The B-52's » Tracks » Rock Lobster

The B-52's – Rock Lobster (6:49)

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About This Track

“Rock Lobster” is The B-52’s’ first single, released in 1978 and in a longer version placed on the band’s self-titled debut album, The B-52’s, one year later. It has become one of their signature tunes, and it helped launch the band’s success. “Rock Lobster” was the band’s first single to appear on Billboard’s Hot 100. Instruments used in the music include a twangy, baritone surf-style electric guitar (a Mosrite), a Farfisa, Vox or Gibson organ, and drums. Unlike most pop and rock songs, no bass guitar was present. Instead, Kate Pierson played the bass line on keyboards.

The album version of “Rock Lobster” (released in 1979) clocks in at about seven minutes and contains superficially nonsensical lyrics about a beach party and excited rants about real or imagined marine animals (“There goes a dog-fish, chased by a cat-fish, in flew a sea robin, watch out for that piranha, there goes a narwhal, here comes a bikini whale!”), accompanied by absurd, fictional noises attributed to them (provided by Pierson and Cindy Wilson, Pierson provided the higher-pitched noises and Wilson the lower-pitched ones); the chorus consists of the words “Rock lobster!” repeated over and over. The song “Rock Lobster” is part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.

The song remains a part of pop culture, with other versions of “Rock Lobster” appearing in a 2005 episode of Family Guy and in The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie.

“Rock Lobster” appears at number 146 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of greatest songs.
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Albums featuring this track

  • The B-52's
    The B-52's Play
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  • Time Capsule
    The B-52's Play
    Buy
  • Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation
    The B-52's Play
    Buy
  • B-52's
    The B-52's Play
    Buy
See all 39 albums

Shouts

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  • jettalowlife

    seeking into dos amigos night club at 18 and listening to rok lobster **Priceless

    Saturday afternoon

  • PattySauce

    ultimate party band!!!

    14 days ago

  • gytonuncut

    rome 77

    last month

  • veronica_vixen

    It has to be said. Rock Lobster >>>>>> Love Shack [2]

    last month

  • themetalguru200

    There goes a dogfish (rea-owr) Chased by a catfish (geh geh geh geh geh geh geh geh geh geh) Fab!

    last month

  • MrPhilJones

    It wasn't a Rock ! It was...A ROCK LOBSTER !!!

    last month

  • BenSimpson87

    agreed with dandy jon! fuck family guy. this is a classic!

    last month

  • jelene

    chased by catfish... i see a mermaid

    March 2012

  • Kawasaki321

    Cool Song!!!

    February 2012

  • Fearrademi

    Great!

    February 2012

  • jelene

    love this live version

    February 2012

  • Lancegoride

    those bee hive girls sure can belt it out cant they!!!!!!!

    February 2012

  • funkquanaut1

    THIS IS MY MIXED HERITAGE COMIN OUT! I LOVE THE B52S!! MY WHYTE BOY DAVE PUT ME ON EM AND I LOVE ALL THEIR SHIT ITS FIRE YA HEAR ME!!! - THE ORIGINAL PARTY BAND!!! -funkquanaut1

    February 2012

  • skiieur

    fucking asome

    February 2012

  • skiieur

    ha ha ha

    February 2012

  • b060113last

    Is this the original version??

    January 2012

  • b060113last

    nice one, Dandy-Jon!

    January 2012

  • Dandy-Jon

    such a classic, and also, FUCK FAMILY GUY.

    January 2012

  • mrfootball70

    rock laaaaahhbstaaaa

    December 2011

  • HarryFearless

    ROCK LABSTA!!!!! x

    December 2011
See all 388 shouts

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