R.E.M.’s famous ballad “Losing My Religion” digitally reworked with a major scale. The original song is in A minor. So in the middle section, when it goes to a chord rooted in the 6th scale degree, it goes into an F major chord.
This edited version places the song into A major so when the middle section goes to the respective chord on its 6th scale degree it makes an F# minor chord.
More from MajorScaled TV: https://www.facebook.com/MajorScaledTv
This is a 1999 documentary following R.E.M. during the recording of ‘Up’.
Up reached #3 in the U.S. (with 16 weeks on the Billboard 200) and #2 in the UK, but didn’t have the staying power of the band’s more-recent albums, and thus the band’s lowest sales in years. “The things that we have to do creatively for the band may not be the most commercial things,” Mike Mills observed. “That isn’t the point. The point is to keep it fresh and interesting and alive.” R.E.M. subsequently admitted that they came close to breaking up while recording the album.
Although R.E.M. initially intended not to tour for the album, after many successful promotional concerts upon the album’s release, the band quickly arranged a four-month arena tour of Europe and America during the summer of 1999. In 2005, Warner Bros. Records issued an expanded two-disc edition of Up which includes a CD, a DVD-Audio disc containing a 5.1-channel surround sound mix of the album done by Elliot Scheiner, and the original CD booklet with expanded liner notes.
Radio Free Europe / Interview / South Central Rain
David Letterman’s departure has spawned a million top-10 lists, but there’s one thing everyone can agree on: One of the very best musical highlights was the first national TV appearance by R.E.M., back on Oct. 6, 1983.
R.E.M. played two songs — “Radio Free Europe” and a still untitled song that would later become “So. Central Rain” — and spent a couple minutes chatting with Letterman, who excitedly left his desk to talk with Mike Mills and Peter Buck.
Letterman would spend 33 years redefining late night. R.E.M. would spend 31 years reshaping American rock. The influence of both will resonate for years. Mike Mills had a fascinating view on it all — he not only talked to Letterman that first night, but he was playing on the show with Joseph Arthur on the evening when Letterman announced his retirement.
Mills’ perspective on Letterman’s last week, his stories from those many appearances over the years, and any advice he might have for someone walking away after three decades of success. Their first appearance on the David Letterman show was also their first national television appearance. This was not too long after “Murmur.” back then, it was really just Letterman, in that you’d never see a band on IRS play Johnny Carson.
Dave was always a big music fan and his staff always kept their eyes open for hot bands they could put on.
R.E.M. with Micheal performing the old spiritual song ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’ & then a snippet of Talking Head’s ‘Psycho Killer’ before launching into ‘Sitting Still’ at the LCR, Union House, University Of East Anglia, Norwich, England, 23rd November 1984.
R.E.M. were in Norwich, England, where they played to the students of UEA at the LCR (Lower Common Room) – a venue where I’ve seen a few bands over the years this night was special for the first time where Michael sang the old american spiritual song ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’ (now strangely used as the pseudo anthem by the England rugby team),and for good measure, the guys included a snippet of Talking Heads ‘Psycho Killer’ into the mix! before launching into Sitting Still
On this day in 1991, R.E.M. released its seventh album, ‘Out of Time,’ featuring the singles “Losing My Religion,” “Shiny Happy People,” “Near Wild Heaven” and “Radio Song”
“Out of Time” was the seventh studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on Warner Bros. Records in 1991. R.E.M.’s status grew from that of a cult band to a massive international act. The record topped the album sales charts in both the U.S. and the UK, spending 109 weeks on American album charts and enjoying two separate spells at the summit, and 183 weeks on the British charts, and spending a single week at the top. The album has sold over four and a half million copies in the US and over 18 million copies worldwide. The album won three Grammy Awards in 1992: one as Best Alternative Music Album, and two for the first single, “Losing My Religion.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if-UzXIQ5vw
Recorded between September to October 1990 at,Bearsville Studios, Woodstock,New York, United States; John Keane Studios, Athens, Georgia, United States (recording); Soundscape Studios, Atlanta, Georgia, United States (strings);Prince’s Paisley Park Studios,Chanhassen, Minnesota, United States (mixing), produced by Scott Litt and R.E.M.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQ0vDAbF7s
“Out of Time” combines elements of pop, folk and classical music as heard on their previous album “Green“, with a new concentration on country elements that would continue on 1992’s “Automatic for the People“.
Preceded by the release of “Losing My Religion“, which became R.E.M.’s biggest U.S. hit, Out of Time gave them their first U.S. and UK #1 album. The band did not tour to support the release. In Germany, it is the band’s best-selling album, selling more than 1,250,000 copies, it was also the first R.E.M. album to have an alternative expanded release on compact disc, including expanded liner notes and postcards. Check out this different demo for the song ” Near Wild Heaven
The third single from 1991’s Out Of Time chronicles a relationship at loose ends: “Whenever we hold each other, we hold each other/ There’s a feeling that’s gone/ Something has gone wrong.” Despite the gloomy outlook, “Near Wild Heaven” sounds surprisingly upbeat. (Consider it the musical equivalent of winter’s chilly sunshine.) Chiming guitars, daybreak piano and lead vocals from Mike Mills provide graceful levity, while the chorus boasts Beach Boys-caliber harmonies dotted with longing falsetto and gorgeous counter-melodies. “Near Wild Heaven” both exemplifies Out Of Time’s plush instrumental palette and illuminates R.E.M.’s inventive perspective.
The supporting tour for “Green“ had exhausted R.E.M., and they spent nearly a year recuperating before reconvening for the recording session for “Out of Time“. Where previous R.E.M. records captured a stripped-down, live sound, “Out of Time“ was lush with sonic detail, featuring string sections, keyboards, mandolins, and cameos from everyone from rapper KRS-One to the B-52’s‘ Kate Pierson. The scope of R.E.M.‘s ambitions is impressive, and the record sounds impeccable, its sunny array of pop and folk songs as refreshing as Michael Stipe‘s decision to abandon explicitly political lyrics for the personal. Several R.E.M. classics — including Mike Mills‘ Byrds-y “Near Wild Heaven,” the haunting “Country Feedback,” and the masterpiece “Losing My Religion” — are present, but the album is more notable for its production than its songwriting.
In the hands of many bands, “Half a World Away” — a song about the persistent ache of distance, in both the romantic and traveling sense — would sound far too busy. R.E.M.’s lush arrangements, however, have the perfect balance of texture and velocity. “Half a World Away” is dominated by harpsichord and mandolin, which are braided together to create an ornate melodic foundation, and Michael Stipe’s conspiratorial vocal tone. Swaying organ provides oceanic swells underneath. And, near the end of the song, proud strings jump into the fray to underscore the music’s sweet melancholy.
“It’s a kind of dark and brooding song, “It has this low, fronting cello and spectral organ. and when, winter is very cold, and it’s also very dark. When the sun has set by 4 o’clock, that song particularly reminds me of the winter time.
It’s always hard to tell exactly what Michael Stipe is singing about. He’s notoriously hard to pin down, but it sounds like he’s singing about burying your father and your mother and, you know, a falling out with siblings. And whether he’s talking about literally being at a funeral or whether he’s talking about the dissolution of a family or a family fight, the emotions seem the same. And he’s talking about how we’re all lost in our little lives, and you can be distanced from one and blind to the other. The song is called ‘Sweetness Follows,’ and so whether he’s singing about heaven or whether he’s singing about forgiveness or just the inevitable rise of the song after a dark night…
In the song, he talks about still striving to find a way to live your life filled with joy and wonder and staying all together, No matter how dark the times are, there’s always a sunrise ahead. You just have to stick together.”
Today we celebrate one of the more significant milestones in the college-rock era, the 30th anniversary of the release of R.E.M.’s debut EP, “Chronic Town”. the five-song record that launched the band and, in many ways, the ’80s indie scene.
To commemorate this classic record — which, bizarrely, has never received an official standalone CD release — we present audio of a concert recorded a few months earlier, in Madison, Wisc., on April 24, 1982, that finds the band working through its early catalog.
This bootleg is widely available as “Carnival Of Sorts” from their 1982 tour stop at Merlin’s in Madison, Wisconsin. The rest of the cd is very good, save for a mysterious drop in volume for a few songs midway through the set. Some great rare stuff here, though, including this performance of “Stumble/ Skank ” as well as a blazing version of the unreleased song “That Beat” and a rare live performance of “Wolves, Lower”.
with First Aid Kit covering this REM song thought we should look at the originators and this quite powerful song. taken from their eleventh album release “Up” by the American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was the band’s first album without original drummer Bill Berry, who left the group amicably in October 1997 to pursue his own interests. In his place, R.E.M. used session drummers and drum machines.
So excited to share the video for our cover of R.E.M.‘s “Walk Unafraid” from the “WILD“ film and original soundtrack. It’s a beautiful and inspiring movie, Reese Witherspoon is unbelievably incredible in her role.
The Swedish pair released their third LP ‘Stay Gold’, the follow-up to their acclaimed 2012 album ‘The Lion’s Roar’, in June. It was produced by Mike Mogis and features the Omaha Symphony Orchestra and arrangements from Bright Eyes band member Nate Walcott.
They’ll also tour the UK during January and February 2015, with dates in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Brighton, Cardiff and other major cities.
REMTV is released on November 24th. The 6 DVD set includes allR.E.M.‘s MTV live performances, award show highlights, and television appearances, as well as a new documentary about the band and network’s mutual history.
Dedicated to all jangly indie/guitar/jangle-pop
Show a little faith there's magic in the night
Horror, Science Fiction, Comic Books and More
IN MEMORY EVERYTHING SEEMS TO HAPPEN TO MUSIC - Tennessee Williams
A Celebration of Thrillers, Noire and Black Comedy by Pamela Lowe Saldana
Join me as I listen to every single #1 single!
Two Guys In Search of Great Music
Hoping to make the world more beautiful
hear ye, hear ye!
Celebrating music craftsmanship
Favorite song lists, reviews, featured indie artists, and music commentary.
A Blog About Music, Vinyl, More Music and (Sometimes) Music...
Eclectic reviews of ambient, psychedelic, post-rock, folk and progressive rock ... etc.!
A transparent attempt to promote a writing career
Quality articles about the golden age of music
Slow molasses drip under a tipped-up crescent moon.
Click Header to Return Home
to Rock, Country, Blues & Jazz
A Glasgow view of Americana and related music and writings.
Rewind the Review
A stroll down memory lane through my music collection
the best music of yesterday today and the tomorrow, every era every genre
The Fat Angel Sings 