The American band R.E.M. has been a steady favourite of mine since a friend introduced me to their music in the early 1980s. Their sound was unique, bold and adventurous, always set upon a solid alternative rock foundation; their music also journeyed into other post-punk sub-genres, including folk rock, college rock, jangle pop and baroqueContinue reading “Monty Got a Raw Deal”
Tag Archives: R.E.M.
Losing My Religion
It’s been a busy day of appointments plus a bike ride, a few phone calls and an online gathering before I took the time to sit down and complete today’s post. During a free moment this afternoon, I thought I’d visit my YouTube feed for a song idea. Of course, several of Rick Beato’s WhatContinue reading “Losing My Religion”
Radio Free Europe
I don’t know that I ever realized this before, but the sung lyrics in the R.E.M. hit “Radio Free Europe” are basically incomprehensible. Apparently, this was deliberate, perhaps much like Adriano Celentano’s intention was with the mostly gibberish lines in his 1972 song I posted a few days ago, “Prisencolinensinainciusol.” In my January 31, 2020Continue reading “Radio Free Europe”
Fix You
“Tears stream down your faceWhen you lose something you cannot replaceTears stream down your face and I…Tears stream down your faceI promise you I will learn from my mistakesTears stream down your face and I…” (from “Fix You,” by Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, Will Champion. Full, unofficial lyrics are available at AZLyrics.com.) Today,Continue reading “Fix You”
Belong
This morning, I listened to part of the archive of Friday’s episode of KEXP’s The Morning Show with John Richards, as I’d missed the start of the program that day. In Richards’ opening set, he played “Belong,” an R.E.M. song covered by the Hobart, Australia band, Quivers. I Shazamed the piece, but the app couldn’tContinue reading “Belong”
Summer in the City
Here’s an excerpt from an afternoon conversation from today. For context, I met up with a friend who is trying out his new e-trike (which he bought to replace one that was stolen last year by some heartless thugs, breaking his heart). I rode a reasonably short 28 kilometres today, which brought it to 150Continue reading “Summer in the City”
Senza una Donna
I first heard Paul Young in 1985 when his song “I Was In Chains” from the album The Secret of Association was being played on CBC FM’s late-night radio; I think it was Night Lines, though it could have been Brave New Waves that year. I think it’s probably on one of those cassettes IContinue reading “Senza una Donna”
Drive
A friend, with whom I’ve connected, disconnected and reconnected several times over our 42-or-so years of knowing each other, introduced me to R.E.M. when they were becoming big in North America, particularly on college radio, when we reconnected around 1981-82. He was in community college at the time, and I was working an office jobContinue reading “Drive”
Song of the Day for Today 