In 1990 the B-52's "Roam" reach the number three position on the Billboard 100 chart, and spent 20 weeks there. It was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance. The video and the song are both a delight. Today, I listen to the isolated vocals track, and it showcases the incredible talents of Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. Even without the instrumental backing, the vocals stand on their own as a great song.
When asked about the song, Cindy Wilson said "Roam" was a "beautiful song about death… It's about when your spirit leaves your body, and you can just roam."
From Open Culture:
Wilson, whose brother and bandmate, Ricky, died from AIDS in 1985 at the age of 32, recalled the recording process:
When we started jamming, it felt like Ricky was in the room with us. I was having a really hard time with the grieving and sorrow, but creating this music was such a wonderful thing. Ricky's spirit was there and it was amazing. We did that music for ourselves, and it really helped me.
Imagine the afterlife as a great after party, where auto-tune hasn't been invented yet, and the harmonies are truly angelic.
Here's the original video:
Thumbnail: Ron Adar/Shutterstock.com