Editing Cosmic Thing (section)

==Composition==
In the wake of Wilson's death, Strickland took over both guitar duties and the bulk of the music composition responsibilities.<ref name="Harris"/> For the new songs, Strickland recorded instrumental demos and singers Pierson, Cindy Wilson and [[Fred Schneider]] would then improvise melodies and lyrics over the recordings, with all four band members devising the final song arrangements together.<ref name="Hart"/> The first piece of music Strickland composed for the album would eventually become "[[Deadbeat Club]]", whose autobiographical lyrics about the band's early life in [[Athens, Georgia]] would serve as a blueprint for the album.<ref name="Azerrad"/> "Junebug" was the first song to be fully completed during the band's compositional jam sessions, which gave them confidence to persevere.<ref name="Masley">{{cite web |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2019/08/08/b-52-s-cindy-wilson-reflects-40th-anniversary-their-debut/1939843001/ |last=Masley |first=Ed |title=B-52's Cindy Wilson reflects on the 40th anniversary of the day they 'turned things upside down' |website=Arizona Central|date=August 8, 2019 |access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Van Hattem">{{cite web |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/b-52s-kate-pierson-and-keith-strickland-lasting-legacy-cosmic-thing |last=Van Hattem |first=Pieter |title=The B-52s' Kate Pierson and Keith Strickland On The Lasting Legacy Of 'Cosmic Thing' |website=[[Grammy Awards]] |date=June 28, 2019 |access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref> Pierson described these songs as being "cinematic" and "nostalgic", and felt that the album in general had developed a "rural, kind of southern, dusty feeling to it".<ref name="Plummer"/> Wilson added, "It was all about nostalgia. It was looking back at the good times we used to have in Athens, so it was a wonderful, healing record."<ref name="OralHistory"/>

{{quote box|quote=Our 'agenda' wasn't at first necessarily related to 'queerness,' but more universal—putting lyrics in that referenced political ideas. But later, after Ricky’s death, we became much more activist, becoming involved with PETA, environmental causes, LGBTQA rights, and especially AIDS activism. During this time, many other friends were dying of AIDS; it was terrifying and sad, and we joined in to do what we could and speak out. |source=—Kate Pierson; grammy.com, 2019<ref name="Van Hattem"/>|width=20rem|align=right|style=padding:8px;}}

Pierson stated that some songs on ''Cosmic Thing'' were more "pointed" about their concerns—such as [[environmentalism]]—than on previous albums, adding, "we definitely still have a light tone, but I think we've all evolved and grown and matured".<ref name="Plummer">{{cite AV media |people=The B-52's with Jeff Plummer |date=July 11, 2012 |title=B-52's interview 1989 |type=Interview |language=English |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ikrvXax_u0 |access-date=January 25, 2023 |format=[[YouTube]] video |publisher=Marty Getz}}</ref> Discussing "[[Channel Z (song)|Channel Z]]", Schneider later recalled, "We were really pretty political as a band. Rather than clothes and wigs and stuff, I'd rather talk about politics, and I know the others do too, because it's more important, what's going on in the world."<ref name="EW">{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/music/b-52s-stories-behind-hit-songs/?slide=5945735#5945735 |last=Greenblatt |first=Leah |title=The B-52s: The stories behind the hit songs |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=June 12, 2018 |access-date=January 29, 2023}}</ref>