R.E.M. released its first single—"Radio Free Europe"—in 1981 on the independent record label Hib-Tone. The single was followed by the Chronic Town EP in 1982, the band's first release on I.R.S. Records. In 1983, the group released its critically acclaimed debut album, Murmur, and built its reputation over the next few years through subsequent releases, constant touring, and the support of college radio. Following years of underground success, R.E.M. achieved a mainstream hit in 1987 with the single "The One I Love". The group signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1988, and began to espouse political and environmental concerns while playing large arenas worldwide.
By the early 1990s, when alternative rock began to enter the mainstream, R.E.M. was viewed by subsequent acts such as Nirvana and Pavement as a pioneer of the genre. The band released its two most commercially successful albums, Out of Time (1991) and Automatic for the People (1992), which veered from the band's established sound and catapulted it to international fame. R.E.M.'s 1994 release, Monster, was a return to a more rock-oriented sound, but still continued its run of success. The band began its first tour in six years to support the album; the tour was marred by medical emergencies suffered by three of the band members.
In 1996, R.E.M. re-signed with Warner Bros. for a reported US$80 million, at the time the most expensive recording contract in history. Its 1996 release, New Adventures in Hi-Fi, though critically acclaimed, fared worse commercially than its predecessors. The following year, Bill Berry left the band, while Stipe, Buck, and Mills continued the group as a trio. Through some changes in musical style, the band continued its career into the next decade with mixed critical and commercial success, despite having sold more than 85 million records worldwide and becoming one of the world's best-selling music artists. In 2007, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in their first year of eligibility. R.E.M. disbanded amicably in September 2011, announcing the split on its website.
In January 1980, Michael Stipe met Peter Buck in Wuxtry Records, the Athens record store where Buck worked. The pair discovered that they shared similar tastes in music, particularly in punk rock and protopunk artists like Patti Smith, Television, and the Velvet Underground. Stipe said, "It turns out that I was buying all the records that [Buck] was saving for himself." Through mutual friend Kathleen O'Brien, Stipe and Buck then met fellow University of Georgia students Mike Mills and Bill Berry, who had played music together since high school and lived together in Georgia. The quartet agreed to collaborate on several songs; Stipe later commented that "there was never any grand plan behind any of it". Their still-unnamed band spent a few months rehearsing in a deconsecrated Episcopal church in Athens, and played its first show on April 5, 1980, supporting the Side Effects at O'Brien's birthday party held in the same church, performing a mix of originals and 1960s and 1970s covers. After considering Twisted Kites, Cans of Piss, and Negro Eyes, the band settled on "R.E.M." (which is an initialism for rapid eye movement, the dream stage of sleep), which Stipe selected at random from a dictionary.
The band members eventually dropped out of school to focus on their developing group. They found a manager in Jefferson Holt, a record store clerk who was so impressed by an R.E.M. performance in his hometown of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, that he moved to Athens. R.E.M.'s success was almost immediate in Athens and surrounding areas; the band drew progressively larger crowds for shows, which caused some resentment in the Athens music scene. Over the next year and a half, R.E.M. toured throughout the Southern United States. Touring was arduous because a touring circuit for alternative rock bands did not then exist. The group toured in an old blue van driven by Holt, and lived on a food allowance of $2 each per day.
R.E.M. was pivotal in the creation and development of the alternative rock genre. AllMusic stated, "R.E.M. mark the point when post-punk turned into alternative rock." In the early 1980s, the musical style of R.E.M. stood in contrast to the post-punk and new wave genres that had preceded it. Music journalist Simon Reynolds noted that the post-punk movement of the late 1970s and early 1980s "had taken whole swaths of music off the menu", particularly that of the 1960s, and that "After postpunk's demystification and New Pop's schematics, it felt liberating to listen to music rooted in mystical awe and blissed-out surrender." Reynolds declared R.E.M., a band that recalled the music of the 1960s with its "plangent guitar chimes and folk-styled vocals" and who "wistfully and abstractly conjured visions and new frontiers for America", one of "the two most important alt-rock bands of the day." With the release of Murmur, R.E.M. had the most impact musically and commercially of the developing alternative genre's early groups, leaving in its wake a number of jangle pop followers.
R.E.M.'s early breakthrough success served as an inspiration for other alternative bands. Spin referred to the "R.E.M. model"—career decisions that R.E.M. made which set guidelines for other underground artists to follow in their own careers. Spin's Charles Aaron wrote that by 1985, "They'd shown how far an underground, punk-inspired rock band could go within the industry without whoring out its artistic integrity in any obvious way. They'd figured out how to buy in, not sellout-in other words, they'd achieved the American Bohemian Dream." Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate said, "They invented a whole new ballgame for all of the other bands to follow whether it was Sonic Youth or the Replacements or Nirvana or Butthole Surfers. R.E.M. staked the claim. Musically, the bands did different things, but R.E.M. was first to show us you can be big and still be cool." Biographer David Buckley stated that between 1991 and 1994, a period that saw the band sell an estimated 30 million albums, R.E.M. "asserted themselves as rivals to U2 for the title of biggest rock band in the world." Over the course of its career, the band has sold over 85 million records worldwide.
Alternative bands such as Nirvana, Pavement, Radiohead, Coldplay, Pearl Jam (the band's vocalist Eddie Vedder inducted R.E.M. into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), and Live, have drawn inspiration from R.E.M.'s music. "When I was 15 years old in Richmond, Virginia, they were a very important part of my life," Pavement's Bob Nastanovich said, "as they were for all the members of our band." Pavement's contribution to the No Alternative compilation (1993) was "Unseen Power of the Picket Fence", a song about R.E.M.'s early days. Local H, according to the band's Twitter account, created their name by combining two R.E.M. songs: "Oddfellows Local 151" and "Swan Swan H". Kurt Cobain of Nirvana was a fan of R.E.M., and had unfulfilled plans to collaborate on a musical project with Stipe. Cobain told Rolling Stone in an interview earlier that year, "I don’t know how that band does what they do. God, they’re the greatest. They've dealt with their success like saints, and they keep delivering great music."
During his show at the 40 Watt Club in October 2018, Johnny Marr said: "As a British musician coming out of the indie scene in the early '80s, which I definitely am and am proud to have been, I can't miss this opportunity to acknowledge and pay my respects and honor the guys who put this town on the map for us in England. I'm talking about my comrades in guitar music, R.E.M. The Smiths really respected R.E.M. We had to keep an eye on what those guys were up to. It's an interesting thing for me, as a British musician, and all those guys as British musicians, to come to this place and play for you guys, knowing that it's the roots of Mike Mills and Bill Berry and Michael Stipe and my good friend Peter Buck."
Bandwagon
R.E.M. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We treat him well, we feed him well
There's lots of room for you on the bandwagon
The road may be rough, the weather may forget us
But won't we all parade around and sing our songs
A magic kingdom, open-armed
Greet us hello, bravo, name in lights
Until you're tired looking at all the flags
And all the banners waving
This is some parade, yesiree Bob
Could we have known?
Yesiree Bob, could we have known?
Look at all the flags and all the banners waving
Open up our arms, a magic kingdom, open-armed and greet us all
Come on aboard, I promise you you won't hurt the horse
We treat him well, we feed him well
There's lots of room for you on the bandwagon
The road may be rough, the weather may forget us
But won't we all parade around
And sing our songs and wave our flags
A magic kingdom, greet us all hello
Greet us hello, greet us hello
In R.E.M.'s song Bandwagon, the bandwagon serves as a metaphor for conformity and the pressure to follow the crowd. The lyrics suggest that the bandwagon is a place where everyone is welcomed with open arms and treated well, but it comes at a cost. The road may be rough and the weather may forget them, but the passengers of the bandwagon continue to parade around, wave their flags and sing their songs. The repetition of the phrase "greet us hello" emphasizes the desire for acceptance and validation.
The song has a bittersweet tone, as if the singer is aware of the dangers of blindly following the crowd, but the temptation to join in is too strong to resist. The line "Could we have known?" suggests that there may be regret or questioning of the decision to join the bandwagon in the first place. The lyrics can be interpreted as a commentary on societal pressure to conform and the fear of missing out on something by not following the crowd.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on aboard, I promise you you won't hurt the horse
Join us, don't be afraid to take part. We care for our horse, and won't let anything harm it.
We treat him well, we feed him well
We treat our horse with the utmost respect and attention, ensuring his well-being through proper nourishment and care.
There's lots of room for you on the bandwagon
We welcome you to join our group, as there is plenty of space to accommodate everyone who wants to come along.
The road may be rough, the weather may forget us
Although we may encounter challenges on our journey and be faced with unforeseen circumstances, we remain steadfast in our commitment.
But won't we all parade around and sing our songs
We come together to celebrate, to express ourselves and to enjoy the company of others.
A magic kingdom, open-armed
This is a special place where people are welcomed with open arms and anything is possible.
Greet us hello, bravo, name in lights
As we arrive, we are greeted with cheers and accolades, our names illuminated for all to see.
Passing on the word to fellow passengers and players, passing in
We spread the word about our journey and invite others to join us as we continue on.
Until you're tired looking at all the flags
The excitement and celebration continues, with flags waving and colors flying, until it becomes overwhelming.
And all the banners waving
The banners symbolize our shared purpose and values, reminding us of what we stand for as a group.
This is some parade, yesiree Bob
Our journey has become a grand spectacle, and we revel in the beauty and joy of it all.
Could we have known?
Looking back, we wonder if we could have ever anticipated the incredible journey we would undertake.
Yesiree Bob, could we have known?
We reflect on how far we have come, and whether we could have ever imagined this level of success and fulfillment.
Look at all the flags and all the banners waving
The sight of our symbols and triumphs are a testament to the unity and strength of our group.
Open up our arms, a magic kingdom, open-armed and greet us all
We welcome all those who wish to join us on this magnificent journey, with open arms and a spirit of camaraderie.
Come on aboard, I promise you you won't hurt the horse
Once again, we invite you to join us, with the assurance that we will do everything we can to ensure your safety and peace of mind.
We treat him well, we feed him well
We remain committed to the care of our horse, and to ensuring that our journey is joyful and fulfilling for all involved.
There's lots of room for you on the bandwagon
We encourage anyone who is curious or interested to take the leap and join us, as there is always space for new friends and followers.
The road may be rough, the weather may forget us
As we continue on our journey, we acknowledge that there may be challenges and setbacks, but we remain steadfast in our commitment to one another.
But won't we all parade around
We will continue to revel in the joy and excitement we experience, coming together to celebrate and share our passions with one another.
And sing our songs and wave our flags
We come together to express ourselves, to celebrate our collective identity through music and other shared expressions.
A magic kingdom, greet us all hello
Our journey has become a place of shared wonder and joy, where we come together to be greeted by a welcoming community of like-minded companions.
Greet us hello, greet us hello
We come together to celebrate our triumphs and achievements, and to welcome anyone who wishes to join us on our journey.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Michael Mills, Lynda Laura Stipe, Michael Stipe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind