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Planet Claire

"Planet Claire" is a song the B-52's released in July 1979 as the second single from their first album The B-52's. Based on Duane Eddy's version of Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn theme, the single reached number 43 on the Australian Kent Music Report chart and number 24 on the Billboard dance chart in the US.

Cash Box said that "bongos, Ventures-influenced guitar work and morse code blips are calling all pop, AOR audiences to dance to this humorous followup to 'Rock Lobster'." Record World said that it had "an undeniable rhythm track" and "more unique synthesizer lines" compared to "Rock Lobster".

The Morse code at the beginning of the song is "NAWS DE CFH - ZKR F1 3394.....", which is from a "call tape" recording transmitted by Canadian Forces Station Mill Cove in Hubbards, Nova Scotia.

In 2011, band member Kate Pierson expressed her dissatisfaction with the way engineer Robert Ash mixed her vocals with the Farfisa organ on the studio version, using effects to make her vocals "sound like a synthesizer", and stated that she prefers the sound of live performances of the song.

Track listing

Personnel

  • Fred Schneider – lead vocals, walkie-talkie
  • Kate Pierson – Farfisa organ, keyboard bass, harmony vocals
  • Cindy Wilson – bongos
  • Ricky Wilson – guitar
  • Keith Strickland – drums, Claire sounds

Chart positions

Cover version

While the original version appears during the end credits of the Annie Award winning 2009 DreamWorks Animation sci-fi comedy motion picture Monsters vs. Aliens, an instrumental cover version of the song performed by the Les Deux Love Orchestra is featured during Stephen Colbert's character President Hathaway's solo encounter with the alien robot.

References