DOCUMENT: ODDFELLOWS LOCAL 151

This would prove to be R.E.M.'s last song for IRS (unless you count 'Romance' and I don't).  An odd way to close out an era and even an album.  These days if a track like this finished a disc we would expect a hidden track.  However, the song continues the 'fire' theme that runs throughout the album.  Peter points out the song on the surface is about 'winos who used to live down the street from us.'  While Michael ties the song to the entire album by saying it 'debunk(s) Fables of the Reconstruction.'  Simply stated, the characters and legends from 'Fables' have morphed into these characters from the eighties in America who the system has forgotten and who have no say in anything.  Going deeper it is an analogy for the underdog in America who used to be coveted, but in modern times through degradation and humiliation has become disillusioned and resigned to fate and the powers that be.



ODDFELLOWS LOCAL 151

Oddfellows local 151 behind the firehouse
Where Peewee sits to prove a sage to teach
Peewee gathered up his proof
Reached up to scratch his head
Fell down and hit the ground again

Firehouse
Firehouse

Why do the heathens rage behind the firehouse?
Where Peewee sits upon the wall to preach?
This boy and girl to gather pearls of wisdom
Falling from his mouth
Wash off the blood, wash off the rum

Firehouse
Firehouse

Oddfellows local 151 behind the firehouse
Where Peewee sits upon the wall to preach
This boy and girl to gather pearls of wisdom
Falling from his mouth
Wash off the blood, wash off the 151

Firehouse
Firehouse
Firehouse
Firehouse


Here, Peter just rocks out.  The song seems to be formless, but there is very clear palm muting in the verse while he sometimes shadows the bass' walk up to the 'D' note.  In the end, I've put the basics, but it is left open to interp on purpose.  There is some crazy feedback in here as well ...
ODDFELLOWS LOCAL 151

Verse:

e|-------------------------|

B|-------------------------|

G|-0----0-----0-----0------|

D|-2-xx-2-xxx-2-xxx-2-xxx--|

A|-2-xx-2-xxx-3-xxx-3-xxx--|

E|-0----0-----0-----0------|

e|------------------0-0-0---|

B|------------------5-5-5---|

G|-0----0-----0-----0-0-0---|

D|-2-xx-2-xxx-2-xxx-2-2-2---|

A|-2-xx-2-xxx-3-xxx-3-3-3---|

E|-0----0-----0-----0-0-0---|

Chorus:

e|-----5-------5b--|

B|-----5-------5---|

G|-0---0---0---0---|

D|-2-------2-------|

A|-2-------2-------|

E|-0-------0-------|

Lead:

e|--------0-0-----------|

B|-0-1-0-6-5-3-3-5h-0---|

G|------0----------4----|

D|----------------------|

A|----------------------|

E|----------------------|

End Riffs/Lead

Variate below for 16 measures

e|-0-0--0---|

B|-5-4b-5---|

G|-0-0--0---|

D|----------|

A|----------|

E|----------|

Then this for 12

e|-0----------------------12--12-----------|

B|--0-4b-4>12b-12-12-12-12-12---4b-4-12b---|

G|-----------------------------------------|

D|-----------------------------------------|

A|-----------------------------------------|

E|-----------------------------------------|