Private Idaho

"Private Idaho" is a single released by The B-52's from their 1980 album Wild Planet.

For the movie, see My Own Private Idaho.
"Private Idaho"
Single by The B-52's
from the album Wild Planet
B-side"Party Out of Bounds"
ReleasedOctober 1980
GenreDance-rock[1]
Length3:35
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland, Ricky Wilson, Cindy Wilson, Kate Pierson
Producer(s)Rhett Davies, The B-52's, Chris Blackwell
The B-52's singles chronology
"Dance This Mess Around"
(1979)		 "Private Idaho"
(1980)		 "Party Out of Bounds"
(1980)

Composition

The B-52's are from Athens, Georgia, and never played a concert in Idaho until September 13, 2011, when they played at Eagle River Pavilion in Eagle, Idaho. In preparation of the event, the Idaho Statesman interviewed Fred Schneider about the song's meaning. "Idaho is pretty mysterious to all of us," he said. "I know it's a beautiful state, but then I know there's also a lot of crazy right-wingers and all that stuff. ...The song's about all different things. It's not like a parody of Idaho or anything."[2]

Chart history

The single was their second Billboard Hot 100 chart entry, at #74.[3] The single also peaked at #5 on the US Hot Dance Club Play, along with previous single "Give Me Back My Man" and "Party out of Bounds", both from Wild Planet.[4] "Private Idaho" reached number 11 in Australia. It was the 83rd-biggest Australian hit of 1980.[5]

Chart (1980) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 11
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 74
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 78
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 5

References
  1. "Hits of the Week > Sleepers" (PDF). Record World. August 30, 1980. p. 1. ISSN 0034-1622.
  2. "Private Idaho by the B-52's". Songfacts. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn’s Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 79.
  4. Jennifer Dempsey Music USA: The Rough Guide 1999 p134 "As a harbinger of the whole punk/new wave aesthetic, the B-52's turned this to their advantage by stressing cheesy ... even as tunes like "Private Idaho" helped make new wave safe for mainstream listeners who wanted to put on dark glasses "
  5. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – 1980". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. Greenberg, Harvey (Fall 1992). "My Own Private Idaho". Film Quarterly.
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