Rap? I'm not a fan of REM at all, and I'm not a fan of Rap at all, but strangely enough I like this more than any other REM song. Good it short though. 

I’m not a big REM fan, but really like this. Must investigate the rest of the album

Why wasn't this a single?

Thanks RP for digging up hidden treasures.

Not necessarily their best work, but it has a wonderful strength to it.

I also like Q-Tip's bit, harmonizing along with Stipe. 

Touched by the sheer brilliance in song writing of Mr. Stipe again!

 ratdogx wrote: 

Not the first time they've worked with a rapper. Remember KRS 1 on "Radio Song" from Out of Time (1991)?

last time played.... 2005? too bad, considering i have heard some songs this month that were wayyyy less interesting

Brilliant song. Q-Tip's rap is beautiful, positive and powerful. Kudos to Michael and crew for not being in a box, unlike many of our fellow listeners..

i think this track is very wonderful. i strongly disagree with all the hatred... though i know it's a bit of an adult-contemporary styled track.

psycholynx wrote: What about Run-DMC/Aerosmith??

excerpt from Martin Luther King speech at the Holt Street Baptist Church during the Montgomery Bus Boycott (5th December, 1955): "I want to say that with all of our actions we must stick together. Unity is the great need of the hour. And if we are united, we can get many of the things that we not only desire but which we justly deserve. And don't let anybody frighten you. We are not afraid of what we are doing, because we are doing it within the law." excerpt from MLK speech delivered on April 3rd, 1968, the night before he was assasinated: "Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get will get to the promised land! And so I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!"

radiojunkie wrote: Powerful is the right word. Rap is supposed to be jarring. It's a form of protest music. Like rock in the 60s- the young kids relate and the oldsters can't stand it. Don't be an oldster....

Funny, first time I heard this song, I wasn't loving the Rap bit. (seeing as I detest rap) Then I listened to it a couple more times and realized that "like" and "rap" are not oxymorons... Thought it fit well together and an interesting mingling of music genres. That doesn't mean I"ll go out and buy any other rap music any time soon (or EVER), though. The rest of the album is wonderful.

psycholynx wrote: It worked fine the first time they did it..Radio Song / Out of Time. That was 14 years ago. This one is pretty weak.

Sonus wrote: I could go for Cypress Hill with Pearl Jam right about now.

Sonus wrote: This isn't even the first time REM has done such a collaboration...

psycholynx wrote: Are you new to the game? Rap/rock started long before Jay-Z and LP. Hope you know that at least!

Spliff wrote: one too many spliffs for you: it's spelled DUO not dou!!!

Q-Tip and R.E.M. = 5 (8 for REM - 3 for adding a rapper...Wha?!?) You can blame this on Linkin Park and Jay-Z. While I liked that match-up, I didn't with this one. Up Next .... Celine Dion with Ludacris.

moocray wrote: speaking of shut up, you should Mr. Funny Guy!

phrawzty wrote: Bullshit--this is a good collaboration. Just because most of REM's recent stuff is shit, doesn't mean it's all shit.

phrawzty wrote: It's an artistic thing, you wouldn't understand.

I thought it was really powerful. Fie on you naysayers, I say -- fie!

Ooh, poor q-tip. He must really be hard up for cash. :(

ksb wrote: :nodhead: And who's that over in the corner? Look, it's Mini-Q... A 3.

Am going to see REM live in Rotterdam tomorrow yipeeeeeeeeeeeee :umbrella.gif: EDIT: They were absolutely fantastic!

This is the best music I've heard from REM in a LONG time. And that's not saying much.

This song is pretty bad, but the rap part at the end makes it simply unbearable. REM tried this before on "Radio Song" and it didn't work back then, either.

zaknafein wrote: I CONCUR!! Saw them in October 2004 at Gwinnett Arena (outside Atlanta, GA) and loved the entire show... but THIS song was perhaps the most powerful moment for me. Given the impending election then, it was full of PROTEST!

Lately REM has caused way too much REM....zzzzzz....they've crossed over into Adult Contemporary territory. The rap at the edge was a lame attempt at edginess, perhaps? Wasn't much of a wake up call for me.

moocray wrote: Wasn't that ironical? I remember someone told the uncertainty he's got concerning his singing voice is chronic. He's seldom satisfied with the results of it.

q tip and rem? no thanks also too bad michael stipe made me hate him and REM: "it's not easy having the best voice in rock and roll" he once said while i'm at it, the heck with bill corgan also corgan expressed his anger at pumpkin fans for not appreciating one of their last albums and getting pissed at the fans for not being willing to follow them into the "new direction of rock and roll" (said it on howard stern) hey michael and billy: shut up and just make good music! i am funny

This song is really something live.

Whoa, thought that was Mike Myers from Austin Powers rapping there for a bit...

Very nice song! Quite different from much of REM's other music. I like genre cross-overs (usually, anyway) and I think this worked well.

great lyrics, haunting atmosphere - this is why I've loved REM for so many years you took me to the restaurant where we first met. you knocked a future shock crowbar upside my head. I got caught with the stop of the tick tock, tick tock clock when you told me what you knew. lost in the moment, the day that the music stopped. and I do remember you. DRAWING PATTERNS WITH A CORK ON THE TABLECLOTH. PROMISING VOLCANIC CHANGE OF PLOT. WHERE WILL THIS LEAD US? I'M SCARED OF THE STORM. THE OUTSIDERS ARE GATHERING. A NEW DAY IS BORN. I tried to tell you I am not afraid you looked up and saw it all across my face so am I with you or am I against? I don't think it's that easy, we're lost in regret. now I'm trying to remember the feeling when the music stopped. when you told me what you knew. lost in the moment, the day that the music stopped. and I do remember you. DRAWING PATTERNS WITH A CORK ON THE TABLECLOTH. PROMISING VOLCANIC CHANGE OF PLOT WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE US, I'M SCARED OF THE STORM. THE OUTSIDERS ARE GATHERING, A NEW DAY IS BORN. DRAWING PATTERNS WITH A CORK ON THE TABLECLOTH. PROMISING VOLCANIC CHANGE OF THOUGHT WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE US? I'M SCARED OF THE STORM. THE OUTSIDERS ARE GATHERING, A NEW DAY IS BORN. THE OUTSIDERS ARE GATHERING, A NEW DAY IS BORN. THE OUTSIDERS ARE GATHERING. A man walks away. when every muscle says to stay. how many yesterdays? they each weigh heavy. who says what changes may come. who says what we call home. I know you see right through me, my luminescence fades, the dusk provides an antidote, I am not afraid. I've been a million times, in my mind, and this is really just a technicality. frailty. reality. uh, It's time to breathe. Time to believe. Let it go and run towards the sea. they don't teach that, they don't know what you mean. they don't understand, they don't know what you mean. they don't get it, I want to scream. I want to breathe again, I want to dream. I want to float a quote from Martin Luther King I am not afraid I am not afraid I am not afraid I AM NOT AFRAID I AM NOT AFRAID I AM NOT AFRAID I AM NOT AFRAID

My favourite of the album!

big fan of REM. huge fan of Q-Tip and Tribe Called Quest... not a fan of this song in the least.

Most REM to me is energy, inspiration to live, brain food to my "power lines with floaters". Great REM gets your blood following through your brain and heart while getting your joints moving. This song has lost some of the REM ROOTS edge (which was still alive with late albums like Monster and Automatic), but it is still REM and my final verdict will be when I see them live on the up coming tour. (Hopefully they will add a Taiwan date to the Asian tour) After all, if they can still transform the power to my soul from the general admission performances 20 years ago when I first experienced REM, then they can still keep me as a fan. If not, I have lots of good memories.

UGH

Appallingly drab and uninspired. The new REM is a total letdown. Are they joking?

ChardRemains wrote: And REM is just as capable of making terrible music as any other band.

I like the song but I think it could have been better. The two parts sound too much like two different songs. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there should be mixing of the two voices instead of just having a break in between.

Priceless?

trekhead wrote: very funny. Still REM though..

Spliff wrote: :nodhead:

fncll wrote: Same here. Not a big REM fan (don't hate them either), but this track really caught my interest....

Frawg wrote: "Radio Song" was with KRS-1, I believe. Similiar concept, though.

That's funny. My copy of The Outsiders didn't have a subtitle. But it's good to know Pony, Cherry and the gang practiced good audio-hygeine.

Obviously you never heard "Radio Song" then. s Arachnid wrote:

The New Dynamic Dou - Q-Tip & Ass Wipe.

I don't think I liked the Q-Tip part. rest of it was good though.

QTip? I bet that guy has an EAR for music. Actually, having heard it now, I think he has more an EAR for a Thesaurus.

Q-Tip w/ REM?? I would've never thunk it. Kind of a strange combo but damn I enjoy it!

fncll wrote: You said it...fresh REM. Whoa!

new REM!...interesting. Didn't know it was them at first....kind of like it though...want to hear more..

I can't believe I actually like this!