Wild Planet

Quality 0.50 · 2 views · Updated 2 months ago

title: "Wild Planet" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["the-b-52's-albums", "1980-albums", "albums-produced-by-rhett-davies", "albums-recorded-at-compass-point-studios", "island-records-albums", "warner-records-albums"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Planet" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

FieldValue
nameWild Planet
typestudio
artistthe B-52's
coverThe_B-52's_-_Wild_Planet.jpg
releasedAugust 27, 1980
recordedApril 1980
studioCompass Point (Nassau, Bahamas)
genre
length34:44
producer
prev_titleThe B-52's
prev_year1979
next_titleParty Mix!
next_year1981
misc{{Singles
nameWild Planet
typealbum
single1Private Idaho
single1dateOctober 1980
single2Give Me Back My Man
single2date1980
single3Party Out of Bounds
single3date1980
::

| name = Wild Planet | type = studio | artist = the B-52's | cover = The_B-52's_-_Wild_Planet.jpg | alt = | released = August 27, 1980 | recorded = April 1980 | venue = | studio = Compass Point (Nassau, Bahamas) | genre = | length = 34:44 | label =

As with their first album, the B-52's traveled to Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas to record Wild Planet. Several of the songs from the album had been concert staples since 1978. The band did not record them for their first album, as they had more songs than could fit in a quality LP record.

Reception

Critical

| rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = | rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide | rev2score = B+ |rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |rev3score = |rev4 = MusicHound Rock |rev4score = |rev5 = PopMatters |rev5score = 8/10 |rev6 = (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide |rev6score = | rev7 = Select | rev7Score = 3/5 | rev8 = Smash Hits | rev8score = 8/10 | rev9 = Spin Alternative Record Guide | rev9score = 7/10 Billboard gave Wild Planet a positive review, calling it an improvement over the band's debut album and "a cinch for hot rotation in rock-oriented discos". Robert Christgau of The Village Voice observed, Party Out of Bounds' and 'Quiche Lorraine' are expert entertainments at best and the wacko parochialism of 'Private Idaho' is a positive annoyance. Only on 'Devil in My Car' and 'Give Me Back My Man' do they exploit the potential for meaning—cosmic and emotional, respectively—that accrues to the world's greatest new-wave kiddie-novelty disco-punk band."

Frank Rose of Rolling Stone felt that it "plainly lacks the relentless exuberance of the group's debut disc", which he considered "partly a result of the production: flatter and duller sounding than its predecessor". Conversely, New York Rocker wrote that Wild Planet "does a better job [than the first LP] of capturing Ricky Wilson's strangely-tuned riffing and the snap of Keith Strickland's drums." While Trouser Press thought the album had its "inspired moments", they concluded that "too much of the album, with its short length and recycled ideas, comes across as a pale imitation of its predecessor."

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, David Cleary thought the songs were "faster, tighter, and punchier than previously, though production values are not as wonderfully quirky and detailed", and highlighted the "cunning mix of girl group, garage band, surf, and television theme song influences, all propelled along by an itchy dance beat." In 2018, Pitchfork ranked Wild Planet number 183 on its critics' list of the 200 greatest albums of the 1980s.

Commercial

Wild Planet charted for 27 weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 18. Wild Planet was certified Gold by the RIAA.

Track listing

| headline = Side one | all_writing = | title1 = Party Out of Bounds | writer1 = | length1 = 3:21 | title2 = Dirty Back Road | writer2 = | length2 = 3:21 | title3 = Runnin' Around | writer3 = | length3 = 3:09 | title4 = Give Me Back My Man | writer4 = | length4 = 4:00 | title5 = Private Idaho | writer5 = | length5 = 3:35

| headline = Side two | total_length = 34:44 | title1 = Devil in My Car | writer1 = | length1 = 4:28 | title2 = Quiche Lorraine | writer2 = | length2 = 3:58 | title3 = Strobe Light | writer3 = | length3 = 3:59 | title4 = 53 Miles West of Venus | writer4 = | length4 = 4:53

Personnel

The B-52's

Technical

  • Rhett Davies – producer, engineer
  • The B-52's – producers
  • Chris Blackwell – executive producer
  • Benjamin Armbrister – assistant engineer
  • Robert Waldrop – art direction
  • Lynn Goldsmith – cover photography
  • La Verne & Phyllis – hairdos
  • Paul Bricker – makeup

Chart performance

Weekly charts

::data[format=table] | Chart (1980–81) | Peak position | Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) | |---|---|---| | 12 | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table]

Chart (1980)PositionNew Zealand Albums (RMNZ)
50
::

Certifications and sales

In popular culture

Film director Gus Van Sant referred to the song "Private Idaho" in the title of his 1991 film My Own Private Idaho and thanked the band in the film's credits, although he did not seek approval from the band to use it.

References

References

  1. The B-52's. (2002). "Nude on the Moon: The B-52's Anthology". [[Rhino Entertainment]].
  2. Strong, Martin C.. (2003). "The Great Indie Discography". [[Canongate Books.
  3. "Wild Planet - The B-52's".
  4. Sexton, Mats. (2002). "The B-52's Universe: The Essential Guide to the World's Greatest Party Band". Plan-B Books.
  5. Shepard, Susan Elizabeth. (October 14, 2018). "The B-52's: The B-52's".
  6. Cleary, David. "The B-52's - Wild Planet Album Reviews, Songs & More".
  7. Christgau, Robert. (1990). "Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s". [[Pantheon Books]].
  8. Larkin, Colin. (2011). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". Omnibus Press.
  9. Catlin, Roger. (1996). "MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide". Visible Ink Press.
  10. Wilhelm, Rich. (May 3, 2022). "Ranking the B-52s Albums".
  11. Considine, J. D.. (2004). "(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide". [[Simon & Schuster]].
  12. Cavanagh, David. (July 1990). "Flip Your Wig".
  13. Hepworth, David. (September 4–17, 1980). "Albums – The B-52's: Wild Party (Island)".
  14. Huston, Johnny. (1995). "Spin Alternative Record Guide". [[Vintage Books]].
  15. (September 13, 1980). "Billboard's Top Album Picks".
  16. Christgau, Robert. (March 2, 1981). "Christgau's Consumer Guide".
  17. Rose, Frank. (October 30, 1980). "The B-52's: Wild Planet".
  18. Grabel, Richard. (November 1980). "The B-52's: ''Wild Planet'' (Warner Bros.)".
  19. "B-52's".
  20. (September 10, 2018). "The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s".
  21. "The B-52s".
  22. Kent, David. (1993). "Australian Chart Book 1970–1992". Australian Chart Book.
  23. "Top Selling Albums of 1980 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". [[Recorded Music New Zealand]].
  24. (November 1, 2011). "Kate Pierson of The B-52s".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

the-b-52's-albums1980-albumsalbums-produced-by-rhett-daviesalbums-recorded-at-compass-point-studiosisland-records-albumswarner-records-albums