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Private Idaho
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Private Idaho
| cover = Private Idaho single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = The B-52's
| album = Wild Planet
| B-side = Party Out of Bounds
| released = October 1980
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:35
| label = Warner Bros.
| writer = Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland, Ricky Wilson, Cindy Wilson, Kate Pierson
| producer = Rhett Davies, The B-52's, Chris Blackwell
| prev_title = Dance This Mess Around
| prev_year = 1979
| next_title = Party Out of Bounds
| next_year = 1980
}}
"'Private Idaho'" is a single released by The B-52's from their 1980 album 'Wild Planet'.
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."
Reception
'Cash Box' called it "a contagious rock dancer" with a "rumbling big beat and surf guitar, with alien vocals."
Chart history
The single was their second 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart entry, at #74. 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'.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 "
"Private Idaho" reached number 11 in Australia. It was the 83rd-biggest Australian hit of 1980.
Popular culture
*Gus Van Sant heard the song while visiting Idaho in the early 1980s, and later used the song title for his 1991 movie, 'My Own Private Idaho'.
*The song featured in the Adam Sandler movie 'The Wedding Singer' (1998)
*It is also heard in Noah Hawley's directorial debut 'Lucy in the Sky' (2019).
*The ECHL's Idaho Steelheads used the song as their rink entrance/warmup song through the 2005-2006 hockey season.
References
Category:1980 songs
Category:1980 singles
Category:The B-52's songs
Category:Songs written by Fred Schneider
Category:Songs written by Kate Pierson
Category:Songs written by Keith Strickland
Category:Songs written by Cindy Wilson
Category:Warner Records singles
Category:Works about Idaho
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