Song of the Day 10/25: The B-52s, “Dry County”

For Andrew C, by request.

The B-52s were scheduled to play a White House state dinner tonight but had their performance called off at the last minute. Jill Biden was called upon to explain, “While we had initially planned for the legendary B-52s to perform their iconic dance and party music, we are now in a time when so many are facing sorrow and pain.” They’re still invited to the soiree to honor the Australian prime minister, but the music will now be provided by the Marine Band and the Army and Air Force Strolling Strings. Try dancing to that, mate!

The first lady has a point – the B-52s, now in residency in a Las Vegas resort, have always been a good-time band. Their best-selling album, “Cosmic Thing,” came out in the first year of the Bush presidency – the first Bush presidency. Critics who loved their quirkiness thought it was too mainstream, but it was the ninth-best-selling album of 1990, in no small part because you could put the CD on and dance to it from start to finish. “Love Shack” was the big hit single, but “Roam” and “Deadbeat Club” also made the Top 30. I always favored the slinky groove of this track.