Do the Shy Tuna: The B-52s rocked hard when they were young

I've always loved The B-52s. For all the snarling rebellion it represents, rock and roll can take itself pretty seriously. The B-52s took the stuffing out of rock, dedicating themselves to ridiculous lyrics, ridiculous dancing and having a damn good time. More than anything, they were silly, which more people should try practicing in life. It's kind of a shame they get tossed off as a novelty band - though even as novelty, do you know anyone who hates "Rock Lobster?"

The sad thing is people don't bother exploring their earlier records, which are pretty solid. Their first two albums in particular - a self-titled debut and a follow-up called Wild Planet - deserve to be in any record collection (or at least on your hard drive).

"I'll give you fish / I'll give you can-dy." Lyrics like these made me fall in love with this band. Cindy and Kate's presence didn't hurt - ah, hell, and Fred, too. The guy knows how play a tambourine for sure.

The band has some incredible music besides their hits. "Dance This Mess Around" is definitely a favorite, and looks awesome in the live show up above. But what I really wanted to post is this video from 1978, when the band was lighting up the Athens, GA scene. It's muddy as hell, the performance doesn't gel as perfectly as on the album, and the band is clearly still getting used to the stage. Still, they sound awesome, and you can't help but wonder what it was like to be in a dingy rock club back then, watching these college kids doing the shy tuna onstage. As Cindy wailed back then, they weren't no Limburger.