PART LIES, PART HEART, PART TRUTH, PART GARBAGE: HALLELUJAH

   When I first saw this new track, I assumed it was going to be another cover of the Leonard Cohen song which has been covered to death. After listening to the song I was happy it was an original, but very confused. The band to this point had been fairly secular, apart from the rare reference or Christmas song, which is directly to my tastes, so this song put me off and I didn't give it much regard. As it came time to dive into this track the little peculiarities started biting at me and the lyrics and music do not match a song that praises so much as surrenders. And then I heard the bomb line and everything fell into place. This is a character who has prepared to meet their lord and then take some heathens with them. The extremist views of such a character are amazingly nuanced by the quiet lyrical delivery, but Michael uses his favorite tool here in the end--his rough bellow of a voice. The gravel scrapes the beautiful surface and lays the intention of the song bare. We can all be complicit, we can all be guided to the extremes, and in a sense a lot of us are being pushed to rhetorical extremes that can only be scary harbingers.
   In this last officially released R.E.M. track we revisit the Radio (of Radio Free Europe) and instead of the apathy even in the face of revolution, we have someone resolute, taking a stand, turning the radio on, and making a decision, however painful or harmful it is. There are some who watch and some who act. It's been a privilege diving into this catalog and to a lyricist and band that wanted to add some activism to their art. There is more in this journey to curate the catalog and pen further essays, but for now I feel a sense of wonder and accomplishment.



HALLELUJAH

The world is an oyster, the bitter refrain
The lord is my shepherd, I cannot stay
This blessed earth, this beautiful lamb
A new day that breaks the dawn

I am the tide, the oceans sing
I am the anchor, I hold the brass ring
I am the action or the deed of our king
I am the static at night
You make me to stand in the square unseen
And make my choice decision to sing
And bring my lord, what this may bring
I stand before you in the law

I rallied and sang, and shouted refrains
I'm blessed and the radio on
The air was calm

I held the bomb
And the radio

The radio

Hallelu
Hallelu

Hallelujah

Hallelu
Hallelu

Hallelujah

Hallelu
Hallelu

Hallelujah

Hallelu
Hallelu

Hallelujah

Hallelu
Hallelu

Hallelujah

   A nice easy rhythm on this one, a solid progression for a solid finish to an amazing catalog. I'm gonna miss agonizing over Peter's tunes so much I think the next step are his solo albums.

HALLELUJAH

Verse

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

B|-2---1---0---0---3--|

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

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

A|-4---0---2---3---2--|

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

Chorus

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

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

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

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

A|-2---2---2---2---2---2---3---2--|

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

Empty Verse Doodle

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

B|-5-5-5-5-----13-12--|

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

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

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

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

End: Repeat C-G, Verse Once, End on F#m. 

PART LIES, PART HEART, PART TRUTH, PART GARBAGE: WE ALL GO BACK TO WHERE WE BELONG

   This song does an amazing job of summing up almost every era of the band and shock and surprise, it's a 70's feeling easy listening song. There are traces of DOCUMENT, AFTP, REVEAL, RECKONING, I mean it really is a wonder of engineering and songwriting--riffs, backing vocals, orchestrations, horns--kind of a perfect summation of the band at this stage drawing upon everything they've learned. A very beautiful song as well with a Kirsten Dunst video to boot, pretty sure she cries in the video because they just told her they were breaking up. I love the second line 'your shirt and your reputation tossed.' I appreciate this one more every time I hear it.



WE ALL GO BACK TO WHERE WE BELONG

I dreamt what you were offering
Imagine lying next to me
Your shirt and your reputation tossed
I will write our story in my mind
And write about our dreams and triumphs
This might be my innocence lost

I can taste the ocean on your skin
That is where it all begins

I dreamt that we were elephants
Lift water, sun, and clouds of dust
And I woke up thinking we were free

I can taste the ocean on your skin
That is where it all begins
We all go back to where we belong
We all go back to where we belong

Is this really what you want?
Now is this really what you want?

I can taste the ocean on your skin
That is where it all begins
We all go back to where we belong
We all go back to where we belong

Is this really what you want?
Is this really what you want?

   A simple song, but elegant in its recording. Nothing flashy. Mostly picked chords. If the start of the verse looks intimidating its jest a hammering of the C chord before the pick and strum of the Fmaj7. 

   

WE ALL GO BACK TO WHERE WE BELONG

Verse (C-Fmaj7)

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

B|-------0--1--|

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

D|-0-2h-2---3--|

A|---3h-----0--|

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

Chorus (C-G-F)

e|----0-----3-----1---------|

B|-----1--3--3--1--1--------|

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

D|---2---5-----3-----3-2-0--|

A|-3------------------------|

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

Chorus Walk

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

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

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

D|--------5----------------|

A|-3---5-7---5-7-8---8-7-5-|

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

Bridge

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

B|-1---1---3---1---|

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

D|-2---3---5---3---|

A|-3---0---0---0---|

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

Bridge Walk

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

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

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

D|-2-0-2-3-2-3-5-7-5-3-2-3-2------|

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

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

Empty Verse Walk

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

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

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

D|--0-2-3-2-0-0-2-3-2-0--|

A|-3---------3-----------|

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

PART LIES, PART HEART, PART TRUTH, PART GARBAGE: A MONTH OF SATURDAYS

  This song gets completely slammed by most fans and I have no idea why. Well, maybe a little. The band breaks up and here's a best of with three final new songs and this is the first one--a Monkees-style weird pop thing with Michael sleepwalking the lyric. It's a frigging demo! Plus, I find the song endearing in much the same way as 'Chance,' a firmly tongue in cheek tune that is a hallmark of R.E.M. songwriting. Michael has always had this silly side and honestly, the song is ridiculous. Who the hell are these guys to know what 5pm Friday means?! Weekends and weeknights are when they actually work. I've always taken it to be a satirical comment on rock stars telling regular folks what's up. Sort of the opposite of Don Henley's A Month of Sundays, and maybe inspired by Church's Month of Sundays?



A MONTH OF SATURDAYS

Five o'clock Friday all my work is done
I can hardly wait
Let's take this over, let's sling it around
Let's make it taste so sweet

I wanna take all the Saturdays
I wanna stay up late
I wanna stomp my feet on the ground
I wanna celebrate

A month of Saturdays, Saturday
A month of Saturdays, Saturdays

Unh

I'm tired of waiting for the weekend to begin

(Sunday, Monday, Tuesday)
I'm tired of punching in

(Wednesday, Thursday)
Give me a holiday that never ends

(Friday, Saturday)
Give me a weekend, weekend, weekend
Give me a weekend, weekend

A month of Saturdays, Saturdays
I'm talkin' Saturday, Saturdays

Unh
Shout

Give me a weekend, weekend, weekend

  So easy.

A MONTH OF SATURDAYS

Verse

e|-0-0-4-4-5---|

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

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

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

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

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

Chorus

e|--5---5---3---7--|

B|--7---5---3---7--|

G|--7---6---4---8--|

D|--7---7---5---9--|

A|--5---7---5---9--|

E|--5---5---3---7--|

LIVE AT THE OLYMPIA: ON THE FLY

  Another song that didn't fit ACCELERATE, but maybe might've weaseled into a longer version. I hope there's a studio version out there somewhere that stretches out the thought, but this is the era of short song R.E.M.. It's like the group picked up some Ramones and Weezer albums. There are shades of Galveston and Country Feedback around the edges and it's the type of track that reminds me R.E.M. is a southern band. Bill would be happy that this track sits on the border of old school country music. According to the recording, this song was one of the first they wrote for the album. Love the stripped down version in the video below.



ON THE FLY

You said that loving me was falling off a log
You always had a way with words
I'm in a barrel over Niagara Falls
I wonder if I am the first
Now if I asked of you for just one wish
Would you turn on me and take the fifth?
You're off again at some epic celebration
Shooting barrels full of fish
You found another hole to waltz into
You found another car to crash
I figured out that humor serves me up
Another this too shall pass

It's easy to laugh off, easy to brush aside
We're living our lives, we're here on the fly
It's easy to laugh off, easy to brush aside

We're living our lives, we're here on the fly
And I just happened by

I stood there naked by the trains again
Frozen stock still in the yard
A Heron waiting for a fish to jump
I never let down my guard
I've been exclusive when it comes to you
I don't receive at all
I wish I felt the same when you call me late
I almost wish you wouldn't call
God knows what I'm looking for
And god knows what I am
Cause even Jesus had his reservations
I won't be doubting you again
I won't be doubting you again

It's easy to laugh off, easy to brush aside
We're living our lives, we're here on the fly
It's easy to laugh off, easy to brush aside
We're living our lives, we're here on the fly
And I just happened by

I'm living my life, I'm here on the fly
And I just happened by
I just happened by

   I kept this one very simple. The key here is the Cmaj7 and that pinky on the 2nd fret for the Em. There's some loose slide going on that can be figured out pretty quickly upon listening which follows the chords. The intro has the second guitar picking the high strings on the 12th fret. Maybe this one's on the lazy side.

ON THE FLY

Verse

e|------2---0-------1---0-|

B|------0---0-------1---0-|

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

D|-0-2--2---2-------3---2-|

A|------2---3-------3---3-|

E|------0---0---x3--1---0-|

Chorus

e|--1---0-------2---0--|

B|--1---0-------3---0--|

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

D|--3---2-------0---2--|

A|--3---3-----------3--|

E|--1---0---x3------0--|

LIVE AT THE OLYMPIA: STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF THE MIDDLE DISTANCE

  Love this as a live song and I'm just as glad it never made an album. However, it might have suffered from lack of time to grow in a studio setting. It feels as if the song is of the rougher ilk of NAIHF, likely because there are only live versions available which makes me wonder if there are studio versions of these next two songs out there somewhere. Only Jacknife Lee knows I suppose. Michael says this phrase basically means hoping you live long enough to be able to look back on your youth. Sort of a mix of staring down the barrel of a gun and having your life flash before your eyes an the long stare into the middle distance, contemplation.




STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF THE MIDDLE DISTANCE

Now hope for the future took a pounding in the parking lot
And the answer live for today is all I’ve got
When your name is called the lights might dim
And time is the essence squeeze me in

I'm blinking at the vanishing point of what I thought

Staring down the barrel of the middle distance
God knows I've tried
I close my eyes
I close my eyes
I close my eyes

I breathe despair do we stand a prayer
Is the call for the future I don't care
Can I turn you around to face me here, unh hunh
There's a compass phrase with familiar tone
A voice that needles me to the bone

Staring down the barrel of the middle distance
God knows I've tried
I close my eyes
I close my eyes

I close my eyes

This position shift has its benefits
If you can't hit play cause the button sticks yeah
Ignorance is bliss, well I can't say
There's a compass phrase a familiar tone
A voice that needles you to the bone
You're left with chaos, static, and delay

Staring down the barrel of the middle distance
Staring down the barrel of the middle distance
God knows I've tried
I close my eyes
I close my eyes
I close my eyes

Staring down the barrel of the middle distance
God knows I've tried
I close my eyes

  This one is a lot easier than I thought and it took a little of the mystique out of the song.  There are a couple of things not mentioned below. The later bridge hangs on the A-G for a little longer, there are some things Scott is doing in the background not noted, but if you want to throw the bend in before the last verse it's the b string on the 11th fret. Peter also does his standard open e and b string pick at times in the verse, listen and play along to find.

STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF THE MIDDLE DISTANCE

Intro/Verse

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

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

G|---9-9-7---7>9--|

D|---9-9-7---7>9--|

A|---7-7-5---5>7--|

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

Verse Fill (Guitar 2)

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

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

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

D|------------5-7-7>9-7-5-0-|

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

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

Bridge to Chorus

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

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

G|-6---4--------6--|

D|-7---5--------7--|

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

E|-5---3---x3---5--|

Chorus

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

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

G|-7---9--------4---6-|

D|-7---9--------5---7-|

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

E|-0---0---x3---3---5-|

Chorus (Guitar 2)

e|-2---0--------7----9---|

B|-3---0---------6----8--|

G|-2---1-------7--7>9----|

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

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

E|-----0---x3------------|

ACCELERATE: I'M GONNA DJ

  This is the last official song for me to post, the last album track anyway. There's a sense of accomplishment, but as I look back through the work I've done there's a lot to clean up. I've already started with 'Wolves, Lower' and you can tell a marked difference between that post and 'Gardening at Night' for the time being. Next up, I'll tackle the last two sets of new tracks that came out on OLYMPIA and PART LTHG respectively. Then move on to revisit CIN as I threw those tracks out right as the album was released, then pick up Non Album Tracks starting from their earliest live recordings. I've already done 'Narrator' but I think maybe stuff like 'Body Count' will land here through tracks like 'Photograph'.
  This song sums up this album for me, it rocks hard, is a little slight, and is over before I'm good and ready. The RUTalkin' podcast gave this one short shrift, but I love it because it reminds me of the last time I saw them live. They did this track and 'Permanent Vacation' which thrilled the HELL out of me. It's also a nice feel for the end of this thematic album, a world overcrowded and stifling but with a sense that there's always one last celebration--sort of like '1999.' Plus, in coming to the end of this lyrical journey the song perfectly captures Michael at his most impish. A pop star that knows two things: Pop music is ephemeral and that he has imbued his lyrics with more meaning than they'll ever need. I'm convinced this band from the beginning this was supposed to be Velvet Underground redux and along the way they started enjoying being popular.





I'M GONNA DJ
Death is pretty final

I'm collecting vinyl
I'm gonna DJ at the end of the world

‘Cause if heaven does exist
With a kicking play list
I don't wanna miss it at the end of the world

Hey steady steady
Hey steady steady
I don't wanna go until I'm good and ready

It’s on my mind
It’s in my mind
It’s what I found
It’s what I find

It’s on my mind
It’s in my mind
It’s what I found
Oh my my my

But ‘I'll spin my way right through it’
Claims enthusiast Jack Pruitt
As the moths circle the moon
As you’re circling the room

The music could provide the light you cannot resist
You cannot resist
You cannot resist

And the weblogs that get tangled
As you willie and you wangle
In your walk-up in Seattle
Where you fought the nascent battle
You threw the tread and throttle
Let us raise another bottle
Raise another bottle
Raise another bottle

Because death is pretty final

(Final)
I'm collecting vinyl

(Vinyl)
I'm gonna DJ at the end of the world

Hey steady steady
Hey steady steady
I don't wanna go until I'm good and ready

It’s on my mind
It’s in my mind
It’s what I found
It’s what I find

It’s on my mind
It’s in my mind
It’s what I found
Oh my my my

Hey steady steady

(It’s on my mind)
Hey steady steady

(It’s in my mind)
I don't wanna go until I'm good and ready

(It’s what I found)

Hey steady steady

(It’s on my mind)
Hey steady steady

(It’s in my mind)
I don't wanna go until I'm good and ready

(It’s what I found)

The music will provide the light you cannot resist
You cannot resist

(I’m gonna DJ)
You cannot resist

(I’m gonna DJ)

Yeah


   Great song to end on. Super easy, but with some tricks up its sleeve. The verse becomes the chorus becomes the verse, a middle 8, sometimes nothing, some negative strings on the live version, so Buckish it's perfect. I've added some stuff below, like the Intro guitar chord, the Mike Mills Bass walk on the middle 8 (Peter and Scott hang on G). The x's in the verse mean don't play anything! During the verse, Mike plays an A note and if you HAVE to play something that isn't negative chords I suggest the first chord of 'Welcome to the Occupation.' The one finger on the second fret D string. 

I'M GONNA DJ

Intro (Guitar 1)

e|-1--|

B|-0--|

G|-0--|

D|-2--|

A|-0--|

E|-0--|

Intro (Guitar 2)

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

B|-0-4-0-0-6-0-0-8-0-0-10-0-0-12-0-0-13b!-----------|

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

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

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

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

Verse

e|-0-x---3--------0---0-|

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

G|-6-x---0--------5---7-|

D|-7-x---0--------5---7-|

A|-7-x---2--------3---5-|

E|-5-x---3---x2---0---0-|

2^nd Verse Fill

e|-0--|

B|-3b-|

G|-0--|

D|----|

A|----|

E|----|

Chorus

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

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

G|-7>9-----7>9-----7>9---7-0--|

D|-7>9-----7>9-----7>9---7-7--|

A|-5>7---0-5>7---0-5>7---5-7--|

E|-0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0---0-5--|

Chorus to Middle 8

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

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

G|-7>9-----7>9-----7>9---7-4---0--------------|

D|-7>9-----7>9-----7>9---7-4---0--------------|

A|-5>7---0-5>7---0-5>7---5-2---2--(8--10--12)-|

E|-0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0---0-0---3--(6---8--10)-|

Chorus to End

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

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

G|-7>9-----7>9-----7>9---7-4---6------8-|

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

A|-5>7---0-5>7---0-5>7---5-2---7------9-|

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

ACCELERATE: HORSE TO WATER

   The next two songs blend together for me as companion pieces. There's something about the way they use the discordant notes as the two guitars work off each other. It's almost as if Peter and Scott are two parts of the same chord at times which makes for a great sound in a live setting. As album pieces, there is a reflection of the MONSTER and NAIHF years as the band attempts to pen arena sized songs. So ends the album of, 'hey, we can still rock' and the end of the band as a trio. On these last two albums the five musicians here are a band and they get really tight. It's a shame they didn't tour after CIN, but this tour has some solid moments on it. The most surprising thing about this song is how many lyrics there are in relation to its length. R.E.M. are definitely letting the songs dictate how long they are, but maybe they could've dreamed up a couple of Middle 8's here at the end of the album? The lyrics are very combative and are possibly the other version of 'Hollow Man' from a different perspective. Also, I've decided to use the live version below because of how Michael reacts to the sound of Scott echoing water. Cracks me up.
Side note, it's SHOCKING how inaccurate the lyrics are for this album on Google searches--especially considering the lyrics are INCLUDED WITH THE ALBUM. Is there just a bot picking out lyrics, or is this the work of a real person?




HORSE TO WATER

I could have kept my head down
I might have kept my mouth shut
I should have held my own
You lead a horse to water and you watch him drown

You're only as big as your battles
Rattle my cage with your shadow
I'm a bantamweight with a mouth full of feathers
Don't you know that what comes around goes around

I'm not that easy
I am not your horse to water

(water)
I hold my breath I come around round round

Don't darken my doorstep again
You're mixing up lemonade gin-gin
You're mixing up lose with win/win
Lead a horse to water and you watch him drown

You’re stumble on glass top table
Divas chewing chalk on cable
Humvee up a beanstalk fable
I don’t call this entertainment ‘cause Humpty's falling down

I'm not that easy
I am not your horse to water

(water)
I hold my breath I come around round round

Pick a fight launch a buzzy bar brawl
Friday night fuck or fight a pub crawl
Bantamweight with a mouth full of feathers
Don't you know that what comes around goes around

I'm not that easy
I am not your horse to water

(water)
I hold my breath I come around round round

It's not that easy
I am not your horse to water

(water)
I hold my breath I come around round round
It’s going down down down
This run around round round
Is bound to pound the daylights out of you

   This song is pretty easy to play. Just a few chords, but note how much Peter leans on the open B and e string below. I've over emphasized it as he keeps the F# intact, but just barely. There's definitely more doodling than what I've put below by Scott, but it's mostly here.

Verse (Guitar 1)

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

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

G|---3-----------------8--|

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

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

E|-0-2-----------x3----7--|

Verse (Guitar 2)

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

B|-2^-----2^----4^-----0--|

G|-----2^--------------8--|

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

A|---------------------9--|

E|---------------------7--|

Ending

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

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

G|-9---8---6---4---3---2---1--|

D|-9---9---7---5---4---3---2--|

A|-7---9---7---5---4---3---2--|

E|-0---7---5---3---2---1---0--|

Ending (Guitar 2)

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

B|---------5^--2^--------------|

G|-----------------6^--5^--4^--|

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

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

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