Don't be ashamed... post your favorite REM song here

[kayleybeth]

I think mine is "Driver 8" from Fables of the Reconstruction. I know it's not cool to like them anymore, but REM is still one of my favorite Southern rock bands. Gotta love Michael Stipe.

Bonus points if you can decipher the lyrics of an REM song without googling :-)

[Left Is Write]

1. I don't care if it's cool to like REM or not.

"Murmur" is still one of my favorite albums ever, and it always will be.

For nostalgic reasons, "Radio Free Europe" is probably my favorite REM song, but "Talk About The Passion", "We Walk", and "Catapult" are right up there too. Hell, the whole album.

[SiouxJ]

42. I think I cared about whether a band was considered "cool" or not

for about 30 seconds back in high school. Being a music snob is too much like work.

[Feathered Fish]

2. Not a huge fan

but I love Drive (I think that's the title) on Automatic for the People.

[underpants]

3. For the love of God what is "Philomath"?

Driver8 is my favorite but I love all their songs

[CottonBear]

15. Philomath is a very old (1700s) historic town in rural GA.

It is located in Oglethorpe County (General Oglethorpe founded Savannah) which is a large, rural county to the southeast of Athens-Clarke County, GA. The whole (tiny) community is on the historic register. It is a gem. It's like going back in time when you visit.

I live in Athens and used to live in Oglethorpe County. Many r.e.m. songs reference local towns and names. I think one song mentions Wendell Gee which is a reference to Wendell Gee's Used Cars in Pendergrass, GA.

My husband is a musician and was in art school with Michael. His band even opened for r.e.m. on occasion. He's known those guys since the late 1970s. We run in to them from time to time. Bill Berry lives out in the country near where I keep my horse. You might run into him at the local rural grocery store. The band really supports Athens and various causes here. They played a free concert on the courthouse steps to support greenspace and progressive politics. They donate a lot of money to local, state and federal candidates.

I saw Michael introduce Al Gore on a 1992 campaign stop here at UGA. They played "I am Superman" over the pa system! I was thrilled to see Al Gore. I wish he was president now.

edit: sp.

My favorite song (don't know exact title) is "fall on me" (?). You know the one. It's one that Michael says is his favorite.

[underpants]

19. WOW! there really is a Philomath?

Seriously that has been a bit of an inside joke amongst myself and my friends for a LONG time now.

I also didn't know where Wendell Gee thing came from. Amazing. I love that one too.

I had heard that REM definitely puts their money where their mouths are especially in buying and saving the old buildings in Athens.

Bill Berry- how cool do you have to be to officially retire from rock n roll and actually stay retired? I read an interview where he said that he almost didn't join REM, he almost join Lovetractor (love that band too).

As much as I listened to Athens bands in the 80's I never made the trip. A friend of mine did (bike race in Athens) and all he and everyone could talk about was the plethora of beautiful women there.

Thanks for the insight.

[CottonBear]

29. You're welcome underpants!

Athens is a wonderful, progressive community. You should visit sometime. There are many beautiful women here. UGA has about 35,000 students. Beautiful coeds are everywhere. (There some good lookin' guys too!.) I could tell you lots of stories about the Gees and the creepy underbelly of a small southern town named Pendergrass. The Twilight Criterium bike race is held in downtown Athens each year. World class bikers race through the street of Athens. It is thrilling! Bill played his first post-retirement gig at my friend Rick Fowler's first Tourette's Syndrome Benefit concert a few years ago. He donated a drum set for auction. He lives the life of a country gentleman on his farm near Athens. He likes to drive his tractor. He once came out and seranaded his neighbors (one of my former student interns) with a guitar and a song as they were baling hay!

[catzies]

57. I was at that political rally in '92! The week of Halloween/election was

my brother's wedding, and they lived in Duluth, then.

It was the first time I met my now sister-in-law, and when they pciked me up at the airport, she was wearing a Clinton/Gore button and I said, "Welcome to the family!"

We went to a pro-choice candlelight vigil on the steps of the Capitol one night, drove out to Athens on another night. And they somehow found time to get married in all that, too.

I prefer not to think of Atlanta as being "red," even though I know it is. I prefer to think of it the way I think of Athens. I love R.E.M., and they were instrumental in my political activism. They're grat role models, and I'd love to tell them so someday.

Automatic!

:hi:

[CottonBear]

61. Automatic to the people back at you catzies!

What a great time that must have been for your family!

That was a great rally! Al Gore was amazing,

Atlant is blue. Georgia is purple. Keep the faith. Signing off now. Ice storm. Cold.. Drinking. Eating. Making music. My Hubby is playing some new music for me now., Signing off. Stay warm.

[asthmaticeog]

4. 1,000,000

It's super-old, but for me it still ranks way high up there.

[driver8]

83. I love that song -- definitely in my top 10 of REM songs!! n/t

[supernova]

5. Saw them live at my local college dive

way back when no one had ever heard of them. :-) So Radio Free Europe has to be my fave. :-)

[kayleybeth]

11. My husband saw them at Ole Miss

back in 1987. He is partial to Radio Free Europe also :-)

[supernova]

13. UNC-G way back in 1982.

:D

[kayleybeth]

21. Cool!

I didn't even know who they were in 1982.

[driver8]

80. I saw them warm up for "the English Beat" - Spring Break 1983

I thought they were great although I didn't really know their music then. When I first heard the album "Murmur" -- I was blown away. It was like nothing I had ever heard before.

[rug]

6. Everybody Hurts

[ohio_liberal]

39. My favorite too

great tune :)

[auntAgonist]

45. that one gets my vote too.

[donheld]

50. Everybody Hurts gets my vote too

although it's very hard to pick just one. In my opinion it's always cool to like whom ever anyone wants to like.

[Aristus]

73. The video was so beautiful it just makes me ache.

"She's gone..........."

[i miss america]

7. Hmmm ... I have to choose just one?

No can do - so shoot me...

"Losing My Religion" and "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite"

:D

[Maine-ah]

8. it's the end of the world as we know it......

[salin]

10. I'll second this one

though I also vote for Man on the Moon...

[El Fuego]

34. That's my choice for soundtrack of the bush administration

"It's the end of the world as we know it..."

[BlondieK143]

9. Losing My Religion

I love REM, screw being embarassed!

[jonnyblitz]

12. "crush with eyeliner" from Monster. nt

[peekaloo]

14. Seven Chinese Brothers

today. :D

I saw them with Bruce Springsteen on the Vote for Change tour and fell in love with both all over again.

[Bok_Tukalo]

17. Is it a toss-up between that and Voice of Harold?

<eom>

[peekaloo]

20. You posted two awesome songs. I also love Camera

it makes me weepy, as does Wendell Gee. I later heard/read Camera was a eulogy to a departed friend and Wendell Gee came from a newspaper obit.

My favorite band, period.

[driver8]

81. Seven Chinese Bros. / Voice of Harold are same song with

different lyrics. (I'm sure you all know that). I guess for "Voice of Harold", Stipe was reading the liner notes from a gospel record.

[XNASA]

26. That's the first one that came to mind.

Good call.

[Bok_Tukalo]

16. Ages of You

<eom>

[pss]

18. Stand.

Can ya believe it? Stand.
I'm familiar with their entire catalog, have three or four of their CDs.
Stand.
I love that song, it's so cheesy and correct. It makes me feel happy and I hate it at the same time. From Green.
Stand.
It's the kind of song to listen to when doing laundry, which we have to do today.
While stoned...

[nuxvomica]

72. Yeah, "Stand."

That's my favorite too. It probably helps that it was the theme song to one of my favorite TV shows but I liked it even before then.

[jilln]

22. Not cool to love REM???

I didn't know ... they are a terrific band and their concert was one of the top 3 of my life. Favorite song is probably Can't Get There from Here.

[peekaloo]

24. with the shout out to Brother Ray!

I missed the uncool memo, too. :D

[kayleybeth]

33. It was news to me, too.

I only recently heard that it was no longer cool to like them.

Alas... I grow old. I grow old. I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled...

[oustemnow]

65. heh, do you dare to eat a peach?

one of my favorite poems, EVAH! And more and more relevant, as I get more, um, mature.

Fave R.E.M. song? Geez, that's a tough one, but off the top of my head, at the moment, I'd say "Old Man Kenzie." It's just so...ominous.

I used to be a HUGE fan. I actually made the trip from upstate NY to Athens back in, I think, 85. (Oddly enough, I just moved to Atlanta.) My friend and I were lucky enough to get invited to the listening party for the album w/ "Begin the Begin" on it; the title escapes me at the moment. Haven't really thought much of their recorded output for at about a decade now, I guess. However, I saw them a few yearrs ago, and they are still a powerhouse live.

[MikeG]

23. Radio Free Europe

[gollygee]

25. Radio Free Europe is my favorite too

and it's one of those songs that puts me right back where I was when I used to hear it all the time.

[Rooktoven]

47. Me three-- nt

[HEyHEY]

44. yo

[driver8]

82. Radio Free Europe -- listen to the bass lines in that song...

Mike Mills is all over the bass on that song -- incredible playing.

[Bonhomme Richard]

27. Fall on me...........

I think that's the name of it. Loved the acoustic work and especially the harmonies. Our band used to do that song along with Losing My Religion. The audience was always taken by suprise because very few bands that did play Losing my religion actually used a mandolin.

[kayleybeth]

28. I love both of those songs.

Great cover tunes!

[CottonBear]

31. That's Michael Stipe's favorite song too! n/t

[kayleybeth]

40. I heard him say that on MTV Unplugged

many years ago. It's one of my favorites too.

[CottonBear]

43. It is my most favorite r.e.m. song.

So beautiful. Such heartache and melancholy amd love.

[CottonBear]

67. You are lucky to be a musician.

I can only play the radio! My husband is the musical artist is our house. What do you play (or sing)? You are blessed to have musical talent!

[Bonhomme Richard]

76. In bands I.............

was generally the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. It's funny, I never touched a mandolin until a friend gave me one which he didn't use. I figured I had to do something with it so I learned how to play it and that's when we added Losing my Religion to the set list. It was fun. I play guitar, harmonica, mandolin, some piano and drums but can't read a lick of music. Never had lessons. I don't play out anymore but have guys ( a couple more guitar players, my oldest son on bass and a couple of drummers) over every Tuesday night to play in the music room I set up.

[Bluebear]

30. Man On The Moon!

Andy are you groovin' on Elvis?

[peekaloo]

36. that no talent, coat tail ridin' Kaufman song!?!

;-)

goofin', sweetie.

[CRK7376]

32. I used "Stand"

to help teach geograph to 10th graders. Plus i like the song and most of what REM has made over the years. Although I'm not too crazy about their latest...Leaving NY...

[NeoTraitors]

35. I dropped this band when

'Green' came out. Still 'Gardening at Night' remains a favorite.

[mitchum]

37. Country Feedback

[fishwax]

38. wendell gee

also from fables.

I still like REM :D

[SiouxJ]

41. Would never be ashamed. "So. Central Rain"

would probably be my favorite song, closely followed by "Driver 8" though there are so many great ones it's hard to choose just one. Favorite albums would be "Fables" and "Pageant." I never would have imagined when those albums came out that I'd still be buying their albums 20 years later. Even "Around the Sun" has grown on me. Michael's voice has only gotten better with age. I could listen to him sing the phone book. I enjoy seeing them live too.

[Amaya]

46. It's The End Of The World As We Know It

"It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine"


:)

[Withywindle]

48. "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)"

That one always slays me. But I think both Reckoning and Fables are just flawless. Two of my favorite albums ever.


First time I saw them was in a little hall in Charlotte NC in 1984. (I was 14) I even got to speak with Pete Buck for a little bit; he was waiting in line for the same restroom everybody used! I also got to see them in 1985 in Radford, VA -- the Minutemen were opening; it was just a few weeks before D.Boon was killed. They all came out together and played "Substitute" and "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" at the end. Still one of the greatest rock shows I've ever seen, and believe me I've seen plenty.

I kinda dropped them after Green too, but I saw them again the past fall for the first time in 15 years, and they were great.

[NeoTraitors]

53. You saw the Minutemen!?!

I am soooo jealous!!!!!

[Withywindle]

56. Yes....

they were fucking incredible too...

just turned 16. Shiiit.

I knew some of their stuff before the show, but after I went out and bought everything I could find. I couldn't believe it when I heard about D.Boon just a few weeks later. I cried so hard. Hit me harder than John Lennon, even.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

49. Why is it not cool? Who cares! Good music is good music!

Too many to choose from. "Begin the Begin" is a great one.

Miles Standish proud
congratulate me...





Geez!!

[terrya]

51. "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" is mine.

Just a great song. :-)

[eyepaddle]

52. Finest Work song.

on edit a close second is Me in Honey. For totally predicatable reasons. :-(

(thankfully long past--I still like the song though.)

[SarahB]

54. Daysleeper

receiving dept., 3 a.m.
staff cuts have socked up the overage
directives are posted.
no callbacks, complaints.
everywhere is calm.
Hong Kong is present
Taipei awakes
all talk of circadian rhythm
I see today with a newsprint fray
my night is colored headache grey
daysleeper
the bull and the bear are marking
their territories
they're leading the blind with
their international glories
I'm the screen, the blinding light
I'm the screen, I work at night.
I see today with a newsprint fray

my night is colored headache grey
don't wake me with so much.
daysleeper.
I cried the other night
I can't even say why
fluorescent flat caffeine lights
its furious balancing
I'm the screen, the blinding light
I'm the screen, I work at night
I see today...
don't wake me with so much. the
ocean machine is set to 9
I'll squeeze into heaven and valentine
my bed is pulling me.
gravity
daysleeper. daysleeper.
daysleeper. daysleeper. daysleeper

(I did a 12 hour shift last night with massive cramps. Don't ask me anything. :()

[tigereye]

55. Have to say

Gardening at Night

followed by It's The End of the World as We Know It.

But they have soooo many great songs, it's hard to pick. No one should have to apologize for liking them - they are cool, political, community oriented and arty, even if they did sell millions of albums.
They were great in early gigs and they were cool at an arena type show I saw as well.

[catzies]

58. If it's not cool to love R.E.M. then I'm not cool. And I don't care.

I love love love love love them.

[flvegan]

59. I still like "Nightswimming" the best

His voice and that piano. Very nice.

[CottonBear]

66. My professor was in that video!

It was filmed at the Broad St. Best Western pool. Prof. Stovall is a really good guy.

[Texasgal]

60. I am, I am, I am Supermaaaaan...

I can do anything.

[Zomby Woof]

62. Fireplace

Helps having Steve Berlin of Los Lobos on sax there.

[Heddi]

63. Feeling Gravity's Pull and Life and How To Live it

mmm ....old REM.....

[Ramsey]

64. Losing My Religion

Great, deep song

[goodboy]

68. nightswimming (nt)

[FarLeftRage]

69. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville

Looking at your watch a third time waiting in the station for a bus
Going to a place that's far, so far away and if that's not enough
Going where nobody says hello, they don't talk to anybody they don't know
You'll wind up in some factory that's full time filth and nowhere left to go
Walk home to an empty house, sit around all by yourself
I know it might sound strange, but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long

Don't go back to Rockville
And waste another year

At night I drink myself to sleep and pretend
I don't care if you're not here with me
'Cause it's so much easier to handle
All my problems if I'm too far out to sea
But something better happen soon
Or it's gonna be too late to bring you back

It's not as though I really need you
If you were here I'd only bleed you
But everybody else in town only wants to bring you down and
That's not how it ought to be
I know it might sound strange, but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long

[stranger_with_candy]

70. Nightswimming

[Magrittes Pipe]

71. Can't Get There from Here

[sleepyhead]

74. Find the River

Fall On Me
Half A World Away
(Don't Go Back to) Rockville
The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight
Nightswimming
We Walk
Everybody Hurts
Shiny Happy People (yeah, so sue me!)
What if We Give it Away
Stand
It's the End of the World as We Know It

In approximately that order. Long list, I know, but REM is my favorite band ever.

[baba]

75. Swan swan hummingbird

hurrah, we're all free now...what noisy cats are we...

[sugarmags]

77. Shiny Happy People

Always puts me in a good mood. Call me crazy!

[underpants]

78. The shot of Berry in that video KILLS me

Funny.

[driver8]

79. "Talk About the Passion" from Murmur (my favorite album!!)

It is hard to pick just one song, though. I obviously like the song "Driver 8" -- hence my screen name.

These guys have always been one of my favorite bands...have not really liked too much about the past couple of albums, though.

[Dastard Stepchild]

84. Yikes.. this is tough...

"Driver 8" is a great song. I've always been really partial to "Superman." Or "Country Feedback." Oh, and I like "Bad Day." And "The Great Beyond." Sheesh... this is difficult!

Is it lame to like REM now? I must be really lame. :)