The B-52's

Released: July 6, 1979

Songwriter: Keith Strickland Kate Pierson Fred Schneider Ricky Wilson (B-52's) Cindy Wilson

Producer: Chris Blackwell

Remember when you held my hand?
Say, remember when you were my man?
Walk, talk in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Think it over, roll it over in your mind

Why don't you dance with me?
I'm not no Limburger
Why don't you dance with me?
I'm not no Limburger

Oh say, why don't you dance with me?
I'm not no Limburger
Just a limber girl, just a limber girl
Just a limber girl, just a limber girl

Dance this mess around
Dance this mess around
'Round, 'round, 'round, 'round

Oh, everybody goes to parties
They dance this mess around
They do all sixteen dances
They do the Shu ga loo, do the Shy Tuna
Do the Camel Walk, do the Hip O Crit

Ah, hippy, hippy forward hippy, hippy
Hippy, hippy, hippy shake
Oh, it's time to do 'em right

Hey, so don't that make you feel a whole lot better, huh?
I say, don't that make you feel a whole lot better?
What you say?
Well, I'm just askin'

Come on, shake
Ooh, Oye shake
Ooh, Oye shake
Ooh

Everybody goes to parties
They dance this mess around
They do all sixteen dances
Do the Coo ca choo, do the Aqua Velva
Do the Dirty Dog, do the Escalator

Ah, hippy, hippy forward hippy, hippy
Hippy, hippy, hippy shake
Oh, it's time to do 'em right

Hey, so Fred, don't that make you feel a whole lot better, huh?
I say, don't that make you feel a whole lot better?
What you say? Well, I'm just askin'

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Stop, dance on over
Yeah, yeah
Dance, dance, dance this mess around
Dance this mess around

Shake, shake a bake, shake
Shake, shake, shake, shake
Shake, shake, shake, shake
Dance this mess around
Yeah, yeah, yeah

The B-52’s, (now stylized as The B-52s) are an internationally successful New Wave band also known for their campy fashion. The group’s original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland, Cindy Wilson and Ricky Wilson. Originally, all members of the band played multiple instruments. However, after Ricky Wilson’s tragic AIDS-related death in 1985, instead of hiring a full-time replacement, Strickland transitioned to primarily playing guitar, and the band has used various other musicians for recording and touring purposes.

Their self-titled first album The B-52’s was released to critical acclaim in 1979, spawning the Canadian chart-topping hit “Rock Lobster”, which was also successful in Australia, New Zealand, the US and the UK. Rolling Stone magazine later placed the album at #152 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Their second album, Wild Planet, released in 1980, spawned another minor US hit with “Private Idaho”. Whammy! followed in 1983, giving the band a third minor US hit with “Legal Tender”. Their fourth album, Bouncing Off the Satellites, was recorded and mixed but not yet released when Ricky Wilson died in October 1985. It was nearly a year before the album was released, in September 1986. It is the band’s only album that does not feature a picture of its members on the cover.

more tracks from the album

The B-52's

From the albums

The B-52's (1979)
Nude on the Moon: The B-52's Anthology (2002)

The B-52's popular songs

Dance This Mess AroundThe B-52's

The B-52's

The B-52's