R.E.M. grew up with the BBC, and this historic relationship is lovingly celebrated across an incredible collection that beautifully illustrates the career trajectory of one of modern music’s greatest bands. The collection—available as a super-deluxe edition 8-CD/1-DVD box set, as well as 2-CD, 2-LP and digital formats—comprises a treasure trove of rare and unreleased live and studio recordings culled from the BBC and band archives. This is a must-have collection for R.E.M. fans and an authoritative introduction for newcomers.
In-studio performances featured in the 8-CD/1-DVD box set include a John Peel Session (1998), Drivetime and Mark and Lard appearances (2003) and a glorious Radio 1 Live Lounge performance (2008). Live broadcasts include a rough-and-tumble show from Nottingham’s Rock City (1984), the stunning 1995 Milton Keynes Monster Tour (their first after a six-year break), a blistering 1999 Glastonbury headline set and an invitation-only 2004 show at London’s St James’s Church.
After rolling out a deluxe 25th anniversary edition of is multi-platinum Automatic For The People album, R.E.M. offers a documentary, Automatic Unearthed.
The film chronicles the making of the group's lauded eighth studio album, which has sold a reported 18 million copies worldwide and launched the singles "Drive," "Man On The Moon," "Everybody Hurts" and others.
As the sun comes up, as the moon goes down These heavy notions creep around It makes me think Long ago I was brought into this life, a little lamb A little lamb Courageous, stumbling Fearless was my middle name But somewhere there I Lost my way Everyone walks the same Expecting me to step The narrow path they've laid They claim to
Walk unafraid I'll be clumsy instead Hold my love me or leave me high
Say "keep within the boundaries if you want to play" Say "contradiction only makes it harder" How can I be What I want to be? When all I want to do is strip away These stilled constraints And crush this charade Shred this sad masquerade I don't need no persuading I'll trip, fall, pick myself up and
Walk unafraid I'll be clumsy instead Hold my love me or leave me high
If I have a bag of rocks to carry as I go I just want to hold my head up high I don't care what I have to step over I'm prepared to look you in the eye Look me in the eye And if you see familiarity Then celebrate the contradiction Help me when I fall to
Walk unafraid I'll be clumsy instead Hold my love me or leave me high
Walk unafraid
I'll be clumsy instead Hold my love me or leave me high
Receiving dept. 3 a.m. Staff cuts have socked up the overage Directives are posted. No callbacks complaints. Everywhere is calm. Hong Kong is present Taipei awakes
All talk of circadian rhythm I see today with a newsprint fray My night is colored headache gray Daysleeper
The bull and the bear are marking Their territories They're leading the blind with Their international glories I'm the screen the blinding light I'm the screen, I work at night. I see today with a newsprint fray My night is colored headache gray Don't wake me with so much. Daysleeper.
I cried the other night I can't even say why Fluorescent flat caffeine lights Its furious balancing I'm the screen, the blinding light I'm the screen, I work at night I see today
Don't wake me with so much. the Ocean machine is set to nine I'll squeeze into heaven and valentine My bed is pulling me. Gravity
R.E.M.'s take on Jimmy Webb's classic "existential country song" "Wichita Lineman" (1994) made famous by Glenn Campbell who recorded the song in 1968. Campbell passed away Tuesday at the age of 81.
I am a lineman for the county And I drive the main road Searchin' in the sun for another overload
I hear you singing in the wire I can hear you thru the whine And the Wichita lineman Is still on the line
I know I need a small vacation But it don't look like rain And if it snows that stretch down south Won't ever stand the strain
And I need you more than want you And I want you for all time And the Wichita lineman Is still on the line
And I need you more than want you And I want you for all time And the Wichita lineman Is still on the line
This flower is scorched This film is on On a maddening loop These clothes These clothes don't fit us right I'm to blame It's all the same It's all the same
You come to me with a bone in your hand You come to me with your hair curled tight You come to me with positions You come to me with excuses Ducked out in a row You wear me out You wear me out
We've been through fake-a-breakdown Self hurt Plastics, collections Self help, self pain, EST, psychics, fuck all I was central I had control I lost my head I need this I need this A paper weight, junk garage Winter rain, a honey pot Crazy, all the lovers have been tagged A hotline, a wanted ad It's crazy what you could've had It's crazy what you could've had It's crazy what you could've had I need I need this It's crazy what you could've had It's crazy what you could've had I need I need this It's crazy what you could've had It's crazy what you could've had I need I, I need this It's crazy what you could've had I need this It's crazy what you could've had It's crazy what you could've had I need this I, I need this It's crazy what you could've had It's crazy what you could've had
You want to go out Friday And you want to go forever You know that it sounds childish That you dreamt of alligators You hope that we are with you And you hope you're recognized You want to go forever You see it in my eyes I'm lost in the confusion And it doesn't seem to matter You really can't believe it And you hope it's getting better
You want to trust the doctors Their procedure is the best But the last try was a failure And the intern was a mess And they did the same to Matthew And he bled 'til Sunday night They're saying don't be frightened But you're weakened by the sight of it You lock into a pattern And you know that it's the last ditch You're trying to see through it And it doesn't make sense But they're saying don't be frightened And they're killing alligators And they're hog-tied And accepting of the struggle
You want to trust religion And you know it's allegory But the people who are followers Have written their own story So you look up to the heavens And you hope that it's a spaceship And it's something from your childhood You're thinking don't be frightened
You want to climb the ladder You want to see forever You want to go out Friday And you want to go forever And you want to cross your DNA To cross your DNA with something reptile
And you're questioning the sciences And questioning religion You're looking like an idiot And you no longer care And you want to bridge the schism, A built-in mechanism to protect you And you're looking for salvation And you're looking for deliverance You're looking like an idiot And you no longer care 'Cause you want to climb the ladder You want to go forever And you want to go out Friday You want to go forever