COLLAPSE INTO NOW: WALK IT BACK

I'm not sure what to say about this song.  It is a sort of anomaly on the album, has a different feel, not bad, but different.  The video series Michael Stipe commissioned for the album has a version of this song videoed by a French artist.  It's horrible and disturbing and it's literally a horse pissing. A lot. So much pee! 



WALK IT BACK
Walk it back
Walk it back
Walk it back
What, what would you
Have had me say
Instead of what I said?

Where, where would I go
How could I follow that
Except to do what I did?

Which is to
Walk it back
Walk it back
Walk it back

Time reverse and rewind
erase and revise
and try to start again

You, don't you turn this around
I have not touched the ground
In I don't know how long

You say to
Walk it back
Walk it back
Walk it back
Walk it back
Walk it back
Walk it back

Time, time, time it cannot abide
You, you can't turn away
You’ve asked me to stay
but something needs to change

Why can't you?

Walk it back
Walk it back
Walk it back
Walk it back
Walk it back
Walk it back

I'm assuming that this song was built on the bass and piano parts, but as always Peter Buck's complimentary parts fit the song perfectly. 

WALK IT BACK

Bass Riff

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

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

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

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

A|-5-0-2--------|

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

Intro/ Chorus

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

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

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

D|-0---0-0---2-x3---0---0-0--|

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

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

Verse

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

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

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

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

A|-----0---2---2---0---|

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

Verse Pick

e|---5---5---3---2---5--|

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

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

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

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

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

COLLAPSE INTO NOW: EVERY DAY IS YOURS TO WIN

This is a really simple little tune.  I like it a lot, it's very unthreatening.  Sort of a companion to Why Not Smile.  In the video below, the song begins at about 2 minutes in.



EVERY DAY IS YOURS TO WIN
With the walk and the talk
And the tick tock clock
With the rock and the roll
And the bridge and the toll
With the brilliance and the light
And the stink and the fight
And the road ahead of you

I cannot tell a lie
It's not all cherry pie
But it's all there waiting for you, yeah you

Hey yeah
Hey yeah
Hey yeah
I know

With the warp and the wooze
And the subterfuge
Does it all look bitter and blue?
Well I'm nothing but confused
With nothing left to lose
And if you buy that, I've got a bridge for you

Hey yeah
Hey yeah
Hey yeah
I know

Hey yeah
Hey yeah
Hey yeah
I know

Every day is new again
Every day is yours to win
And that's how heroes are made
I wanted to win
so I said it again
That's how heroes are made

Hey yeah
Hey yeah
Hey yeah
I know

Hey yeah
Hey yeah
Hey yeah
I know


Deceptively simple guitar part.  Revised a lot of this with the help of the live sessions with Mike Mills on guitar.

EVERY DAY IS YOURS TO WIN

Verse/Chorus
(Em-F#m-D-F#m, Em-F#m-D-A)

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

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

G|-4--4-4>6-4-6-7---6---4--4-4>6--6-7---6----|

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

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

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

Middle Bridge
e|------------------------|

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

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

D|--5-3-2-3-2-5-3-2-3-4---|

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

E|------------------x2----|

End

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

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

G|-4--4-4>6-4-6-7---6---4--4-4>6--6-7---7---7--|

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

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

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

COLLAPSE INTO NOW: ALL THE BEST

For all the talk of a departure from Accelerate, only two of these songs are over 4 minutes, and one only just makes it.  However, the songs are more lush and arranged and dare I say better written.  For all the detractors of the new R.E.M. since Monster and even those who made it as far as Reveal, the Peter Buck chord structures have not really changed since Reckoning.  It's the same old tricks with different tone and lyrics.  The rockers on this album are less urgent than when R.E.M. were younger because the desires of the band are less urgent.  They are older and this song kind of points that out ... on purpose ... its sort of a grieving for the death of rock--and in retrospect the band itself.  Stipe is essentially saying: we showed you how to do it, here's the blueprint, you kind of failed, but good luck in the future ... don't overstay your welcome.  I read one critic say that they wish the band were still rocking like U2, to which I say first ... I don't particularly like U2, I think their recent stuff is uninteresting (I wrote this before Songs of Innocence/Experience and whoops ... I'm rethinking the U2 thing), and R.E.M. on sheer originality alone completely blow them away ... second, I always thought the R.E.M. vs U2 thing was like Beatles vs. Elvis, two great tastes that you either lean one way or another ...



ALL THE BEST
So over me
So pie in my face
So talk to me
Tell me where to place this in my
Quasimodo heart
That's where I slipped and fell
I rang the church bell ‘til my ears bled
Red blood cells

I think I'll sing and rhyme
I'll give it one more time
I'll show the kids how to do it
fine, fine, fine

I hold the mirror up
You tell me what is what
You tell me which part of my story baby
Stuck, stuck, stuck
I'm in a part of your dreams
That you don't even understand
It's just like me to overstay my welcome man

Let's sing and rhyme
Let's give it one more time
Let's show the kids how to do it
fine, fine, fine, fine

I just had to get that off my chest
Now It's time to get on with the rest
All the best
All the best
All the best
All the best, best, best
It's just like me to overstay my welcome, bless

Let's sing and rhyme
Let's give it one more time
Let's show the kids how to do it
fine, fine, fine, fine

Let's sing and rhyme
Let's give it one more time
Let's show the kids how to do it
fine, fine, fine, fine


The coolest part of this song is how the ending is a subtle Discoverer reference.  Oh, and it rocks pretty hard.

ALL THE BEST

Intro/Verse

Tune Up ½ Step

Guitar 1

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

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

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

D|---------4---4---7---x---|

A|-0-0-0-0-2---2---5---4---|

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

Guitar 2

e|-777777777777777710-1099999999----|

B|-00000000000000000000000000000----|

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

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

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

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

Chorus

e|-0---0--0---0---0--0---0---0--0---5---3---|

B|-0---3---3--0---3---3--0---3---3--5---3---|

G|-1---2-2--2-1---2-2--2-1---2-2--2-6---4---|

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

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

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

Middle Bridge

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

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

G|-7----9---7----9---10---12---|

D|-7---10---7---10---10---12---|

A|-5---10---5---10----8---10---|

E|-0----8---0----8----0----0---|

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

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

G|-7-7-5-7-7-9-----------|

D|--7-----7---8-7-10-12--|

A|---------------8-----10|

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

End

Guitar 1

e|-2--|

B|-0--|

G|-4--|

D|-4--|

A|-0--|

E|-0--|

Guitar 2

e|--0---|

B|--0---|

G|-11---|

D|--9---|

A|--0---|

E|--0---|

DEAD LETTER OFFICE: WHITE TORNADO

'We wrote this song the same afternoon we wrote Radio Free Europe,

I think. This is an unreleased version recorded at Mitch Easter's

Drive-In Studio at the same time as our first single on

Hibtone.'  -Peter Buck

It's nice to have a lyical reprieve.  This was a filler song the band used to use and to soundcheck very early on.  Perfect song for Dead Letter Office.

WHITE TORNADO

Part 1

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

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

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

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

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

E|--------------------------------x2---|

Part 2

e|-----8--8--8-10b-10-10-8---------------------------|

B|-8-10-10-10-------------10-8-10b-8-8-10-8-10b-8----|

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

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

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

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

Part 3

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

B|-3---4---3---4---3---4---2---2-2-0-2---|

G|-2---3---2---3---2---3---2---2-2-0-2---|

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

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

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

Part 1 variation

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

B|--------------------887755------|

G|-5>7-5-5-7-5-5-7>9-7------7-5---|

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

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

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

DEAD LETTER OFFICE: BURNING HELL

'Sometimes you write a song without even trying to.  Sometimes

those songs are the very best ones.  That's not quite the case

with this one however.  Outtake from Fables of the Reconstruction'

-Peter Buck

After Swan Swan H, this is the second R.E.M. cover song a band of mine did.  Why of all of the bands songs did we choose this one?  I guess we knew we couldn't screw it up.  And our guitar player was a blues/ metal guy, I knew he'd dig it.  I think overall with my experience in picking cover tunes as an early band, they were all bad choices. 
  For those fans of the band who complain about the ragged sound of Michael Stipe's voice during a long tour or when he tries some of the old notes, I point to this song.  You can pretty much hear vocal chords rip.  Not sure if this is a rip on the John Lee Hooker song of the same name (of which it bears almost no resemblance), which at the time of this album had only been released in the UK, or if the band simply stumbled upon a riff and feel.  I'm assuming a little of both.

BURNING HELL
Women got legs men got pants
I got the picnic if you got the ants
Good in fire heaven knows
Take my torch and touch your toes in hell
It's a burning hell

You’ll burn in Hell
It's a burning hell
You can burn in hell
It's a burning hell

Women don't fret, boys don't bet
Let me see your silhouette in hell
Women above me take my love
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love

It's a burning hell
Let’s burn in hell
(It’s burning hell)
Baby, baby, baby, I'm hell
(Burn in hell)
Mr. burning hell
(Burning hell)

Yeah
Burning hell

Girl stop moving, boy behave
Baby I'll put you in an early grave in hell
Love on the ceiling, love on the floor
Home gonna leave you burned even more
Burn in the country, burn downtown
All the best people are burning down in hell
Hell
(Alright)
Ah hell

It's a burning Hell
(Yeah, yeah, yeah … yeah)
You'll burn in hell
(Burning hell)
It's a very, burning, giant, colossal matter, oh matter
(It’s a burning hell)
Hell
Oh come on over little baby, I'm hell

Burn, Burn, Burn
Burn in hell

(Thank you!)


For the lead in this, feel free to be loose with the notes.  There is a lot of hammering and sloppy lead going on and of course it fits the song, but doesn't translate neatly to tab.  Also when it says bend ... bend ... a lot.

BURNING HELL

Intro/Verse

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chorus

Guitar 1

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

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

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

D|-5-------4-------x---------------|

A|-3-------2-------7---------------|

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

Guitar 2

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

B|-555555554444444422-5-7-5----5-7-5----|

G|-555555554444444422-5----7-5-5----7-5-|

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

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

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

Lead (Chords: A-B-C-D)

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

B|-----------55555-55575-5--10-12-12--10-12-12--10-12-12-10-12--|

G|5757575757-55797-57555-7>11--------11--------11---------------|

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

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

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

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

B|-12>13-13-13--13-13-11-13--13-13-13>15-15-15-13-15--15-13---|

G|------------12-----------12-----12-------------14--------14-|

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

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

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

Last Verse Fill Riff

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

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

G|-02020202020202020202-2b-|

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

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

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

End (Chord Forms)

e|-------15-----------|

B|-15-13-15-15b---15--|

G|-14-14-14-------14--|

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

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

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

DEAD LETTER OFFICE: VOICE OF HAROLD

'This is the backing track to Seven Chinese Brothers with,

um, extemporaneous lyrics added by Michael in one take.

A must.  Outtake from Reckoning.' -Peter Buck

Supposedly, Michael Stipe was having a hard day at the mic recording '7 Chinese Bros' when Mitch Easter and Don Dixon pulled a gospel album off the shelf and handed him the liner notes to sing to the backing track.  The result is the next song. 





VOICE OF HAROLD
(Rolling, 1,2,3,4 … )
Reverend Bill Funderburk sings ''He Cared That Much For Me''
Charles Surratt introduces his own composition
''On Calvary For Me'' ''The Joy of Knowing Jesus''
Is a song of pure delight featuring John Barbee

The pure tenor quality of the voice of Harold
Montgomery gives a special interpretation to the grand
Old hymn ''The Old Rugged Cross''
Chill bumps appear and I am frozen in the web
They weave as they reveal their innermost selves
With the outpouring of their hearts

On and on the songs roll and soon you are caught up
In the sermon each rendition as you come to feel
The devotion and dedication that is poured forth
Suddenly you know they are real they mean it

''Let your light so shine'' could not be more aptly applied
As there shines a light from heaven on your heart
Through their singing. As an artist, Rhonda Montgomery exemplifies piano artistry
(She will return)
That's Rhonda, an artist
(She will return)
This album can be the instrument to mend a broken heart
Or to straighten out your life
Through the sincere testimony in the songs of The Revelaires
A must

J. Elmo Fagg founder and leader of
The Blue Ridge Quartet
For 23 Years. From Temple Records, LST 390
Planning to make a record?
We are associated with the United Music World Recording Studios, Inc.
West Columbia, S.C. the finest sound available anywhere
''The Joy of Knowing Jesus''
Produced by Joel Gentry
Cover Backliner Design REESOR
The Revelaires
A must.
The Revelaires
A must, in their home

(Let’s try that again)

VOICE OF HAROLD

Verse:

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

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

G|-11-11-11-12-14-16-16-16-16-16-14-11-11-11-11-12-11-9-7-7-7-7-|

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

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

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

Before vocal hit:

e|--10-10-10--|

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

G|---7--7--7--|

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

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

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

Riff and Bridge to Chorus:         Or:

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

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

G|-11-12-11-9-7----------------------------------|

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

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

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

Chorus:

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

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

G|-5--5--5----5--5--2-2--2-----------|

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

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

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

Bridge:

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

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

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

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

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

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

DEAD LETTER OFFICE: BURNING DOWN

The first original composition of DLO.  A cool little song and one of the earliest they wrote as a band, it just never fit the feel of an album.

'This is another early song that we just got tired of.

Recorded for Reckoning, remixed by Steve Fjelstad

a year later.'  -Peter Buck

BURNING DOWN
From the back of my neck, oh, oh, oh
Wired glass jaw, oh, oh
Plantation burning, your boat is coming in
Strum the juice off your weakened chin

Running water on a sinking boat
Going under, but they’ve got your goat

Burning down
My hands are tied, my feet are bound
Burning down
Can’t you see that my hands are bound?

Johnny Mike is reading in the yard
History’s coming, oh, oh, oh
What river is it anyway, the radio
Now any boat, clean your ears

Running water in a sinking boat
Going under, but they’ve got your goat

Burning down
My hands are tied, my feet are bound
Burning down
Can’t you see that my hands are bound?

You pick your island in the sun
Take your island off he’s got a gun

Burning down
My hands are tied, my feet are bound
Burning down
Can’t you see that my hands are bound?

He’s cooking the woods a brush fire in your neck
Feeling mighty mighty, oh, oh, oh
You can pick your island in the sun
Take your island off he’s got a gun

Running water in a sinking boat
Going under, but they’ve got your goat

Burning down
My hands are tied, my feet are bound
Burning down
Can’t you see that my hands are bound?

For my money, this is the typical R.E.M. track.  Quick, concise riffs, easy chords, and an upbeat tempo.  There is a cool early live version on YouTube that is almost identical to the album recording.  Once the band creates a song structure, that's how the song goes.  Period.

BURNING DOWN

Intro/Chorus

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

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

G|-2---2---2---2---4>6--6-----0-6--6------0--|

D|-2---2---2---2---5>7---7>9--9-7---7>9-9b---|

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

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

Verse

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

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

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

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

A|-0-----0-2---0---0-0---|

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

Bridge to Chorus

e|-0---2---2-4-2---0---2---0----|

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

G|-1---3---3-5-3---1---3---1----|

D|-2---4---4-6-4---2---4---2----|

A|-2---4---4-6-4---2---4---2----|

E|-0---2---2-4-2---0---2---0----|

Middle Bridge

e|-2---4---2---4---0---|

B|-3---5---3---5---0---|

G|-4---6---4---6---1---|

D|-4---6---4---6---2---|

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

E|-2---4---2---4---0---|