The B-52s - Mesopotamia

Original Release Date

1982

Release Information

US LP 1982 (Warner Bros - MINI 3641)
UK LP 1982 (Island - ISSP 4006)
UK CD 1988 (Island - IMCD 107)

1 Loveland 8:33
2 Deep Sleep 3:30
3 Mesopotamia 3:50
4 Cake 7:45
5 Throw That Beat In The Garbage Can 5:46
6 Nip It In The Bud 3:31

Chart Placings

UK Chart Hit: 18, 6 wks

Credits

LP:

Produced by David Byrne
Engineer – Butch Jones
Recorded at Blank Tape Studios, New York, September 1981
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, New York

The Players:
Ricky Wilson - guitar, keyboard, bass, organ
Cindy Wilson - vocals
Keith Stricklands - keyboard, bass, drums, organ, piano, marimba, guitar
Fred Schneider - vocals
Kate Pierson - vocals, keyboard, bass, organ, bird calls

Guest Players:
David Byrne - fretless bass, synthesizer, guitar, percussion
Steve Scales - percussion
Yogi Horton - drums
Charles Rocket - accordion
Ralph Carney - saxophone
David Buck - trumpet
Roberto Arron - saxophone

Reviews & Opinions

SCOTT ISLER/IRA ROBBINS, THE TROUSER PRESS RECORD GUIDE, 1991: ...another mini-LP, Mesopotamia, salvaged from sessions produced by Talking Head David Byrne. Whether under Byrne's humorless influence or not - he plays on the record and engages a couple of Heads-family percussionists to help out - the B-52's get serious, with dire results. "Loveland" and "Deep Sleep" sacrifice elan for slickness - not a fair trade. "Cake" and the title cut (one of only two Schneider vocals) come off as self-conscious parodies of the old, carefree B-52's. Only "Throw That Beat in the Garbage Can" taps the zany reservoir that made the group popular in the first place.

Additional Notes

This from the excellent 45 Worlds:

The initial UK pressings of this LP have longer versions of 3 tracks:

1. Loveland (8.33 version 1) (5.00 version 2)
4. Cake (7.45 version 1) (5.46 version 2)
5. Throw That Beat In The Garbage Can (5.46 version 1) (4.30 version 2)

The long versions of Loveland and Cake were issued on a promo 12" single in France.

None of the long versions have never been issued on CD.

The UK CD replicates the second vinyl pressing, the US CD (coupled with Party Mix!) remixes all the tracks. This third version has never been issued on vinyl.

Images

US LP 1982 (Warner Bros - MINI 3641). Click here for more

UK LP 1982 (Island - ISSP 4006). Click here for more

UK CD 1988 (Island - IMCD 107). Click here for more