The name comes from the bouffant wigs that are part of the band's distinctive look, worn by singers Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson. Along with Wilson and Pierson, fellow vocalist Fred Schneider, drummer (and later guitarist) Keith Strickland, and guitarist Ricky Wilson (Cindy's older brother) formed the band after a drunken night at a Chinese restaurant. They shared a passion for mixing and matching older styles with a partying, good-time public image, which set them apart from many staid 70s contemporaries.
Their sound is particularly marked by the vocals of Wilson and Pierson, with Kate singing in a slightly deeper voice, along with the generally monotone or spoken-word vocals of Schneider. Aside from their vocals, the band also had a unique New Wave sound that was a combination of 50s and 60s dance music and surf rock, and the unusual guitar-string tunings utilized by Ricky Wilson. Although a clear part of said movement, their music was more experimental than most new wave groups, indulging in all manner of odd vocal and synthesizer effects. The B-52's created a quirky dance vibe that became very popular and their tours have been successful for decades.
Website= http://theb52s.com/
Mesopotamia
The B-52's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About a hundred thousand years
A hundred thousand years
I'll meet you by the third pyramid
I'll meet you by the third pyramid
Ah come on, that's what I want
We'll meet in Mesopotamia, oh-oh-oh
I ain't no student (we're goin' down to meet, feel those vibrations)
Of ancient culture (I know a neat excavation)
Before I talk
I should read a book
But there's one thing
That I do know
There's a lot of ruins in Mesopotamia
Six or eight thousand years ago
They laid down the law
Six or eight thousand years ago (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
They laid down the law (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
I'll meet you by the third pyramid
I'll meet you by the third pyramid
Ah come on, that's what I want
We'll meet in Mesopotamia, oh-oh-oh
Now I ain't no student (we're goin' down to meet, feel those vibrations)
Of ancient culture (I know a neat excavation)
Before I talk
I should read a book
(Mesopotamia, that's where I wanna go)
But there's one thing that
I do know (Mesopotamia, that's where I wanna go)
There's a lot of ruins in Mesopotamia
Six or eight thousand years ago
They laid down the law
Six or eight thousand years ago (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
They laid down the law (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
In Mesopotamia (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
They laid down the law (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
In Mesopotamia (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
The B-52's song Mesopotamia is a tribute to the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia, which is believed to be one of the earliest civilizations in the world. The song is characterized by its fast-paced beats and quirky lyrics that are sung in a playful manner. The lyrics start with the singer turning his watch back a hundred thousand years and asking to meet at the third pyramid in Mesopotamia. He then goes on to admit that he is not a student of ancient culture and that he should read a book before talking about it. However, he does know that there are a lot of ruins in Mesopotamia.
The song then goes on to pay tribute to the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia by announcing that 6 to 8 thousand years ago, they laid down the law. The chorus repeats the phrase "I'll meet you by the third pyramid" and ends with the statement that they will meet in Mesopotamia. The song celebrates the rich history and culture of the Mesopotamian civilization and encourages us to look back and learn from our past.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn your watch, turn your watch back
Let's go back in time
About a hundred thousand years
Into an ancient era
I'll meet you by the third pyramid
Let's rendezvous in a historic landmark
Ah come on, that's what I want
That's what I desire
We'll meet in Mesopotamia, oh-oh-oh
Let's have a tryst in Mesopotamia
I ain't no student (we're goin' down to meet, feel those vibrations)
I'm no expert (but let's go and explore)
Of ancient culture (I know a neat excavation)
In the ways of the past (I know a cool site)
Before I talk
Before I speak
I should read a book
I ought to do some research
But there's one thing
However, I know one fact
That I do know
That I am certain of
There's a lot of ruins in Mesopotamia
There are many ruins in this historic place
Six or eight thousand years ago
Many millenniums back
They laid down the law
Established their rules
(oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
In Mesopotamia
In this land between rivers
They laid down the law
Instituted their regulations
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CINDY WILSON, CYNTHIA WILSON, FRED SCHNEIDER, KATE PIERSON, KEITH STRICKLAND, RICKY WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@localandonlinepreciousmeta3575
Turn your watch, turn your watch back
About a hundred thousand years
A hundred thousand years
I'll meet you by the third pyramid
I'll meet you by the third pyramid
Ah come on, that's what I want
We'll meet in Mesopotamia, oh-oh-oh
I ain't no student (we're goin' down to meet, feel those vibrations)
Of ancient culture (I know a neat excavation)
Before I talk
I should read a book
But there's one thing
That I do know
There's a lot of ruins in Mesopotamia
Six or eight thousand years ago
They laid down the law
Six or eight thousand years ago (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
They laid down the law (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
I'll meet you by the third pyramid
I'll meet you by the third pyramid
Ah come on, that's what I want
We'll meet in Mesopotamia, oh-oh-oh
Now I ain't no student (we're goin' down to meet, feel those vibrations)
Of ancient culture (I know a neat excavation)
Before I talk
I should read a book
(Mesopotamia, that's where I wanna go)
But there's one thing that
I do know (Mesopotamia, that's where I wanna go)
There's a lot of ruins in Mesopotamia
Six or eight thousand years ago
They laid down the law
Six or eight thousand years ago (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
They laid down the law (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
In Mesopotamia (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
They laid down the law (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
In Mesopotamia (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, ooooh)
@swtv1754
I don't understand why this isn't one of their most popular songs. 100% better than Love Shack!
@screwyourhandle
word
@michaelkottler
So say we all!
@briteness
The enduring popularity of Love Shack is one of life's minor mysteries.
@histatimaniples
Not as Danceable
@howiehall4622
Every other one of their songs is better than Love Shack.
By far, this is in my Top 3 of theirs. Along with Channel Z.
Vastly underrated is - Is That You Mo-Dean?
@ashleysfukengruven
Easily their most underrated track.
@stjohnsrealtor5609
Most B52 Fans love this song, so that is not really the case
@JiveDadson
Every music video has its "underrated" comment. One suspects there must be a systemic flaw in the rating mechanism.
@gogoyubari366
What makes you believe it's underrated? Did you travel the globe taking a survey from every citizen of the world?