Sunday, August 24, 2008

Soundtracks For Summer: Rock Lobster

Part 8 in my "Soundtracks For Summer" Series


Holy crap, we're near the end of August and I only have 7 Soundtracks For Summer entries?! I gotta get cracking!




If you have ever been on vacation and went to some "wacky" tourist destination, chances are that you've listened to the B-52s Rock Lobster at least 50 times.

This song is most famous for putting the B-52s on the map in the first place back in 1978, and I am not surprised at all.

It simply sounds like an awesome time at a beach. Yes, I'm quite sad that Summer's nearing its end, but I'm no fan of beaches either. If beaches were more attune to look like a B-52s video, there's a small chance that I might actually go out to one during the daytime.

I say this several times, but this song simply defines "summer" for me. Fun, wackiness, funk, hijinks, that awesome guitar, knowing that you don't have to do a damn thing for the next 3 1/2 months or so. So what if you're listening to this during the last week in August, where some folks are back in college? Fuck them for not going to where I go! September 3rd is when I resume my repugnant disgust at the educational world.

The B-52s would want it that way. My favorite parts of the song? The guitar for one, with a still-alive Ricky Wilson at the licks. I also love the part where Fred starts listing off animals, and the girls make their improvised sounds to go along with them. I learned what sound a Sea Robin makes thanks to this song.

I don't recall when or how I was first exposed to this song, but I am somewhat saddened that a generation of people's exposure was/will be from this:



You better fucking watch this because it took me forever to find it. Seriously, for every actual vid of this that's on Youtube, there's 50 of them where it's just a still picture over the music. I hate that so freaking much.



I haven't posted one of these in a while, but I'm still taking reader suggestions for "Soundtracks For Summer" entries. Although this time I'm looking for input on a certain song: "Walk The Dinosaur" by Was Not Was. If anyone out there has any memories of the song, or why it defines "Summer" for you, contact me at beamingforbunnies@gmail.com

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

no one has commented on rock lobster????

i love it. and one of the best family guy moments i've ever seen. i was the only one in the room that thought it was hilarious, but they were all just in denial.