, "It still makes more sense than a Paul Simon song."
they made a ton of $$$ on music like this, i doubt Fred regrets any of it
Definitely check out their performance of "Planet Claire" LOL
Cheers Gary 😁
@@infin8reactions Check out the Foo Fighters covering it Live in New York with the B 52's vocalist Fred Schneider as guest vocalist.
I love this song. It sounds nice instrumentally, the voices sound great, the lyrics are hilarious. Great song all around😂
Family Guy was "Iraq lobster".
I know lol but the melody was the same 😁
Love shack was 80's. This WAS the 1970's...
This was from the bridge between post-punk & new wave. But if you listen to the California surf music of the 1960's you can hear this song's origins. For reference, listen to the Surfari's "Wipe Out" and legendary guitarist Dick Dale 's instrumental music. You'll get it. The B-52's were named after a beehive style hairdo women wore in the 1960's ua-cam.com/video/mKpsuGMeqHI/v-deo.html
One of the best Guitar Riffs of all time, especially after "Let's Rock"
I’m sure he does not regret the performance at all. He is out and proud and I’m sorry but gay men make for some incredible performers. I saw them recently and he still just as crazy as ever
I like his Instagram lol. I saw that Halloween video and the style is so B52s. Some people are just born with it.
You can laugh at the song, but if you noticed, your head was bobbing along with the beat the whole song. It's just a fun song you want to have fun dancing to.
Oh I did still appreciate the music behind the madness 😂😁😂
They made this 60's video style on "Porpoise".
This was pure performance art while not taking things too seriously. I’m sure Fred and the rest of the members would have changed nothing about this performance. They where punk in their completely own way.
So right!
coz this is PUNK-ROCK sound from early 80's.
Check out Give Me Back My Man and Private Idaho by the B52s. So good
Hey bro!! I saw them live. They are amazing!!!!!
Mandatory wedding dancing song in Canada..the moment all the drunk great dancers (not) hit the floor (literally..lol)
Wow, I would enjoy this on wedding parties...
A bit like the Timewarp at UK weddings
I think you’re missing the point with this band. They’re ace.
Wow...You did recognized the Family Guy Spoof
Could it be that they also got influenced by Rocky horror show?
Now the only thing Fred regrets is that he can't dance like that anymore now that he's older he mentioned it in an interview, the song is written first of all the guitar riff is brilliant they removed one string of the guitar and retuned it so it's like Ricky Wilson is playing two different guitars, then they use poetry that they rewrote that Fred had written previously about nightmares being chased by sea creatures!
Here comes a bikini whale!! OMG I love them so much.
Rock Lobster in Beach Speak means ,,Poop
This was the best song to dance to, and everyone got down on the floor at the giant clam part.
I saw them at a festival about 4 years ago. They were so fabulous! And Rock Lobster still got everyone on their feet!
Kick ass song they have allot of good stuff being a punk ska and tool fan good stuff
It was just FUN music. Thats all, dont read to much into it
Great reaction, mate. Don't ask why, but The B52's were massive in Scotland, Glasgow especially, around 1979 - 1982. I had most of their records, singles and albums. Check out the song Planet Claire. Its a classic !
LOLOLOL Great Reaction!!! I am literally cracking up .. LMAO
Haha glad you're enjoying it, it's crazy 😂😂😂😂
I've got a monster in my pants is another funny song by the lead singer.
Been a HUGE fan of The B-52's since 1979. This band's main goal was to make you shake your booty .... and they succeeded. Their music was funky, tight, fun and played masterfully. The lyrics were always deliberately wacky and hysterical. We fans didn't love this band for delivering deep meaning ... we loved them because they made us drop the stress and worry and pick up the happy vibes. My personal belief is this: If the B-52's debut album "The B-52's" isn't in your music collection, then you aren't a serious collector.
Metalheads always like the B-52's ;)
I bought that when it came out in 1978. I was 16 and it is still so unique and fun to listen to.
Awesome!!!
The B-52s were all about fun.
I absolutely LOVE B-52's !
Btw..... hi! New subscriber here. 🙂
Countdown was an Aussie music show. B52s were still making music in 2019 and they were in the 70s and still sounding great.
You smiled the entire time listening to the song.. nuff said
Haha these guys are pure entertainment 🤣😂🤣🤣
It's a beach party surf song
I just saw them perform .
No he don't look back ,it's fun
Little lessen here from a guy who saw the B-52s in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Pure garage band. They had no bass player. In concert Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson played synthesizers and keyboards. That’s where the bass sound came from. To appreciate the band you really have to listen to every song on their first three albums… ‘78 to ‘82. On this song did you not notice that the guitarist Ricky Wilson, Cindy’s brother was playing a guitar with only four strings? He died in the mid 80s from aids. The drummer Keith Strickland took over that slot. When they look back upon their early concerts and performances are they ashamed or embarrassed? Absolutely not! The B-52s should be in the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame. You mention Love Shack from there early 90s breakthrough album Cosmic Thing. I’m glad their music was introduced to the masses but their real genius was there early stuff. A drummer, guitarist, keyboard and synthesizer… It’s sad that more Americans have not heard their music.
They have been my favorite band for a long time. You need to hear more of their work. It's all just fun nonsense.
The B-52's are also an amazing recovery story after losing their guitarist Ricky (brother of bandmate Cindy) Wilson during the AIDS epidemic. They floundered for a few years in grief before hitting even bigger with the Cosmic Thing album.
The drummer Took over on guitar.
way off. fred is fred. out.
“Later we [Culture Club] played with them a few times and they had the most unique, hypnotic sound. It’s trashy Americana, John Waters, Divine, the Shangri-La’s, high camp and bubblegum punk. The beat is everything. Fred always reminded me of Dr Zachary Smith from Lost in Space. I never thought about whether the B-52’s had a gay angle. They were just against rules in general - taking classic American kitsch and giving it a punk, space-age irreverence, like a beautiful car crash with pop surrealism. They were very camp but very funky: always on it, melodic but effortlessly free. It’s the sort of pop music that I want to hear.” Boy George reflecting on the B-52’s in The Guardian.
Absurdity is funny
"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 list in December 2004... I'm sure Fred doesn't regret it at all... And this was not the only time he performed the song...
Fred had no regrets. Their first album was full of songs like this- Planet Claire ,Lava ,Dance This Mess Around ,Quiche Lorraine..
John and Yoko caught one of their performances back in 1978/79 and it is said they inspired John to get back in the studio .
They were doing concerts all over the world by 1980 including one in London at Hammersmith Palais
Dude, you should have got the version where they're all on ACID at a live Holloween Show. Do I rekon, Fred, the Cancerian from New Jersey looks back on this like it was bad? Nah mate, he's solid. Like Olga from TOY DOLLS.
I'll add ... I think your now a fan of the B52s lol
Sure!!
Great reaction. Very objective. I love this song.
No regrets.... The just finished up their farewell tour recently...
Play this at your next party and watch your kids go nuts.
Have you heard of Jimmy Barnes and John Farnham, "When Something is Wrong With My Baby." The best one is on "Hey, Hey It's Saturday."
I've loved the B's since I was 17, I am now nearly 60 and listen to them most days...They are playing Las Vegas residence shows May and August 2023!
Your reaction cracked me up. I was hysterical watching your reaction. Used to dance to this song all the time in the early 80s when out at the club. Always fun to then and again fun watching TV your reaction! LOL
Haha glad I could brighten up your day ☺️
I loved dancing to it too.
If you are art students out of Athens, Georgia (US) and all you hear in the late 70's is disco, this is the reaction to it. Very artsy. This is supposed to be FUN. It is a bit like Madness....they are hilarious, with their "Nutty Sound"! B-52's got you to laugh, right?
That was the point, laugh and have fun. If you don't want to dance to this, I don't know about ya.
Check out Planet Claire, Dance this mess around or Legal Tender.
The B52's are like a carnival ride! ride!
He's obviously puzzled by much of this. Let me explain: when Fred commands "Down, down!" you are to gradually sink down to the dance floor. Which I did, along with a great many other people, decades ago.
F..ing love this song and band the music..and crazy lyrics are fab! To me it's Pop surff punk sound.
Omg thank u you're the only reactor that actually said something about how family guy did a parody of this song it's a head bopper 4 sure
Haha no worries, it's the first thing that popped into my head 😂😂 glad you enjoyed the video 😁
@@infin8reactions definitely brotha I ain't gonna lie this might be my theme song if I had a sitcom show love the song 💯
I remember my mum thought I was Crazy, When I First listened to this. And I loved being Crazy too.
When you strip the “quirkiness” of the vocals from the song it is an absolute banger. There are drops and switchups. just imagine a metal band covering this. Some of those vocal backups are drummer or guitar fills. Death metal scream. I wouldn’t change the song for a minute, but just saying.
Its pure unadultered fun and joy by a a self-described "Tacky little dance band from Athens, Georgia". I was a teenager back then and when this played everyone was up and dancing like crazy.
This is just early New Wave (when there was still a little punk in it), avant-garde, silly fun....with a small touch of social commentary and tribute references.
You talked over the end of the naming sea creatures part where he yells "There goes a bikini whale!" Hmmmmm.
Besy dance/party song ever! I saw them in concert live twice, in Denver and thwn two days later in Austin, about 2 years ago. They had the same energy, the big hair, the whole package,for both shows ❤ The girls' clothes were much current and more sparkly 😂
Three Bands from Athens, GA in this time period: R.E.M., B-52's and Pylon. Of the three my favorite is Pylon.
The meaning is: have fun. And rock.
I've seen several reactions to this song and in every one the reactors has said something like, what's going on? What just happened?
This is almost techno in sorts! B52 were this type of band. They also have serious songs. Watch some other high performance musician like Mick Jagger freaking would almost act crazy as hell! This was their type of music they put out! Techno kinda
Great reactions. Thank you. Really . Thank you.
You're welcome and thanks for watching Dave 😊
@@infin8reactions Seriously,Being in southern California it's great to see somebody across the pond acknowledging how bonkers music can be in the US. Seeing you "wtf" is akin to my initial reaction decades ago. Check out Summertime Blues by the Flying Lizards, or Kiss Off by Violent Femmes, or the worst/best band ever The Shaggs. I'll be on the lookout for more bizarreties !
I don't care what anyone says, if your not grooving 30 seconds into this song...your dead. You can't help it, it just makes your body start bobbing up and down.
B52's were a fun band. Quiche Lorraine for example. Not much to take seriously.
Enjoy the music and don't try making since of lyrics or you'll go mad 🤪 Song started just from a picture on the wall of a lobster and someone reading a novel where a bunch of crazy stuff unwinding
They were fantastic live
I don't think he would regret, he was up against hairballs and grunge and did this. He's probably a special type of bada**
This song it's like Mr Rogers had a homosexual mystical peyote beach experience and decided to be a kid song rock star ever after.
You're not supposed to understand it. It's amazing and it's fun. One of my all time favourite bands. So many amazing songs.
They we so young then (me too!). The guitarist Ricky Wilson, was very respected by his peers. He died of HIV AIDS around 1985. Cindy Wilson, his sister (in the black wig) said they almost dissolved the band out of sheer grief. RIP, dear Ricky.
Party song....all fun, no message. I was 20 when this came out and was an instant B52's fan! Great stuff!
First rule of B-52's music....don't over think the lyrics!
Hey mate. Inside joke. Guitar has no g string. They were so poor they often times couldnt eat. When a guitar string broke they often times just playing, however after playing around with it a bit, he found a really unique sound almost sounding like 2 separate guitars due to the missing string. You can see it when it zooms in.
Countdown was an Australian music show with the latest........
Rock lobster is beach slang for a number 2. This song is about someone stepping in crap and tracking it back to the beach party causing everyone to get ill. Then a bunch of sea creatures show up bombing them with rock lobsters of their own,culminating in a massive bombing attack by the "bikini whale".
I think this performance was entirely lip sync. I still enjoyed it, so thanks for reviewing it.