The B52s

Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland

Good Morning!

Today we’re listening to “Girl From Ipanema Goes to Greenland” by The B52s

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A lot of people got to know The B52s through their later work and hits like “Roam.” For others the on ramp was through earlier songs like “Rock Lobster” and “Planet Claire.”

But in between those bookends are some great albums; Whammy, Mesopotamia, and Bouncing Off The Satellites, where this appears.

Founding member (and brother of singer Cindy) Ricky Wilson passed away just after the recording of the record, leaving the band distraught and casting doubts about their future. In fact they didn’t get back together again for 2 years.

Bouncing marks a literal and metaphorical shift in style for the group. The quirky lyrics and party band mood were still there, as was the big hair. But this record was a pivot to more sophisticated sounds and heavier grooves. The record was met with lukewarm critical reviews, low commercials sales, and is often overlooked in discussions about the band.

I think this track—this record— are about 10 years ahead of their time. We just weren’t ready for it yet. Maybe we still aren’t?

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More:

Bouncing off the Satellites was in the can and it is full of commercially pop savvy numbers, including upbeat tracks moving into the realms of dance and club music with Girl from Ipanema Goes to Greenland, Summer of Love and the ridiculously silly Wig.

Read the rest of the review here.

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Listen

“Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland” by The B52s| Bouncing Off The Satellites, 1986

Click the record to listen on your platform of choice.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this track!

Thanks for being here,

Kevin—

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