GREEN: POP SONG 89

In 1992, the R.E.M. fan letter reported that the Hal Leonard company was going to release guitar versions of 'Automatic For The People,' 'Out Of Time,' and "Green.'  I greedily purchase the Automatic and OOT books, but Green never came out.  Perhaps because the album is so full of mandolin it does not translate well, or maybe the band or company reneged.  In any case, these next 11 posts are dedicated to me as a youth waiting for the release of that damn 'Green' book.
  Pop Song 89 is just was it says it is.  A pop song for 1989 (I wonder if the band would rename the title if they realized that they were dating themselves?).  There are no hidden agendas, political or otherwise, and perhaps it is just that idea that makes it the perfect first song on the band's major label debut.  It is their version of the pop song and it is catchy, but not the sellout most fans expected.  Lyrically it is extremely straightforward and I'm sure Warner Bros. was very pleased with that.  In fact the lyrics are so simple they are arrogant ... who would think of making a song out of such a mundane thing as a boring repetitive conversation we all have?  Plus, the addition of an imaginary friend suggests a different kind of character ... or perhaps a child. 
  The video was directed by Stipe and features three topless women with the topless Stipe, all in harlequin pants and Stipe in the foreground.  The video starts with the phrase 'This is it' and simply has the four people dancing, the women seemingly disgusted when Stipe looks back at them.  There are some fun bits with a watch, pushing the camera, and rolling around on the floor.  MTV told Stipe he had to edit the video, so he put black bars over the female nipples and his own saying 'a nipple is a nipple.'



POP SONG 89
Hello, I saw you, I know you, I knew you
I think I can remember your name, name
Hello, I’m sorry, I lost myself
I think I thought you were someone else

Should we talk about the weather?
Hi, hi, hi
Should we talk about the government?
Hi, hi, hi
Hi

Hello, how are you? I know you, I knew you
I think I can remember your name, name
Hello, I’m sorry I lost myself
I think I thought you were someone else

Should we talk about the weather?
Hi, hi, hi
Should we talk about the government?
Hi, hi, hi
Hi

Hello, my friend, are you visible today?
You know I never knew that it could be so strange, strange
Hello, I’m sorry, I lost myself
I think I thought you were someone else

Should we talk about the weather?
Hi, hi, hi
Should we talk about the government?
Hi, hi, hi
Hi

Hi, hi
Hi, hi, hi
Hi, hi
Hi, hi, hi
Hi, hi
Hi, hi, hi

More of the same from Buck land.  A catchy riff and some jaunty chords.  At first I thought there were more power chords as that is what he now plays live, but on the original recording he plays straight chords with the power chords being in bridge and the 'B' in the chorus.  I added the little flourish in the verse to mimic the bass, but he doesn't actually play it ...

POP SONG 89

Verse

e|-0---2---0---2-2-0---|

B|-2---3---2---3-2-0---|

G|-2---2---2---2-2-0---|

D|-2---0---2---0-0-0---|

A|-0-------0-----------|

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

Riff

e|-8--------------------------|

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

G|---7-7-5-5-7-7>9-7-7-9h-0---|

D|-----------------------9----|

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

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

Chorus

e|-0-0-0-3-3-3-2-2-0-0-0-0---|

B|-0--0--3--3--3--3--0--0----|

G|-1-----0-----2-----4-------|

D|-2-----0-----0-----4-------|

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

E|-0-----3-----------0-------|

Break

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

B|-0---0---0---0---0-7b!---|

G|-4---9---4---9---7-------|

D|-4---9---4---9---7-------|

A|-2---7---2---7---5-------|

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