Dance This Mess Around


"Dance This Mess Around" is a song by American new wave band the B-52's. It was released in 1979 as the third and final single from their self-titled debut album. The song features Cindy Wilson on lead vocals, as well as Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson, and has become a live favorite, even 40 years after its release.

Critical reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic stated in his review of the band's debut album that, along with "Planet Claire" and "Rock Lobster", "It's all great fun, but wouldn't have resonated throughout the years if the group hadn't written such incredibly infectious, memorable tunes as... 'Dance This Mess Around'." In his review of the track, Evan Sawdey of PopMatters mentions that "fans have known this track for years as not only one of the finest tunes the group has ever composed, but also one of the absolute best tracks of the era," and that "This, along with '52 Girls', are the kind of songs that gave the band's debut its distinct personality."
In their book The Story of the B-52s, Scott Creney and Brigette Herron wrote:

In other media

The B-52's played the song on the TV show Saturday Night Live in January 1980, together with "Rock Lobster". Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl mentioned seeing the B-52's on this TV episode as a memorable moment in their preteen lives.
"Dance This Mess Around" appears in the film Alex Strangelove.

Personnel