"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 Frederick William Schneider III (born July 1, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, arranger, and musician, best known as the frontman of the rock band The B-52's, of which he is a founding member. Schneider is well known for his ''sprechge ...

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 ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' 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 "Party Out of Bounds" is the title of a 1980 song by The B-52's, from their album ''Wild Planet''. Featured with the other dancefloor-bound tracks from the album, the song peaked at number 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1980 ...

", both from ''Wild Planet''. "Private Idaho" reached number 11 in Australia. It was the 83rd-biggest Australian hit of 1980.

Popular culture

Gus Van Sant Gus Green Van Sant Jr. (born July 24, 1952) is an American film director, producer, photographer, and musician. He has earned acclaim as both an independent and mainstream filmmaker. His films typically deal with themes of marginalized subcultur ...

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 Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...

movie '' The Wedding Singer'' (1998) *It is also heard in Noah Hawley's directorial debut ''

Lucy in the Sky ''Lucy in the Sky'' is a 2019 American psychological drama film loosely inspired by the life of NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak, who is portrayed by Natalie Portman. The film was directed, co-produced, and co-written by Noah Hawley in his feature ...

'' (2019). *The ECHL's Idaho Steelheads used the song as their rink entrance/warmup song through the 2005-2006 hockey season.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Private Idaho (Song) 1980 songs 1980 singles The B-52's songs Songs written by Fred Schneider Songs written by Kate Pierson Songs written by Keith Strickland Songs written by Cindy Wilson Warner Records singles Works about Idaho