Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the B-52s have announced their farewell tour this summer: 10 cities in the US (but none in the Canada) at this point. The excursion comes 43 years after their debut album in 1979 – the one that had the infamous “Rock Lobster.”
My ongoing therapy precludes that I post that song here due to having attended a party at the time where the seven-minute epic, complete with mimicked animal/fish sounds, was played about 30 times consecutively. (“There goes a narwhal!”)
Just as well, because “Love Shack” is probably the band’s most beloved and well-known song. Released in 1989, it ultimately reached No. 3, and featured one of pop’s most head-scratching lines, shouted by Cindy Wilson: “Tim roof. Rusted.” The nonsense line had no meaning, though it came to be misinterpreted as meaning being pregnant. And the memorable, “bang, bang, on the door, baby (I can’t hear you!”).
Oddly enough, Love Shack was one of the eclectic beehive band’s most coherent songs (try listening to “Planet Claire” sometime, or Rock Lobster again if you can).
So then, here’s to a great band and the unforgettable Love Shack – ‘cus that’s where it’s at.
Lyrics
If you see a faded sign at the side of the road that says
“15 miles to the Love Shack”
Love Shack, yeah, yeah
I’m headin’ down the Atlanta highway
Lookin’ for the love getaway
Headed for the love getaway
I got me a car, it’s as big as a whale
And we’re headin’ on down to the Love Shack
I got me a Chrysler, it seats about 20
So hurry up and bring your jukebox money
The love shack is a little old place where we can get together
Love Shack, baby (a-Love Shack, baby)
Love Shack, baby, Love Shack
Love Shack, baby, Love Shack
Love Shack, baby, Love Shack (Love, baby, that’s where it’s at)
Love Shack, baby, Love Shack (Love, baby, that’s where it’s at)
Sign says (woo) “Stay away, fools”
‘Cause love rules at the Love Shack
Well, it’s set way back in the middle of a field
Just a funky old shack and I gotta get back
Glitter on the mattress
Glitter on the highway
Glitter on the front porch
Glitter on the highway
The Love Shack is a little old place where we can get together
Love Shack, baby (Love Shack, baby)
Love Shack, that’s where it’s at
Love Shack, that’s where it’s at
Huggin’ and a-kissin’
Dancin’ and a-lovin’
Wearin’ next to nothin’
‘Cause it’s hot as an oven
The whole shack shimmies
Yeah, the whole shack shimmies
The whole shack shimmies when everybody’s
Movin’ around and around and around and around
Everybody’s movin’, everybody’s groovin’, baby
Folks linin’ up outside just to get down
Everybody’s movin’, everybody’s groovin’, baby
Funky little shack
Funky little shack
Hop in my Chrysler, it’s as big as a whale and it’s about to set sail
I got me a car, like, it seats about 20
So come on and bring your jukebox money
The Love Shack is a little old place where we can get together
Love Shack, baby (a-Love Shack, baby)
Love Shack, baby, Love Shack
Love Shack, baby, Love Shack
Love Shack, baby, Love Shack (Love, baby, that’s where it’s at, yeah)
Love Shack, baby, Love Shack (Love, baby, that’s where it’s at)
Bang, bang, bang, on the door, baby
Knock a little louder, baby
Bang, bang, bang, on the door, baby
I can’t hear you
Bang, bang, bang, on the door, baby
Knock a little louder, sugar
Bang, bang, bang, on the door, baby
I can’t hear you
Bang, bang, bang, on the door, baby (Knock a little louder)
Bang, bang, bang, on the door, baby
Bang, bang (On the door, baby)
Bang, bang (On the door)
Bang, bang (On the door, baby)
Bang, bang
Your what
Tin roof, rusted
Love Shack, baby, Love Shack
Love Shack, baby, Love Shack (Love, baby, that’s where it’s at, yeah)
Love Shack, baby, Love Shack (Love, baby, that’s where it’s at)
Love, baby, Love Shack
Huggin’ and a-kissin’,
Dancin’ and a-lovin’
At the Love Shack