R.E.M. released there 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."
Low
R.E.M. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where did it go?
I've been laughing
Fast and slow
Moving in a still frame
Howling at the moon
Morning found me laughing
Up and down, downLow, low, low
Night suits me fine
And morning suits me fine
I've been so happy, happy
Way up high, high
In between
Down below
Low, low, low
Low, low, low
I skipped the part about love
It seems so silly and low
Low, low, low
Low, low, low
I said the morning
It isn't your time
Barefoot naked
I can see your lines
It doesn't bother me
If you are right
Your grass is grassy wet
Your light white is bright, light, white
Light
I skipped the part about love
Low, low, low
Low, low, low
You and me
We know about time
We know how things go
They come and go
They live and grow
They pass and go
And glow and glow
Up and down
High and low
Low, low, low
Low, low, low
I skipped the part about love
It seems so silly and low
I skipped the part about love
It seems so shallow and low
Low, low, low
Low, low, low
I like your hands
All full of glory
All full of glory
The lyrics of R.E.M.'s song Low are open to interpretation, but one possible explanation is that the song is about feeling detached and disconnected from the world around us. The opening lines "Dusk is dawn is day, where did it go?" suggest a feeling of confusion and disorientation, as if the singer doesn't know where they are or where they're going. The imagery of moving in a "still frame" and howling at the moon suggests a sense of being stuck and unable to move forward.
As the song continues, the singer reflects on their own happiness and how it's been both "way up high" and "low, low, low." They seem to be suggesting that there's a cyclical nature to happiness and that it's not always easy to maintain. The singer also reflects on the idea of love, but dismisses it as "silly" and "shallow," suggesting a cynicism about romantic relationships.
Later in the song, the singer takes note of someone else, perhaps a lover or a friend, and describes their appearance in detail. This could suggest that the singer is starting to reconnect with the world around them or at least become more aware of others. The final lines "I like your hands, all full of glory" could be seen as a moment of appreciation or even admiration for the person being described.
Overall, the song Low seems to be exploring themes of disconnection, cyclical emotions, and the struggle to find meaning in the world. The imagery and wordplay throughout the song create a dreamlike atmosphere that reinforces these ideas.
Line by Line Meaning
Dusk is dawn is day
Time passes quickly and it's hard to distinguish one moment from another
Where did it go?
Time moves very quickly and it's hard to keep track of it
I've been laughing
I have been happy and enjoying life
Fast and slow
Life has its ups and downs
Moving in a still frame
Life seems to be standing still, but is actually full of movement and change
Howling at the moon
Expressing my feelings and desires for something more
Morning found me laughing
My mood has stayed the same throughout the night
Up and down, down
Life has a lot of ups and downs
Low, low, low
Feeling down and not able to pick myself up
Night suits me fine
I am comfortable being alone and in the dark
And morning suits me fine
I am happy when it's light outside and the day has just begun
I've been so happy, happy
I've been genuinely enjoying life and feeling content
Way up high, high
Feeling exuberant and overjoyed
In between
Feeling neutral or indifferent
Down below
Feeling sad or depressed
I skipped the part about love
I am not interested in talking about love
It seems so silly and low
Love doesn't seem important or worth discussing
Low, low, low
Feeling sad or hopeless
I said the morning
I prefer to be awake during the day rather than the night
It isn't your time
I don't think it's your moment to shine yet
Barefoot naked
Completely vulnerable and exposed
I can see your lines
I can see through you and all your weaknesses
It doesn't bother me
I am not affected by your flaws or shortcomings
If you are right
If your beliefs or opinions are correct
Your grass is grassy wet
Your life seems to be going well and you're thriving
Your light white is bright, light, white
You shine brightly and glow with purity and goodness
You and me
We share experiences and can relate to each other
We know about time
We understand that time is fleeting and moves quickly
We know how things go
We have experienced life's ups and downs
They come and go
Things are never permanent and always changing
They live and grow
Things can evolve and transform over time
They pass and go
Things can disappear and never come back
And glow and glow
Things can shine brightly and radiate positivity
Up and down
Life is a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences
High and low
Feeling ecstatic or feeling depressed
I like your hands
I appreciate and admire your hard work and accomplishments
All full of glory
Full of pride and success
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michael Stipe, Michael Mills, Peter Lawrence Buck, William Thomas Berry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@williamtsmith9668
But can you decipher what it all means?
See her releasing a Monarch?
See the portrait, at the end, of 2 new legends?
The First and the Last.
High, and Low.
And in the middle.
Once in a great while.
A spirit. A personality.
Shows up on the scenes.
He, rarely, meets up with a woman, that is compatible with His God inspired duties.
Tell me where I'm wrong.
I'll wait.
@roiybenkel682
Dusk is dawn is day
Where did it go?
I've been laughing
Fast and slow
Moving in a still frame
Howling at the moon
Morning found me laughing
Up and down, down
Low low low
Night suits me fine
and morning suits me fine
I've been so happy
Way up high, high
In between
Down below
Low low low
I skipped the part about love
It seems so silly and low
Low low low
Low low low
I said the morning
It isn't your time
Barefoot naked
I can see your lines
It doesn't bother me
That you are right
Your grass is grassy wet
Your light white is bright
Light white light
I skipped the part about love
It seems so shallow and low
Low low low
Low low low
You and me
We know about time
We know how things go
They come and go
They live and grow
They pass and go
And glow and glow
Up and down
High and low
Low low low
Low low low
I skipped the part about love
It seems so silly and low
I skipped the part about love
It seems so shallow and low
Low low low
Low low low
I like your hands
All full of glory
All full of glory
@redadamearth
I imagine that it's hard to believe for kids today to understand that there was a time in America when this poetic, folk-inspired music was the #1 album in the country. It was just a different time, when intellectual and artistic pursuits held a lot more cultural sway. These days, an album like this would barely even register above the noise of nonsense the big labels spews out.
@vincerabbit
I had this album on cassette and was obsessed with it during my teenage hermit phase. This is a masterpiece
@sunshaped
David Brennan ha, same here.
@DasVolksbad
same here in east-germany. opened the gates to indie-territory...
@robertlane1197
Very very important cassette the summer of 91 ❤️
@PaulJonkerHoffren
I agree. Listened to it over and over again. I still don't get the lyrics though.
@chicken69075
Same here..when music was music..we were all blessed being a teenager growing up 1991..now I cant even do a roly poly.(forward roll)🤪
@MaquiladoraIII
Love the Stipe low voice. This guy had a crazy range.
@sameetupponi9573
@@mirror9553 lllllplllllapppppppppppppppa
@chrisryland202
Definitely a great performer 🐕