EP · The B-52's
Mesopotamia by The B-52's
Mesopotamia is an EP by The B-52's, released in 1982. 2 songs from it have charted on rock radio countdowns, with 6 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “Nip it in the Bud”, on 4 lists with a best position of #22.
Mesopotamia, released on January 27, 1982, was meant to be the B-52's' third album but ended up as an EP. David Byrne of Talking Heads produced it, and between clashes with Byrne and pressure from the label, the sessions were cut short and only six of the ten songs they had lined up made it out, on Warner Bros. in America and Island in Britain.
What survived is the Athens, Georgia party band in a new suit. After the raw debut of 1979 and the slightly glossier Wild Planet, Byrne and the band pile on extra instruments, horns, synthesizers, layered percussion and vocal overdubs, while Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson, Ricky Wilson and Keith Strickland keep the hips moving. "Nip It in the Bud" and "Loveland" are the highlights. A deluxe box, Ancient Culture: Mesopotamia Revisited, finally dug out the outtakes in 2026.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from Mesopotamia on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nip it in the Bud | 4 | #22 | – | 1982–2003 | |
| 2 | Loveland | 2 | #78 | – | 1982–1988 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.