Right. What's This, Then? - "Dance This Mess Around"
@teamfreak16 (48772)
Denver, Colorado
November 8, 2026 11:50pm CST
Leaving the seriousness of an 80’s power ballad in the rear-view for a visit to one of the United States’ all-time great music scenes, Athens, Georgia, for a little late-70’s new wave fun.
And if the B-52’s have been anything during their 50-year career, it's fun. What band that ended up forming after an impromptu jam session held after sharing a flaming volcano drink wouldn’t be fun? These guys understood fun from day one!
“Dance This Mess Around” was the third single released from the band’s self-titled 1979 debut album (a classic new wave record!) Don’t bother looking for any Hot 100 history, there isn’t any. It did sub-chart at #24 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, but all that is is the results of a weekly poll of what clubs were playing that week.
But so what? “Dance This Mess Around” has stood the test of time. Still a live favorite all of these decades later, it’s still as weird as it was on day one, it’s still as fun as it was on day one.
And that’s what matters most.
Link is to the studio album version:
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6 people like this
7 responses
@RasmaSandra (102228)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
9h
Had not heard this but I like it, Thanks for sharing,
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (48772)
• Denver, Colorado
8h
All these years later, it's still one of their classic tunes!
@snowy22315 (214850)
• United States
13h
That sounds like a song from the 50's...wasn't that a classic from them.and redone?
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (48772)
• Denver, Colorado
9h
They had already released "Rock Lobster" with "52 Girls" before getting signed, they redid those two songs for the first album. This was a new song for the album.
@teamfreak16 (48772)
• Denver, Colorado
9h
I've never been able to see them live, but I assume they are even more entertaining than on their records. They were when I saw them on SNL back in the day.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109289)
• Los Angeles, California
23h
I love the B-52s and they are an outrageous snub by the R&R HOF who cries about wanting to induct as many women as possible and you get Kate and Cindy with the B-52s.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (48772)
• Denver, Colorado
9h
You would think that with all of the alternative bands that have been getting in the last few years, they would get in eventually.
1 person likes this
