MONSTER: STAR 69

  Perhaps the most anachronistic song in the canon, STAR 69 was purposely written to energize the arena rock crowds. Anachronism aside, *69 as a function was an awesome weapon in the late 80's and 90's to call back the last number coming in on a land line and I kid you not I used it last week. I had to call someone back from work whose contact info I failed to get. It still works!
  This is a fast, upbeat throwaway song that is nigh unintelligible on the album with the echo, but becomes much clearer when Stipe sings it live. It's a fun song, but I'm afraid it leads to the dismissive tendencies fans have toward this album. This starts a string of four or five songs that are not bad, but out of character for the band in a different way than the first and last songs. There's a strange universality in the next songs that is straightforward in approach unlike any song before. Again, these are not terrible songs, but there is a departure from the standard R.E.M. tracks that is more than just the band redefining itself. The band is re-imagining itself, and setting up the rest of their career with this album. MONSTER gave them license to become a new band every once in awhile, to throw away old approaches and start fresh. I also think it's important to point out that from this album to ACCELERATE there is a 15 year gap. And it's a weird 15 years that I believe this album and tour puts us on ... in a way STAR 69 kicks the journey off.

STAR 69

You

Don't have to take the bar exam to see
What you did is ignoramus 103
What've I got to hang my hat on you don't have a pot to pee in all this just to be your friend I was there until the end
Extortion and arson

Petty larceny

I know you called, I know you called, I know you called
I know you called, I know you called, I know you hung up my line
Star 69

I know all about the warehouse fire
I know squirrelies didn't chew the wire
Three people have my number the other two were with me I don't like to tell tell, but I'm not your patsy
This time you have gone too far with me

I know you called, I know you called, I know you called
I know you called, I know you called, I know you hung up my line
Star 69
No

Why'd you put your quarter down on me?
This reads like some dork inside edition hard copy
I can't be your character witness I can't be your alibi your doorbell rings, the FBI we learned spy versus spy you my friend are guilty as can be

I know you called, I know you called, I know you called
I know you called, I know you called, I know you hung up my line

I know you called, I know you called, I know you called
I know you called, I know you called, I can’t be your alibi
Star 69

  This one has arena rock all over it and is mostly Buck style power chords. I didn't tab the fills during the verse, but it's mostly a bend of the d note of the b string on the 3rd fret--sometimes by itself, sometimes with the open b or the 5th fret note of the high e string.  For the break you kind of have to feel out the bend and release ... 

STAR 69

Verse

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

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

G|-8---9---6---3---8---9---6----|

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

A|-9---7---7---4---9---7---7----|

E|-7---0---5---2---7---0---5----|

Chorus

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

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

G|-1---3---1---3---1---3---6---|

D|-2---4---2---4---2---4---7---|

A|-2---4---2---4---2---4---7---|

E|-0---2---0---2---0---3---5---|

Break

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

B|-6^--6-0---|

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

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

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

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

Chorus Fill (On open A)

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

B|--0-0---530----|

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

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

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

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