Freak on a Leash by KoRn. Late 90's/early 2000's became completely dominated by Numetal and it really changed the direction music was headed at the time. For a band still going from that time, I think it's hard to deny that they had such an impact.
We need to keep the legacy of REM alive. They were huge in my musical development. I followed them since the very beginning...Radio Free Europe, Murmur, etc. The remaining band members do not seem interested in reviving or keeping anything going; they've disappeared. So it'll have to be up to us fans to keep it going for them. Thanks for your clip.
@ghost mall agreed, I often wonder, especially as they have all of the indie cred and wrote amazing songs! What's not to like? Michael Stipe also has such a distinctive voice and is a superb lyricist
One thing I notice about Michael Stipe's vocals is how he relies so much on the hard 'e' vowel sound. I think that's what makes it sound so American, especially very Georgia/American South. One of the most unique singers ever.
I'm glad you highlighted Mike Mills's contribution. For me, he's the real star of REM, hidden in plain sight. His bass lines are the perfect combination of rhythmic drive, melody, and elegant simplicity. They're doubly important for holding the songs together since Buck focuses on jangly, chordal playing over riffs and melodies. Nice tone, too. And then there are his wonderful backing (and sometimes lead) vocals on their songs...
His high harmony singing is amazing, underrated and a wonderful counterpoint to Michaels nasaly midrange. I find myself often singing his parts instead of the main lyrics
About mandolin in indie music: The Replacements recorded the song I Will Dare in 1984, featuring a mandoline. The guitar on that song was played by: Peter Buck. ;)
Great band and incredible song. The reverb on the vocal is very strong, you’d never notice this in the general mix. As an aside, Night swimming literally brought me to tears.
I thought the same thing about the reverb when the track was isolated here. I was shocked because I never heard it in the song. Talk about a great mix . THis is spectacular
R.E.M. was a band I ignored duing their heyday. It just wasn't what I was listening to at that time. Later I realized my mistake, R.E.M. is fantastic. I wish I had given them a chance earlier, I missed seeing them.
@@ghost_mall And I have listened much of it. You are right, they are a great band. This was my mistake in the day. In fairness, I was into several bands that were ignored then but are revered now. So it balances out. But I sure made an error with R.E.M.
My greatest heartbreak happened in Feb '91. I was devastated and felt like a raw nerve. This song, plus Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game," which also came out then, spoke to me so strongly. I can't hear either song without thinking of that time and what I was going through.
Fantastic analyis once again, Warren... A vocalist myself, I LOVE singing live to an audience... (The combination of nerves, adrenalin, excitement, audience feedback etc. gives you something extra...) Conversely, I HATE STUDIO RECORDING!!! Often The Singer will have been sitting around for hours with really not a great deal to do... THEN they put you into the booth and say, "Go for it!!!" I remember once working with the Irish producer Gareth Mannix... We'd done a 'guide track' including vocal so Mannix knew I could sing. By day three, drums, guitars, bass had all been recorded. It was my turn... ONE VERSE into my delivery Mannix stopped the recording. He CLEARED THE STUDIO of the band, a few hangers on and EVERYONE but me, him and the engineer. He told ME to go get a drink and come back in a half-hour... He said, "Come back alone..." When I arrived back, he'd dimmed the studio lights and lit candles all around the booth. He'd sellotaped a photograph of a girl, (it was the singer Lisa Hannigan, I remember) to the window and he said, ignore us, "Sing to her..." So I did... (I couldn't even see the producer or engineer in the dark... Just the candlelight and me and a picture of a girl I could project to...) (I'd LOVE to say I smashed it on one take, but I think it took about three 'go arounds' of the full song? THEN he got me to do the chorus a few times more... Oh, the joys of 'Pro-Tools'!!!) It's HARD to say what a producer actually does? But A GOOD PRODUCER is, in a weird way, not as 'into' the 'personal' as The Performer sometimes is??? (They CAN SEE 'The Wood AS Well As The Trees!!!') And MANNIX was funny!!! "Steve, fantastic, much more you... Let's do it again just like that?" (I thought, "If it was so good why do I have to do it again????" But, I did of course... Him TELLING ME it had been good gave me confidence? I became more relaxed, more okay with my vocal...COULD I do it better? I could TRY!!!") I still hate recording though!!! xx SF
I never understood how strong those drums were. They really helped the energy throughout the song. Every instrument is in its perfect place. Stipe's vulnerable, direct vocal track is not "artistic" or "pretty" but straight.
I have vivid memories of listening to this song when it was on the radio 24/7, out with friends driving around and going to parties. Even though I fancied myself as a prog-snob (later laughing at myself) I couldn't resist this song and band. 16 years old in a small suburban town in America. This song was certainly part of the soundtrack of that time for me, no question. Classic song!
I started playing the guitar when I was a really little kid. I clearly remember listening to this song at 5 years old knowing I was going to be a musician as an adult, because I wanted to write badass songs like this.
I grew up south of Baltimore during the 80's. Some places near me were very Southern and I have a thick Southern drawl. "Losing My Religion" means you have struggled so hard that you are at your Wit's end. All of your beliefs have been stripped bare. The act of desperation. When I first heard "Losing My Religion," I knew it was a hit. The song that nailed REM's unique ideas and was just hypnotic.
For sure one of the best popular songs ever written, played and produced. Even today, more than 30 years later, I turn up the volume knob when the radio plays it.
This song was huge right around the time my mother passed. I remember it being everywhere which for me was a good thing. After getting the cassette and loving it, I ended up becoming a big REM fan. My favorite to this day being the 'Chronic Town' EP; which in my opinion, there isn't a bad song on it! So cool to see a breakdown of this song!
You are so right: there is not a bad song on Chronic Town 👍👍 Dead Letter Office has a copy of Chronic Town on it. If you don't have Dead Letter Office, I know you'll love it, too 😍
@@NicholasSatchell My favorites from Dead Letter Office are "Ages of You," "Voice of Harold," (A Must) "Burning Down," and "Walters Theme." Although, if I had to pick a favorite, I think I'd pick "Voice of Harold." I love "7 Chinese Bros." In fact, I love Reckoning, my favorite R.E.M. album, with Murmur in a close second, I think 🤔
I get images of country drives through over having trees as soon as I hear this song or mandolin and acoustic in general,it’s amazing what scenery conjures up in your imagination through music,I get the smell of stale food from shopping malls when I hear something bad.
They are my favorite band for many reasons. There are many really great R.E.M. songs. I like Bill Berry's drumming, Mike Mills bass sound on early records is amazing and Peter Buck is an excellent rhythm guitarist. His Rickenbacker with very thick strings always provides melody and serves the song. Michael Stipe is a great singer and unique lyricist. And lastly it is amazing how they handled their success.
the song lyrics speak of mental anguish , the jingly jangle of the mandolin complemented by the muted nuance and sustain of the acoustic guitar while competing with the drum s complimented by the bass , the orchestral string section providing the smooth under layer that carries the other instruments like a foundation , the vocals ride like a raft on the underlayers of the instruments , the whole effect is "aural art " that makes you feel like a spectator , one of the true masterpieces of music !
I really enjoyed the way you presented the history behind the song. I love the song and after viewing this video, it gave me a greater appreciation for this amazing song. Thank you, Warren!
I felt exactly the same way- there is something about presenting the various tracks in isolation to hear the nuances that all get blended in together. REM has this ability to take Folk styles and get them rocking out. They are vey unique and transitioned very well from the 80's to the 90's. An amazing deep dive Video
Love it when you break down the songs Warren, Music is emotion in motion and this will never change - it's truly a beautiful and creative song, the rock drums with these soulful vocals, incredible!
Hi Warrent, thank you very much for the video, it transported me to the past (the good one). In my 40s, It is so sad to realize nowadays the music is not like in the 90s. Today you can pick a few exceptions, but nothing compares to those musicians and their creations. Best regards from Chile.
Sorry - total REM geekery - but the Song Peter mentions is "Driver 8" - one of my favourities, and yes Em Am G G/F# from memory, so very similar. I'm sure that is a pic of Peter Buck you showed as you mentioned Holsapple's name, but I'm being picky. Lovely to hear the isolated sounds, especially the Vocal and Strings. Mills and Berry are a very under-rated rhythm section in my opinion. NIce to hear some appreciation
I'll join the pedantry club by highlighting that he quotes "Bill [Berry] and Mike [Stipe] would be out there in the other room". Clearly here "Mike" refers to Mike Mills, not Michael Stipe. I suspect the band have never referred to Michael as "Mike", if nothing else to avoid confusion!
I love the emphasis on spot - light (he's in the spot sometimes.....and maybe I mis-hear he's in the spot 'like losing my religion'). That depth in the vocal makes you listen again to discover more. He's in a situation.There's some of the percussive delivery to other lyrics outside the chorus that really fits with the rest of the song too.
Great video and wonderful tribute to one of the most gravity-altering pop songs that came out in that time period. R.E.M. was huge part of the eighties and nineties, influence on popular music, in my humble opinion, cannot be overstated. They had such a deep influence on me as a young person, and made me feel okay being the type of shy, quiet, and introspective person that I was as a teenager. No one could have done what they had done creatively, and they still stand alone in that regard. I would have loved to tour Bearsville Studio. So many incredible albums were recorded there... Now it's a theater. Kate Pierson from the B52s runs a motel down the road from there too!
Actually, Bearville"s studio and theater were separate buildings. The theater was purpose-built as an entertainment venue. Bearville Studio A was built for Todd Rundgren to do Utopia stuff in, it had a video focus to it; Todd then moved out and into a building(Utopia Video) right across the driveway from the Bearsville Theater, leaving behind studio "A" as a storage space. Then someone dragged a console into the control booth of what would become Bearsvlle Studio A, I think it was John Holbrook, people dug it so they hung packing blankets on the walls and some diffusive elements from the ceiling to address the fact that it was a large concrete room,,,,, the blankets didn't come down until the Beasville was closed.
I remember when this album came out, I spent my summer at Southsea skatepark in Portsmouth and this album was on repeat! Incidentally my profile picture was taken at a festival opposite the skatepark on the seafront a few years ago!
This channel is absolutely fantastic. The quality of the content is professional, the creativity in piecing the videos together explaining in detail how some of the greatest songs were put together is outstanding. Thank you so very much for uploading this amazing quality content. I hope this channel gets the recognition it truly deserves and the most important thing in broadcast media is when the presenter is likable and this presenter is quality. Everyone loves quality.
I know so little about music and it is all too easy to conclude that pop/rock music is simple. However, these songs that changed videos are so interesting and also accessible for people who have little previous knowledge. Superb.
Thanks, Warren for your video. "Losing my religion" is also one of my favourite songs of that period. Furthermore, their Automatic for the People's songs: "Try not to Breathe" and "Nightswimming" are sublime as well.
As a young teen in the late 80s and early 90s, REM was always a part of the underground or college rock scene that my friends and I dug. There was nothing else like it and when this song came out and blew them up I think it really helped launch "Alternative" music as a cultural touch point in a huge way.
Until hearing this song, I'd never even heard of REM, but both it & they absolutely blew me away. The lyrics seemed to fit my life exactly, & the song as a whole comforted me whilst I dealt with the difficulties in my life at the time. I fell in love with REM from that moment on, which was & always be a huge blessing.
Great song and not one bad song on the whole album, Remember listening to this on tape in my mates car and we were all blown away ( in more ways than one....he he ) that feels like a long time ago. Thanks for the great video and a nice trip down memory lane
I really love your analysis Warren, especially your honest enthusiasm. Our band used to cover R.E.M. in college and the beauty was the songs were accessible, fairly easy to learn, and EVERYONE loved them. Joe
I absolutely love your Channel I am a Huge fan of your series. I Loved REM from the very beginning they're very unique and their lyrics are always amazing. Listening to the musical instruments individually, makes one appreciate the song even more. God bless Thank You so much. 🥰💗🥰
I don’t usually comment on many videos on you tube. But, I am doing it more on your videos, as you are bringing out the music in me of all the changes in music in the same era. Thank you for that. I hated this band growing up. Could not stand their style of music. Then they brought this out. One of my favourite songs of all time. They brought out a classic in this song. Originally, they were whiney and just Diddy type of stuff. ( as far I was concerned). But like I said in previous comments…… unfortunately and fortunately, I was an alive when this came out, and us rock people didn’t have much have much to too listen too. Except the fact, that I was not just rock, but appreciated good music no matter the genre. This is brilliant. Also have to listen to a band called “Hindu Love Gods”. Which is REM with Warren Zevon as the lead singer. Absolutely brilliant. Anyway. Don’t want to go on too long. In my opinion, and summing up, best song they ever did. Cant stand most of their other music. P.S. The drumming is absolutely brilliant in this song. This guy is underrated as a drummer.
Thanks ever so much for the great comment! Agreed, for me it’s more difficult to write a song that is not only catchy and also credible, with this song REM achieved this with this song!
back in my 20s, I fell for a woman because she said this is her favourite song on our first date and it kinda make sense the more I know about her. Now, I can't listen to this song without thinking all the good stuff we had back then and realize how stupid I was. 100% my loss. The song being so good and emotional not helping at all.
I believe it's their best song and one of the best "pop" songs of all time. It is very very peculiar, I'd say OUTSTANDING. Though the structure is simple, easy. But that's the secret of (I'd say) all Great Songs.
@@Producelikeapro I thank you for your kind reply and I'm glad you agree: having the same opinion with a great connoisseur of music like you is a big honor!
Warren just wanted to personally thank you for all you do and your humble efforts to help others understand music and how it all comes together. My mixes and awareness of songwriting has excelled after watching and applying your methods and advice over the years. You are an awesome human being. Thanks and continue on your legacy!!
I was a big fan of REM around this time but at no point did I ever feel that this was anything more than an above average song. Certainly never changed my world!
The bass has always stuck out to me, and literally the thing that comes to mind when someone mentions the song. It adds so much motion to the part. Exemplifies what a good bassline can do for a song.
How about Donna Lewis - I Love You Always forever. Beautiful song, the pads and her singing always get's me. R.E.M to me is "the" acoustic guitar band, i love their guitars
You're right about Americanism. As a British person, Stipe's edgy American accent hooked me. Other examples of Stipe's brilliant edgy vocals from Out of Time are Low, Half A World Away and Country Feedback...
The other thing is, no one sounds like Michael Stipe, either, so he was a sound to go with the mando/guitar combo. It couldn't be stopped. And that is a killer rhythm section.
Have you done an Artists Who Changed Music overview of R.E.M ? For me they are the greatest American band of the last quarter of the twentieth century.
This is my favourite band of all time. I love this channel also. Not to be that guy, I just have to point out that at 2:54 Mike is referring to Mike Mills the bassist, not Michael Stipe the singer. Not a big deal, still a great video, I just think this is the case.
Great as always Warren & special thanks for soloing the instruments -- there's a whole world in there ❤ Have been a fan of the band since the beginning (& remember calling up the radio station to find out what they had just played which was Radio Free Europe) -- love *all* their music but it's true, there's something archetypal, transcendent, and timeless about this one.
Thanks for covering REM. I’ve been a huge REM fan since 1985 and they were very influential on me. Losing My Religion is indeed a great song but it’s not even in my top 30 REM songs. They have such an embarrassment of riches in their catalogue. Great band! So. Central Rain, Fall On Me, Perfect Circle are within my top 5 of their songs.
It's not an indie pop song, but "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls had a great mandolin part in it. Tim Pierce has great video about it. He can tell all the stories about Iris, because he came up with and played that mandolin part on the recording.
As a music producer who raps, I grew up in the 90's and 2000's and this song has been one of my favorites of any genre, since I've heard it. It reminds me of my childhood. I love this record!
I think there's such a vulnerability in Stipe's vocals as well that adds to the emotional aspect of you discussed. The way he pronounces his "E's" in words like "me," (almost like a child) coupled with the shakiness in his voice really evokes so much vulnerability, I think. Great analysis! BTW: I would love to hear your thoughts on "Automatic for the People," my favorite REM album.
I found this a great example of the music change in REM...a real masterpiece of a song...I found this to be Alternative Prog or Prog College rock. Mandolin??? No real chorus??? Verses galore! Excellent Warren! BTW in my opinion last time Top 40 was adventurous.
The bass seems like a pastiche of McVie and Jamerson...always anchoring the song. Good expose on the vocals too...Scott Litt work is legendary! Also Tina Turner was shirtless for River Deep Mountain High...hmmmmm
Your comments about Michael Stipe's "R"s are spot on. I wish I could remember the exact quote, but in an interview with Stipe, he said that part of his sound was "chewing the Rs". So yes... quite right.
Great episode about one of my favorite songs! How about a dive into 10cc - great band that never seems to get acknowledged for how innovative they really were.
Out of Time was one of the first CDs I ever bought. Thanks for the video - I really enjoyed the analysis of the bass part, which I hadn’t paid much attention to before. Well done!
One of all time favorites indeed ! I remember buying this on tape together with Ten Sharp album 'You' ..been listening those over and over..i would love if you would make a story about 'You' by Ten Sharp as well..one of my reference songs in terms of mixing..Well Done as usuall Waren ✌️🎧♥️
I remember talking to friend the main guy in the show 'Pacific Blue ' Marcos and he said to me '' theres a world going on there and you feel like you should be Part of it. I do too'' and i think we all feel that, all us home studio recording people who tune in to You Warren and Rick Beato, Justin Hawkin and the like, Are we the Irelevant Generation?
That bassline wasn't overlooked by me. I had to learn it for a cover band once a few years ago, it was the last song I was expecting to have trouble with! haha
@@Producelikeapro My favourite Duran track by a very long way. Like Capt. SINGH above, I'd love to hear your take on this stunningly beautiful, yet understated song.
I thought it was interesting regarding the comment near the end about the chorus, or lack thereof. David Bennett made a vídeo some time ago about songs without a chorus. A few months ago I left a comment for his video, saying almost the same thing about LMR, how you can’t really determine if it does and does not have a chorus. It’s nice to see I wasn’t the only one who had that opinion.
The sound of the last semester of high school for me. Wasn't my fave but wasn't on my 'dodge' list, either. And yes, it's held up remarkably well compared to lots of what was played around that time, just at the sunset of a certain rock sound and the sunrise of another, and lots of other programmed pop I could not bother to dredge up today.
great video! this music and the album changes me and everybody arounds me, until today. I like to see Prince - Batdance if it's possible, this music change me, and others to, i believe.
We love celebrating music from all decades, but if you had to choose one for us to dive into, what would it be? Comment below!
Freak on a Leash by KoRn. Late 90's/early 2000's became completely dominated by Numetal and it really changed the direction music was headed at the time. For a band still going from that time, I think it's hard to deny that they had such an impact.
@@G.Webster I was JUST listening to that yesterday and watching some people reacting to it. My word, Korn absolutely owned that period.
K’s Choice “Addict”.
Losing My Religion now... maybe do Bad Religion's song next ? 😂
Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" if you have not done a video on it already 😁
We need to keep the legacy of REM alive. They were huge in my musical development. I followed them since the very beginning...Radio Free Europe, Murmur, etc. The remaining band members do not seem interested in reviving or keeping anything going; they've disappeared. So it'll have to be up to us fans to keep it going for them.
Thanks for your clip.
Well said, such a wonderful band
@ghost mall agreed, I often wonder, especially as they have all of the indie cred and wrote amazing songs! What's not to like? Michael Stipe also has such a distinctive voice and is a superb lyricist
One thing I notice about Michael Stipe's vocals is how he relies so much on the hard 'e' vowel sound. I think that's what makes it sound so American, especially very Georgia/American South. One of the most unique singers ever.
Thanks ever so much for pointing that out!
I'm glad you highlighted Mike Mills's contribution. For me, he's the real star of REM, hidden in plain sight. His bass lines are the perfect combination of rhythmic drive, melody, and elegant simplicity. They're doubly important for holding the songs together since Buck focuses on jangly, chordal playing over riffs and melodies. Nice tone, too. And then there are his wonderful backing (and sometimes lead) vocals on their songs...
Thanks! Agreed, the bassline is superb!
His high harmony singing is amazing, underrated and a wonderful counterpoint to Michaels nasaly midrange. I find myself often singing his parts instead of the main lyrics
The strings are like those in Comfortably Numb - they're not overly prominent but they add so much to the track.
I love the Comfortably Numb strings
@@Producelikeapro Did you ever meet Michael Kamen?
@@Weissman111 no, I never have
About mandolin in indie music: The Replacements recorded the song I Will Dare in 1984, featuring a mandoline. The guitar on that song was played by: Peter Buck. ;)
Oh! Thanks for sharing. Fascinating.
Great band and incredible song. The reverb on the vocal is very strong, you’d never notice this in the general mix. As an aside, Night swimming literally brought me to tears.
Thanks ever so much for sharing!
I thought the same thing about the reverb when the track was isolated here. I was shocked because I never heard it in the song. Talk about a great mix . THis is spectacular
R.E.M. was a band I ignored duing their heyday. It just wasn't what I was listening to at that time. Later I realized my mistake, R.E.M. is fantastic. I wish I had given them a chance earlier, I missed seeing them.
Yes, a wonderful band
@@ghost_mall And I have listened much of it. You are right, they are a great band. This was my mistake in the day. In fairness, I was into several bands that were ignored then but are revered now. So it balances out. But I sure made an error with R.E.M.
Yes! Same happened to me!
My greatest heartbreak happened in Feb '91. I was devastated and felt like a raw nerve. This song, plus Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game," which also came out then, spoke to me so strongly. I can't hear either song without thinking of that time and what I was going through.
It's amazing how music can touch our souls like this!
Fantastic analyis once again, Warren...
A vocalist myself, I LOVE singing live to an audience... (The combination of nerves, adrenalin, excitement, audience feedback etc. gives you something extra...) Conversely, I HATE STUDIO RECORDING!!! Often The Singer will have been sitting around for hours with really not a great deal to do... THEN they put you into the booth and say, "Go for it!!!"
I remember once working with the Irish producer Gareth Mannix... We'd done a 'guide track' including vocal so Mannix knew I could sing. By day three, drums, guitars, bass had all been recorded. It was my turn...
ONE VERSE into my delivery Mannix stopped the recording. He CLEARED THE STUDIO of the band, a few hangers on and EVERYONE but me, him and the engineer. He told ME to go get a drink and come back in a half-hour... He said, "Come back alone..."
When I arrived back, he'd dimmed the studio lights and lit candles all around the booth. He'd sellotaped a photograph of a girl, (it was the singer Lisa Hannigan, I remember) to the window and he said, ignore us, "Sing to her..."
So I did... (I couldn't even see the producer or engineer in the dark... Just the candlelight and me and a picture of a girl I could project to...)
(I'd LOVE to say I smashed it on one take, but I think it took about three 'go arounds' of the full song? THEN he got me to do the chorus a few times more... Oh, the joys of 'Pro-Tools'!!!)
It's HARD to say what a producer actually does? But A GOOD PRODUCER is, in a weird way, not as 'into' the 'personal' as The Performer sometimes is??? (They CAN SEE 'The Wood AS Well As The Trees!!!')
And MANNIX was funny!!! "Steve, fantastic, much more you... Let's do it again just like that?"
(I thought, "If it was so good why do I have to do it again????" But, I did of course... Him TELLING ME it had been good gave me confidence? I became more relaxed, more okay with my vocal...COULD I do it better? I could TRY!!!")
I still hate recording though!!!
xx SF
Thanks ever so much for sharing!
Michael Stipe's pitching is spot on.
Marvellous vocal
I never understood how strong those drums were. They really helped the energy throughout the song. Every instrument is in its perfect place. Stipe's vulnerable, direct vocal track is not "artistic" or "pretty" but straight.
But emotional. I've listened to some covers and no one really captures that emotion in their vocals. The closest being 10 years cover
This song IS REM for me...I have fond memories in uni of this track...it is the title track to that time for me.
Thanks ever so much for sharing
I have vivid memories of listening to this song when it was on the radio 24/7, out with friends driving around and going to parties. Even though I fancied myself as a prog-snob (later laughing at myself) I couldn't resist this song and band. 16 years old in a small suburban town in America. This song was certainly part of the soundtrack of that time for me, no question. Classic song!
Thanks ever so much for sharing! What an amazing song
I started playing the guitar when I was a really little kid. I clearly remember listening to this song at 5 years old knowing I was going to be a musician as an adult, because I wanted to write badass songs like this.
I grew up south of Baltimore during the 80's. Some places near me were very Southern and I have a thick Southern drawl. "Losing My Religion" means you have struggled so hard that you are at your Wit's end. All of your beliefs have been stripped bare. The act of desperation.
When I first heard "Losing My Religion," I knew it was a hit. The song that nailed REM's unique ideas and was just hypnotic.
For sure one of the best popular songs ever written, played and produced. Even today, more than 30 years later, I turn up the volume knob when the radio plays it.
This song was huge right around the time my mother passed. I remember it being everywhere which for me was a good thing. After getting the cassette and loving it, I ended up becoming a big REM fan. My favorite to this day being the 'Chronic Town' EP; which in my opinion, there isn't a bad song on it! So cool to see a breakdown of this song!
Thanks ever so much for sharing your thoughts, I really appreciate it
You are so right: there is not a bad song on Chronic Town 👍👍
Dead Letter Office has a copy of Chronic Town on it. If you don't have Dead Letter Office, I know you'll love it, too 😍
@@bob_mosavo My favorites on Dead Letter Office are Crazy and King of The Road! I pretty much had all the albums on tape up til Monster. =D
@@NicholasSatchell My favorites from Dead Letter Office are "Ages of You," "Voice of Harold," (A Must) "Burning Down," and "Walters Theme." Although, if I had to pick a favorite, I think I'd pick "Voice of Harold." I love "7 Chinese Bros." In fact, I love Reckoning, my favorite R.E.M. album, with Murmur in a close second, I think 🤔
I get images of country drives through over having trees as soon as I hear this song or mandolin and acoustic in general,it’s amazing what scenery conjures up in your imagination through music,I get the smell of stale food from shopping malls when I hear something bad.
They are my favorite band for many reasons. There are many really great R.E.M. songs. I like Bill Berry's drumming, Mike Mills bass sound on early records is amazing and Peter Buck is an excellent rhythm guitarist. His Rickenbacker with very thick strings always provides melody and serves the song. Michael Stipe is a great singer and unique lyricist.
And lastly it is amazing how they handled their success.
the song lyrics speak of mental anguish , the jingly jangle of the mandolin complemented by the muted nuance and sustain of the acoustic guitar while competing with the drum s complimented by the bass , the orchestral string section providing the smooth under layer that carries the other instruments like a foundation , the vocals ride like a raft on the underlayers of the instruments , the whole effect is "aural art " that makes you feel like a spectator , one of the true masterpieces of music !
Stipe has covered so much terrain with his voice across his career.My fave singer
Thank you !
You really know how to pick them Warren, great song.........
Thanks ever so much!
This is easily one of my favorite songs, period. I LOVE the mandolin and the raw feeling. Outside the wonderful lyrics...
Thanks ever so much for sharing Tim
I really enjoyed the way you presented the history behind the song. I love the song and after viewing this video, it gave me a greater appreciation for this amazing song. Thank you, Warren!
Thanks ever so much! Glad you enjoyed the video!
I felt exactly the same way- there is something about presenting the various tracks in isolation to hear the nuances that all get blended in together. REM has this ability to take Folk styles and get them rocking out. They are vey unique and transitioned very well from the 80's to the 90's. An amazing deep dive Video
Love it when you break down the songs Warren, Music is emotion in motion and this will never change - it's truly a beautiful and creative song, the rock drums with these soulful vocals, incredible!
truly a timeless piece me and my friends (16yo) still listen to this song
Thanks ever so much
Hi Warrent, thank you very much for the video, it transported me to the past (the good one). In my 40s, It is so sad to realize nowadays the music is not like in the 90s. Today you can pick a few exceptions, but nothing compares to those musicians and their creations. Best regards from Chile.
You're very welcome! I really appreciate it 😊
Sorry - total REM geekery - but the Song Peter mentions is "Driver 8" - one of my favourities, and yes Em Am G G/F# from memory, so very similar. I'm sure that is a pic of Peter Buck you showed as you mentioned Holsapple's name, but I'm being picky. Lovely to hear the isolated sounds, especially the Vocal and Strings. Mills and Berry are a very under-rated rhythm section in my opinion. NIce to hear some appreciation
I'll join the pedantry club by highlighting that he quotes "Bill [Berry] and Mike [Stipe] would be out there in the other room". Clearly here "Mike" refers to Mike Mills, not Michael Stipe. I suspect the band have never referred to Michael as "Mike", if nothing else to avoid confusion!
I love the emphasis on spot - light (he's in the spot sometimes.....and maybe I mis-hear he's in the spot 'like losing my religion'). That depth in the vocal makes you listen again to discover more. He's in a situation.There's some of the percussive delivery to other lyrics outside the chorus that really fits with the rest of the song too.
Great video and wonderful tribute to one of the most gravity-altering pop songs that came out in that time period. R.E.M. was huge part of the eighties and nineties, influence on popular music, in my humble opinion, cannot be overstated. They had such a deep influence on me as a young person, and made me feel okay being the type of shy, quiet, and introspective person that I was as a teenager. No one could have done what they had done creatively, and they still stand alone in that regard.
I would have loved to tour Bearsville Studio. So many incredible albums were recorded there... Now it's a theater. Kate Pierson from the B52s runs a motel down the road from there too!
Actually, Bearville"s studio and theater were separate buildings. The theater was purpose-built as an entertainment venue. Bearville Studio A was built for Todd Rundgren to do Utopia stuff in, it had a video focus to it; Todd then moved out and into a building(Utopia Video) right across the driveway from the Bearsville Theater, leaving behind studio "A" as a storage space. Then someone dragged a console into the control booth of what would become Bearsvlle Studio A, I think it was John Holbrook, people dug it so they hung packing blankets on the walls and some diffusive elements from the ceiling to address the fact that it was a large concrete room,,,,, the blankets didn't come down until the Beasville was closed.
Out of Time is such a beautiful album. Low and Country Feedback are also absolute gems.
Agreed 100%!
Underrated album.
@@galifettetv1238masterpiece
I remember when this album came out, I spent my summer at Southsea skatepark in Portsmouth and this album was on repeat! Incidentally my profile picture was taken at a festival opposite the skatepark on the seafront a few years ago!
This channel is absolutely fantastic. The quality of the content is professional, the creativity in piecing the videos together explaining in detail how some of the greatest songs were put together is outstanding. Thank you so very much for uploading this amazing quality content. I hope this channel gets the recognition it truly deserves and the most important thing in broadcast media is when the presenter is likable and this presenter is quality. Everyone loves quality.
Wow! Thanks ever so much. That really means a lot. I really appreciate it
@@ProducelikeaproYou are most welcome my friend
@@woody41165 aw shucks! Thanks
I know so little about music and it is all too easy to conclude that pop/rock music is simple. However, these songs that changed videos are so interesting and also accessible for people who have little previous knowledge. Superb.
Wow! Thanks ever so much
So glad to be able to help
Thanks, Warren for your video. "Losing my religion" is also one of my favourite songs of that period. Furthermore, their Automatic for the People's songs: "Try not to Breathe" and "Nightswimming" are sublime as well.
This song punched through hair metal and grunge. 🥊
Yes, it certainly did! Thanks ever so much
As a young teen in the late 80s and early 90s, REM was always a part of the underground or college rock scene that my friends and I dug. There was nothing else like it and when this song came out and blew them up I think it really helped launch "Alternative" music as a cultural touch point in a huge way.
Until hearing this song, I'd never even heard of REM, but both it & they absolutely blew me away. The lyrics seemed to fit my life exactly, & the song as a whole comforted me whilst I dealt with the difficulties in my life at the time. I fell in love with REM from that moment on, which was & always be a huge blessing.
Great song and not one bad song on the whole album, Remember listening to this on tape in my mates car and we were all blown away ( in more ways than one....he he ) that feels like a long time ago. Thanks for the great video and a nice trip down memory lane
Thanks for listening
It's one of these songs that will surpass generations like many that you feature. I never went in to the history of this song so this is fantastic!
Thanks Lee!
I really love your analysis Warren, especially your honest enthusiasm. Our band used to cover R.E.M. in college and the beauty was the songs were accessible, fairly easy to learn, and EVERYONE loved them. Joe
I absolutely love your Channel I am a Huge fan of your series.
I Loved REM from the very beginning they're very unique and their lyrics are always amazing.
Listening to the musical instruments individually, makes one appreciate the song even more.
God bless
Thank You so much.
🥰💗🥰
Such a great song. I was going through a painful break up when this song came it, it really resonated.
I don’t usually comment on many videos on you tube. But, I am doing it more on your videos, as you are bringing out the music in me of all the changes in music in the same era. Thank you for that.
I hated this band growing up. Could not stand their style of music. Then they brought this out. One of my favourite songs of all time. They brought out a classic in this song. Originally, they were whiney and just Diddy type of stuff. ( as far I was concerned). But like I said in previous comments…… unfortunately and fortunately, I was an alive when this came out, and us rock people didn’t have much have much to too listen too. Except the fact, that I was not just rock, but appreciated good music no matter the genre. This is brilliant. Also have to listen to a band called “Hindu Love Gods”. Which is REM with Warren Zevon as the lead singer. Absolutely brilliant. Anyway. Don’t want to go on too long. In my opinion, and summing up, best song they ever did. Cant stand most of their other music. P.S. The drumming is absolutely brilliant in this song. This guy is underrated as a drummer.
Thanks ever so much for the great comment! Agreed, for me it’s more difficult to write a song that is not only catchy and also credible, with this song REM achieved this with this song!
"it's a good lesson", Warren said. And it feels like a good summary of this video :) Fantastic song.
Thanks ever so much
back in my 20s, I fell for a woman because she said this is her favourite song on our first date and it kinda make sense the more I know about her. Now, I can't listen to this song without thinking all the good stuff we had back then and realize how stupid I was. 100% my loss. The song being so good and emotional not helping at all.
I was thinking about this band last week and marvelling at how incredible and unique they were, and so many great songs.
Thanks ever so much Cory!
Thankyou to Warren and Strongbow for Inspiring so many coments....
Haha thanks Pol and Strongbow!
I believe it's their best song and one of the best "pop" songs of all time. It is very very peculiar, I'd say OUTSTANDING.
Though the structure is simple, easy. But that's the secret of (I'd say) all Great Songs.
Very well said! Thanks ever so much!
@@Producelikeapro I thank you for your kind reply and I'm glad you agree: having the same opinion with a great connoisseur of music like you is a big honor!
"Those 4 chords just write themselves" Oh God Bless the universe for dry, British humor.
Ha! Thank you!
I absolutely love this song
Thanks ever so much
Warren just wanted to personally thank you for all you do and your humble efforts to help others understand music and how it all comes together. My mixes and awareness of songwriting has excelled after watching and applying your methods and advice over the years. You are an awesome human being. Thanks and continue on your legacy!!
What a masterpiece. Thanks for posting this too!
Thanks ever so much
Another great edition of the "Changed" series and one of my favorite songs.
Thanks ever so much
I was a big fan of REM around this time but at no point did I ever feel that this was anything more than an above average song. Certainly never changed my world!
Very beautiful melancholic song.
The bass has always stuck out to me, and literally the thing that comes to mind when someone mentions the song. It adds so much motion to the part. Exemplifies what a good bassline can do for a song.
When he had the acoustic guitar & mandolin, the acoustic sounded like the bass part.
Your amazing Warren we appreciate all that you do so much!
Thanks ever so much.
How about Donna Lewis - I Love You Always forever. Beautiful song, the pads and her singing always get's me. R.E.M to me is "the" acoustic guitar band, i love their guitars
Wonderfully brilliant episode, Warren. Thank you for such good work and sharing it with us!
Glad you enjoyed it!
You're right about Americanism. As a British person, Stipe's edgy American accent hooked me. Other examples of Stipe's brilliant edgy vocals from Out of Time are Low, Half A World Away and Country Feedback...
Thanks ever so much for sharing!
The other thing is, no one sounds like Michael Stipe, either, so he was a sound to go with the mando/guitar combo. It couldn't be stopped. And that is a killer rhythm section.
Have you done an Artists Who Changed Music overview of R.E.M ? For me they are the greatest American band of the last quarter of the twentieth century.
This is my favourite band of all time. I love this channel also.
Not to be that guy, I just have to point out that at 2:54 Mike is referring to Mike Mills the bassist, not Michael Stipe the singer. Not a big deal, still a great video, I just think this is the case.
Yes, my mistake!
Great as always Warren & special thanks for soloing the instruments -- there's a whole world in there ❤ Have been a fan of the band since the beginning (& remember calling up the radio station to find out what they had just played which was Radio Free Europe) -- love *all* their music but it's true, there's something archetypal, transcendent, and timeless about this one.
Still a great song. Seen R.E.M. live during the Monster tour headlining Torhout festival in Belgium.
That's an amazing show to have been at!
Thanks for covering REM. I’ve been a huge REM fan since 1985 and they were very influential on me. Losing My Religion is indeed a great song but it’s not even in my top 30 REM songs. They have such an embarrassment of riches in their catalogue. Great band! So. Central Rain, Fall On Me, Perfect Circle are within my top 5 of their songs.
It's not an indie pop song, but "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls had a great mandolin part in it. Tim Pierce has great video about it. He can tell all the stories about Iris, because he came up with and played that mandolin part on the recording.
Iris is another brilliant song and I loved it as soon as I heard it
As a music producer who raps, I grew up in the 90's and 2000's and this song has been one of my favorites of any genre, since I've heard it. It reminds me of my childhood. I love this record!
Thanks ever so much for sharing!
Very evocative and timely for the period of my life when this came out. I was *literally* losing my religion.
You summarized my emotions in my final year of high school - as this song came out - beautifully!
Wow! Thanks ever so much!
I think there's such a vulnerability in Stipe's vocals as well that adds to the emotional aspect of you discussed. The way he pronounces his "E's" in words like "me," (almost like a child) coupled with the shakiness in his voice really evokes so much vulnerability, I think. Great analysis!
BTW: I would love to hear your thoughts on "Automatic for the People," my favorite REM album.
It's a truly beautiful vocal! I connected to it immediately after hearing it
The Director of Photography for this video was 'Good Eats' creator Alton Brown. He lived in Athens .. and got the gig because he had a Steadicam rig.
I found this a great example of the music change in REM...a real masterpiece of a song...I found this to be Alternative Prog or Prog College rock. Mandolin??? No real chorus??? Verses galore! Excellent Warren! BTW in my opinion last time Top 40 was adventurous.
Thanks ever so much Kris!
The bass seems like a pastiche of McVie and Jamerson...always anchoring the song. Good expose on the vocals too...Scott Litt work is legendary! Also Tina Turner was shirtless for River Deep Mountain High...hmmmmm
@@krisscanlon4051 great analogy! I agree 100%
a classic song and I've always loved the production, sounded really fresh at the time. great video, thanks Warren!
Your comments about Michael Stipe's "R"s are spot on. I wish I could remember the exact quote, but in an interview with Stipe, he said that part of his sound was "chewing the Rs". So yes... quite right.
Great episode about one of my favorite songs! How about a dive into 10cc - great band that never seems to get acknowledged for how innovative they really were.
Yes! I’ve done some already! th-cam.com/video/U7-nOTw6BuQ/w-d-xo.html
Love this video. Epic song and love hearing the soloed tracks.
Thanks ever so much my friend!! Another collaboration is LONG overdue!
Out of Time was one of the first CDs I ever bought. Thanks for the video - I really enjoyed the analysis of the bass part, which I hadn’t paid much attention to before. Well done!
Great video Warren, as usual. Thanks for the amazing content and passion you put in those videos. I love this REM song.
Thanks ever so much Tom!
Love this song. Always a go-to when I pick up my guitar. My friend hates it 🤣🤣🤣
Haha thanks ever so much for sharing!
One of all time favorites indeed ! I remember buying this on tape together with Ten Sharp album 'You' ..been listening those over and over..i would love if you would make a story about 'You' by Ten Sharp as well..one of my reference songs in terms of mixing..Well Done as usuall Waren ✌️🎧♥️
I remember talking to friend the main guy in the show 'Pacific Blue ' Marcos and he said to me '' theres a world going on there and you feel like you should be Part of it. I do too'' and i think we all feel that, all us home studio recording people who tune in to You Warren and Rick Beato, Justin Hawkin and the like, Are we the Irelevant Generation?
That bassline wasn't overlooked by me. I had to learn it for a cover band once a few years ago, it was the last song I was expecting to have trouble with! haha
@4:37 There wasn't much grunge around when this was released.
Blues for the Red Sun by Kyuss would be a good album to do.
Marvellous idea
Thank you so much for this episode. I love R. E. M.
Thank you 🙏
Great song and a good breakdown..!
Please cover Come undone by Duran Duran..
Great idea!
@@Producelikeapro My favourite Duran track by a very long way. Like Capt. SINGH above, I'd love to hear your take on this stunningly beautiful, yet understated song.
I thought it was interesting regarding the comment near the end about the chorus, or lack thereof. David Bennett made a vídeo some time ago about songs without a chorus. A few months ago I left a comment for his video, saying almost the same thing about LMR, how you can’t really determine if it does and does not have a chorus. It’s nice to see I wasn’t the only one who had that opinion.
Exactly! It’s a masterpiece and it doesn’t have a traditional chorus
love these song breakdowns i find them so interesting
Thanks ever so much
This song means a lot to me 😍
Superb choice. Love REM. Give us some more sixties, please: Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, Cream, Doors, CCR, 13th Floor Elevators, you get the picture.
The sound of the last semester of high school for me. Wasn't my fave but wasn't on my 'dodge' list, either. And yes, it's held up remarkably well compared to lots of what was played around that time, just at the sunset of a certain rock sound and the sunrise of another, and lots of other programmed pop I could not bother to dredge up today.
Well done cover of an excellent song. As always, you help bring music appreciation up to the next level.
Thanks ever so much Michael
Automatic for the people. (Just think how it starts with 'Drive'), Jeff Buckleys 'Grace', (that voice).
Absolutely!
My friend David Kempers played on this--string section.
Thanks for sharing!
Yet another brilliant yet emotionally aware analysis..awesome Warren...
Thanks ever so much Dave!
Thank you very much for this great video!
Thanks ever so much
great video! this music and the album changes me and everybody arounds me, until today. I like to see Prince - Batdance if it's possible, this music change me, and others to, i believe.
Thanks ever so much for sharing
This is a beautiful piece of music.
Agreed 100%!