14 replies to this topic

[thomas08]

Was just thinking about this earlier on...

If R.E.M. announced one last performance before they closed shop forever, and they were only going to perform one song, which song would you choose and why?

For me it'd have to be End of The World. 1 because it's such an upbeat song, 2 because it's a perfect song to go out on and 3 because there's no definitive length to the song, like at some shows it went on for 7-8 minutes!

[fanofrem]

for me it must be bitterweet me, because it was the first r.e.m. song i heard.

[thomas08]

also it was never performed live, always wondered why as it's a really great song.

its kind of a bummer the way that during the last tour they made a huge effort to play all their early tracks and never got round to playing some of their more recent songs that they'd never performed live very often before.

off the top of my head bittersweet me, falls to climb, disappear, chorus and the ring, sindwinder, be mine etc.

[fanofrem]

best song they ever made. hopefully they could have played those songs live in studio.

[rosie]

walk unafraid.  great message, and it sums up what the band were about, too.

[stipeeyes]

fanofrem, on 19 February 2012 - 12:51 PM, said:

for me it must be bitterweet me,

It's the same for me.  My reason is the lyrics remind me of something personal I went through.

[7 chineSe robs.]

"Bittersweet Me" would be a great choice. I'd lean toward "Leave," in part because it's their longest song and I'd want to extend the magic as long as possible. I'm not so much looking for a song that ties into their retirement, new beginnings, etc. Just awesome music.

[Discoverer]

Bittersweet me has always been one of my favorite REM songs. Its such a pity they never once played it live. it seems like it would translate very well

[stipeeyes]

Michael had said a lot and even last year when he did the NYC Times Q & A that there is a song on Hi Fi he doesn't like at all.  He said, "I'm not going to say what it is because it might be someone's favorite song or they might have got married to it".  So if the hint is married the only song on Hi Fi that could be a couples song is Be Mine.  I think Bittersweet Me is personal to Michael and that's why they never played it live. That just might be the only single they never played live.

[thomas08]

also the sidewinder sleeps tonite

and Mine Smell Like Honey, Überlin, Oh My Heart and We All Go Back to Where We Belong. It's such a shame collapse into now will never be performed live

[simonfox]

I think Perfect Circle would be a wonderful last song for the band. To me that describes the trajectory of the band - from small time 'indie' band to huge stadium rockers and back to two final albums which revisited those 'indie' roots and made us remember why we loved them in the first place. (Well that's how I feel anyway). A perfect circle... from the beginning to the end.

[wagtail]

an epic 33 minute version of airportman.  most perfect goodbye ever.

[afte4hou4s]

wagtail, on 22 February 2012 - 03:11 AM, said:

an epic 33 minute version of airportman.  most perfect goodbye ever.

Hahah cool!

[Remixomatosys]

An extended version of be mine.
Leave or bittersweet me would be great, too.
The best choice, for me, would be imitation of life (the long version from advance 2001) with a Peter Buck solo

[AsktheSky]

I would love to hear We All Go Back to Where We Belong performed live, but it would break my heart to hear it. It was Christmas before I could listen to that song without crying my eyes out!!

I would dearly love to hear live, one last time, Old Man Kensey, and Peters hypnotic guitar work, as performed in the Little America/Preconstruction/Reconstruction eras, with Michael taking us away on his oratory rambles, telling his stories of what the man got up to etc, and then wildly improvising the lyrics to another song. Priceless and never to be forgotton! There will never be another REM.