Fables of the Reconstruction
Encyclopedia
Fables of the Reconstruction, also known as Reconstruction of the Fables, is the third studio album
by the American
alternative rock
band R.E.M.
, released on the I.R.S. Records
in 1985.
.
Despite the growing audience and critical acclaim experienced by the band after its first two albums, Murmur
and Reckoning
, R.E.M. decided to make noticeable changes to its style of music and recording habits, including a change in producer to Joe Boyd
and in recording location to London
, England
.
Boyd was best known for his work with modern English folk musicians, including such acts such as Fairport Convention
and Nick Drake
. However, Fables was a conceptual record by R.E.M. standards. Lyrically, the album explores the mythology and landscape of the South
. The title and chorus of "Cant Get There from Here
", the album's first single (and intentionally misspelled, like most contractions and possessives in R.E.M. titles), is a rural American colloquialism sometimes used in response to a request by travelers for difficult directions. The video for the song received airplay on MTV
.
The opening song, "Feeling Pull", describes falling asleep while reading; Michael Stipe's lyrics also reference surrealist
photographer Man Ray
, setting the tone for the album. The song was a musical departure for the band, making use of a dark, chromatic
guitar figure by Peter Buck, and a string quartet
, while R.E.M.'s previous albums had opened with rhythmic, "jangly
" rock songs. "Maps and Legends" fits the earlier sound and features distinct harmony vocals by bassist Mike Mills, singing different lyrics from Stipe. The song is dedicated to the Reverend Howard Finster
, a noted outsider artist and the band considered Finster to be "a man of vision and feeling—a fine example to all" (Finster created the album sleeve for R.E.M.'s Reckoning the previous year).
"Driver 8
" describes the scenery surrounding railroad tracks in somewhat abstract terms. Trains are a frequent motif in rural American music, suggesting the freedom and promise of an escape from one's home environment. Driven by a distinctive guitar riff, "Driver 8" was one of the songs on the album to receive college radio play, and the record company also authorized a music video
. Beginning with a soft introduction, "Life and How to Live It" charged through another atmospheric, folk rock
arrangement and referenced storytelling. Without mentioning him by name, the song was about Athens, GA author Brivs Mekis, as alluded to in the live performance on the And I Feel Fine...
bonus disc. Mekis wrote a book titled Life: How to Live, and had it printed, only to have all existing copies of it stacked in his closet.
Much of the band's songwriting material in this era also came from the members' own experiences traveling through the country in near-constant tours over the previous several years, as well as an increasing sense of political activism which would find expression on subsequent albums Lifes Rich Pageant
and Document
. Stipe later said that his previous lyrics never really had any literal meanings, and that by this time he had begun to write lyrics that told stories. For example, the Fables song "Green Grow the Rushes", which contains the line "the amber waves of gain", is thought to be about migrant farm laborers
. "Kohoutek" (misspelled as "Kahoetek" in the album's liner notes) referenced the comet Kohoutek
, and is perhaps one of the earliest R.E.M. songs about a romantic relationship, using the comet as a metaphor for a lover who, "like Kohoutek, you were gone." The song "Auctioneer (Another Engine)" deviated from the typical R.E.M. sound of the time, with jagged guitar riffs and more references to old rural ways of life.
The plaintive "Good Advices" contains the following Stipe lyric that has been quoted in musical and literary contexts: "When you meet a stranger, look at his shoes / keep your money in your shoes." A celebration of an eccentric individual is the subject of "Old Man Kensey" (which has lyrics by Stipe's friend Jerry Ayers) and closing track "Wendell Gee
." The latter, a ballad with piano
and more harmonies from Berry and Mills, was the album's third and final single in the UK only, although it made no commercial impression there.
Upon release, Fables of the Reconstruction reached #28 in the United States (going gold in 1991) and was the band's best showing yet in the UK, peaking at #35. Recorded during a period of internal strife—largely due to the R.E.M. members' homesickness and an unpleasant London winter—the band's unenthusiastic view of the album has been public for years, and is often reflected among fans and the press. Drummer Bill Berry
was quoted in the early 1990s as saying that Fables of the Reconstruction "sucked"; frontman Michael Stipe
once shared the opinion but lately has said he considers it home to some of their more notable songs, telling producer Joe Boyd that he had grown to love the album. Peter Buck, in the liner notes of the 25th Anniversary Deluxe edition, said, "Over the years, a certain misapprehension about Fables of the Reconstruction has built up. For some reason, people have the impression that the members of R.E.M. don't like the record. Nothing could be further from the truth. [...] It's a personal favorite, and I'm really proud of how strange it is. Nobody but R.E.M. could have made that record."
Fables was often characterized by a slow tempo and an intentionally murky sound, in contrast with the more upbeat and jangly (if equally abstract) sound of earlier R.E.M. material. Nevertheless, the focus on American folk instruments such as the banjo
in "Wendell Gee" and a few additional orchestrations (string instrument
s in "Feeling Gravitys Pull" and honking brass
in " Get There from Here") began the band's route toward the layered, acoustic-based sound they adopted for their popular breakthrough in the late '80s and early '90s with albums such as Green, Out of Time
, and Automatic for the People
.
The liner notes list a song titled "When I Was Young" as among the tracklisting, but it does not appear on the album. The song was played live several times during the 1985 "Preconstruction" U.S. college tour (a tour that took place before the release of the album), but it was quickly dropped. However, the song was reworked into "I Believe", released on the following album Rich Pageant. A demo version of "When I Was Young" appears as "Throw Those Trolls Away" on the 25th Anniversary Edition of Fables, released July 13, 2010; the CD-Text
information on the disc, however, still identifies the song's title as "When I Was Young".
, Peter Buck
, Mike Mills
and Michael Stipe
except as indicated.
Side one – "A Side"
Side two – "Another Side"
1992 IRS Vintage Years reissue bonus tracks
2010 25th Anniversary Edition reissue bonus tracks (The Athens Demos)
Additional musicians
Production
†I.R.S. Vintage Years edition, with bonus tracks
Singles
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, released on the I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
in 1985.
Details
On the vinyl and cassette releases, side one was labeled the "A side" and side two "Another side." The "A side" label bore the title Fables of the Reconstruction, while "Another side" bore the title Reconstruction of the Fables. The front cover of all releases shows the words "Fables of the", while the back cover reads "Reconstruction of the". The CD label has the title simply as "Fables of the Reconstruction", while both spines are labeled "Reconstruction of the Fables". The ambiguous title makes possible reference to both the Reconstruction era of the United States and the literary process of deconstructionDeconstruction
Deconstruction is a term introduced by French philosopher Jacques Derrida in his 1967 book Of Grammatology. Although he carefully avoided defining the term directly, he sought to apply Martin Heidegger's concept of Destruktion or Abbau, to textual reading...
.
Despite the growing audience and critical acclaim experienced by the band after its first two albums, Murmur
Murmur (album)
Murmur is the debut album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 1983 on I.R.S. Records. Murmur drew critical acclaim upon its release for its sound, defined by singer Michael Stipe's cryptic lyrics, guitarist Peter Buck's jangly guitar style, and bassist Mike Mills' melodic...
and Reckoning
Reckoning (R.E.M. album)
Reckoning is the second album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 1984 by I.R.S. Records. Produced by Mitch Easter and Don Dixon, the album was recorded at Reflection Sound Studio in Charlotte, North Carolina over 16 days in December 1983 and January 1984...
, R.E.M. decided to make noticeable changes to its style of music and recording habits, including a change in producer to Joe Boyd
Joe Boyd
Joe Boyd is an American record producer and former owner of the Witchseason production company. Boyd was instrumental in launching the careers of Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, and The Incredible String Band.-Career:...
and in recording location to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Boyd was best known for his work with modern English folk musicians, including such acts such as Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
and Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
. However, Fables was a conceptual record by R.E.M. standards. Lyrically, the album explores the mythology and landscape of the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. The title and chorus of "Cant Get There from Here
Cant Get There From Here
"Cant Get There from Here", or "Can't Get There from Here", was the first single released by R.E.M. from its third studio album Fables of the Reconstruction in 1985. The song peaked at #10 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, equaling to a position of #110 on the main Billboard Hot 100...
", the album's first single (and intentionally misspelled, like most contractions and possessives in R.E.M. titles), is a rural American colloquialism sometimes used in response to a request by travelers for difficult directions. The video for the song received airplay on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
The opening song, "Feeling Pull", describes falling asleep while reading; Michael Stipe's lyrics also reference surrealist
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
photographer Man Ray
Man Ray
Man Ray , born Emmanuel Radnitzky, was an American artist who spent most of his career in Paris, France. Perhaps best described simply as a modernist, he was a significant contributor to both the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal...
, setting the tone for the album. The song was a musical departure for the band, making use of a dark, chromatic
Chromatic scale
The chromatic scale is a musical scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone apart. On a modern piano or other equal-tempered instrument, all the half steps are the same size...
guitar figure by Peter Buck, and a string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
, while R.E.M.'s previous albums had opened with rhythmic, "jangly
Jangle pop
Jangle pop is a genre of alternative rock from the mid-1980s that "marked a return to the chiming or jangly guitars and pop melodies of the '60s" bands such as The Byrds, with their electric twelve-string guitars and power pop song structures. Mid-1980s jangle pop was a non-mainstream "pop-based...
" rock songs. "Maps and Legends" fits the earlier sound and features distinct harmony vocals by bassist Mike Mills, singing different lyrics from Stipe. The song is dedicated to the Reverend Howard Finster
Howard Finster
Howard Finster was an American artist and Baptist reverend from Georgia. He claimed to be inspired by God to spread the gospel through the environment of Paradise Garden and over 46,000 pieces of art. His creations overlap folk art, outsider art, naïve art, and visionary art...
, a noted outsider artist and the band considered Finster to be "a man of vision and feeling—a fine example to all" (Finster created the album sleeve for R.E.M.'s Reckoning the previous year).
"Driver 8
Driver 8
"Driver 8" was the second single from R.E.M.'s third album, Fables of the Reconstruction. Released in September 1985, the song peaked at #22 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart...
" describes the scenery surrounding railroad tracks in somewhat abstract terms. Trains are a frequent motif in rural American music, suggesting the freedom and promise of an escape from one's home environment. Driven by a distinctive guitar riff, "Driver 8" was one of the songs on the album to receive college radio play, and the record company also authorized a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
. Beginning with a soft introduction, "Life and How to Live It" charged through another atmospheric, folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
arrangement and referenced storytelling. Without mentioning him by name, the song was about Athens, GA author Brivs Mekis, as alluded to in the live performance on the And I Feel Fine...
And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987
And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982–1987 is a compilation album by R.E.M. that features songs from the band's years at I.R.S. Records. All tracks have been remastered, and the set was released 12 September 2006...
bonus disc. Mekis wrote a book titled Life: How to Live, and had it printed, only to have all existing copies of it stacked in his closet.
Much of the band's songwriting material in this era also came from the members' own experiences traveling through the country in near-constant tours over the previous several years, as well as an increasing sense of political activism which would find expression on subsequent albums Lifes Rich Pageant
Lifes Rich Pageant
Lifes Rich Pageant is the fourth album by the American band R.E.M., released in 1986. Intended as an upbeat reaction to the sobering and historical Fables of the Reconstruction, R.E.M...
and Document
Document (album)
Robert Christgau praised the album, and called "It's the End of the World as We Know It " an "inspirational title." Stephan Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic said that "Where Lifes Rich Pageant sounded a bit like a party record, Document is a fiery statement, and its memorable melodies and riffs are made...
. Stipe later said that his previous lyrics never really had any literal meanings, and that by this time he had begun to write lyrics that told stories. For example, the Fables song "Green Grow the Rushes", which contains the line "the amber waves of gain", is thought to be about migrant farm laborers
Migrant worker
The term migrant worker has different official meanings and connotations in different parts of the world. The United Nations' definition is broad, including any people working outside of their home country...
. "Kohoutek" (misspelled as "Kahoetek" in the album's liner notes) referenced the comet Kohoutek
Comet Kohoutek
Comet Kohoutek, formally designated C/1973 E1, 1973 XII, and 1973f, was first sighted on 7 March 1973 by Czech astronomer Luboš Kohoutek. It attained perihelion on 28 December that same year....
, and is perhaps one of the earliest R.E.M. songs about a romantic relationship, using the comet as a metaphor for a lover who, "like Kohoutek, you were gone." The song "Auctioneer (Another Engine)" deviated from the typical R.E.M. sound of the time, with jagged guitar riffs and more references to old rural ways of life.
The plaintive "Good Advices" contains the following Stipe lyric that has been quoted in musical and literary contexts: "When you meet a stranger, look at his shoes / keep your money in your shoes." A celebration of an eccentric individual is the subject of "Old Man Kensey" (which has lyrics by Stipe's friend Jerry Ayers) and closing track "Wendell Gee
Wendell Gee
"Wendell Gee" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released as the third and final single from the group's third studio album Fables of the Reconstruction in 1985. It was released in Europe only, in two 7" and two 12" formats....
." The latter, a ballad with piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and more harmonies from Berry and Mills, was the album's third and final single in the UK only, although it made no commercial impression there.
Upon release, Fables of the Reconstruction reached #28 in the United States (going gold in 1991) and was the band's best showing yet in the UK, peaking at #35. Recorded during a period of internal strife—largely due to the R.E.M. members' homesickness and an unpleasant London winter—the band's unenthusiastic view of the album has been public for years, and is often reflected among fans and the press. Drummer Bill Berry
Bill Berry
William "Bill" Thomas Berry is a retired American musician, multi-instrumentalist, best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. In addition to his drumming duties, Berry played many other instruments including guitar, bass guitar, and piano, both for songwriting and on R.E.M....
was quoted in the early 1990s as saying that Fables of the Reconstruction "sucked"; frontman Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
once shared the opinion but lately has said he considers it home to some of their more notable songs, telling producer Joe Boyd that he had grown to love the album. Peter Buck, in the liner notes of the 25th Anniversary Deluxe edition, said, "Over the years, a certain misapprehension about Fables of the Reconstruction has built up. For some reason, people have the impression that the members of R.E.M. don't like the record. Nothing could be further from the truth. [...] It's a personal favorite, and I'm really proud of how strange it is. Nobody but R.E.M. could have made that record."
Fables was often characterized by a slow tempo and an intentionally murky sound, in contrast with the more upbeat and jangly (if equally abstract) sound of earlier R.E.M. material. Nevertheless, the focus on American folk instruments such as the banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
in "Wendell Gee" and a few additional orchestrations (string instrument
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
s in "Feeling Gravitys Pull" and honking brass
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
in " Get There from Here") began the band's route toward the layered, acoustic-based sound they adopted for their popular breakthrough in the late '80s and early '90s with albums such as Green, Out of Time
Out of Time (album)
Out of Time is the seventh album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on Warner Bros. Records in 1991. With Out of Time R.E.M.'s status grew from that of a cult band to a massive international act. The record topped the album sales charts in both the U.S...
, and Automatic for the People
Automatic for the People
Automatic for the People is the eighth album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 1992 on Warner Bros. Records. While R.E.M...
.
The liner notes list a song titled "When I Was Young" as among the tracklisting, but it does not appear on the album. The song was played live several times during the 1985 "Preconstruction" U.S. college tour (a tour that took place before the release of the album), but it was quickly dropped. However, the song was reworked into "I Believe", released on the following album Rich Pageant. A demo version of "When I Was Young" appears as "Throw Those Trolls Away" on the 25th Anniversary Edition of Fables, released July 13, 2010; the CD-Text
CD-Text
CD-Text is an extension of the Red Book Compact Disc specifications standard for audio CDs. It allows for storage of additional information on a standards-compliant audio CD...
information on the disc, however, still identifies the song's title as "When I Was Young".
Track listing
All songs written by Bill BerryBill Berry
William "Bill" Thomas Berry is a retired American musician, multi-instrumentalist, best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. In addition to his drumming duties, Berry played many other instruments including guitar, bass guitar, and piano, both for songwriting and on R.E.M....
, Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
, Mike Mills
Mike Mills
Michael Edward "Mike" Mills is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock group R.E.M.. Though known primarily as a bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and pianist, his musical repertoire includes also keyboards, guitar, and percussion instruments...
and Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
except as indicated.
Side one – "A Side"
- "Feeling Pull" – 4:51
- "Maps and Legends" – 3:10
- "Driver 8Driver 8"Driver 8" was the second single from R.E.M.'s third album, Fables of the Reconstruction. Released in September 1985, the song peaked at #22 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart...
" – 3:23 - "Life and How to Live It" – 4:06
- "Old Man Kensey" (Jerry Ayers, Berry, Buck, Mills, and Stipe) – 4:08
Side two – "Another Side"
- "Cant Get There from HereCant Get There From Here"Cant Get There from Here", or "Can't Get There from Here", was the first single released by R.E.M. from its third studio album Fables of the Reconstruction in 1985. The song peaked at #10 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, equaling to a position of #110 on the main Billboard Hot 100...
" – 3:39 - "Green Grow the Rushes" – 3:46
- "Kohoutek" – 3:18
- "Auctioneer (Another Engine)" – 2:44
- "Good Advices" – 3:30
- "Wendell GeeWendell Gee"Wendell Gee" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released as the third and final single from the group's third studio album Fables of the Reconstruction in 1985. It was released in Europe only, in two 7" and two 12" formats....
" – 3:01
1992 IRS Vintage Years reissue bonus tracks
- "Crazy" (PylonPylon (band)Pylon is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The band's danceable jangle pop sound influenced the Athens music scene and the 1980s American pop underground. Allmusic wrote that Pylon's "role as elder statesmen of the alternative rock explosion is unassailable".-History:All four members of...
) - B-side of "Driver 8Driver 8"Driver 8" was the second single from R.E.M.'s third album, Fables of the Reconstruction. Released in September 1985, the song peaked at #22 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart...
" 7" single - "Burning Hell"
- B-side of "Can't Get There From Here" 12" single
- "Bandwagon" (Berry, Buck, Mills, Lynda Stipe, Stipe)
- B-side of "Can't Get There From Here" 7" and 12" single
- "Driver 8" (Live)
- B-side of "Wendell GeeWendell Gee"Wendell Gee" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released as the third and final single from the group's third studio album Fables of the Reconstruction in 1985. It was released in Europe only, in two 7" and two 12" formats....
" 12" single
- B-side of "Wendell Gee
- "Maps and Legends" (Live)
- B-side of "The One I Love" 7" single
2010 25th Anniversary Edition reissue bonus tracks (The Athens Demos)
- "Auctioneer (Another Engine)"
- "Bandwagon" (Berry, Buck, Mills, Lynda Stipe, and Michael Stipe)
- "Cant Get There from Here"
- "Driver 8"
- "Feeling Gravitys Pull"
- "Good Advices"
- "Green Grow the Rushes"
- "Hyena"
- "Kohoutek"
- "Life and How to Live It"
- "Maps and Legends"
- "Old Man Kensey" (Ayers, Berry, Buck, Mills, and Stipe)
- "Throw Those Trolls Away"
- "Wendell Gee"
Personnel
R.E.M.- Michael StipeMichael StipeJohn Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
– lead vocals (credited as "JM Stipe – Gaffer Interpreter") - Mike MillsMike MillsMichael Edward "Mike" Mills is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock group R.E.M.. Though known primarily as a bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and pianist, his musical repertoire includes also keyboards, guitar, and percussion instruments...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, piano, vocals (credited as "ME Mills – Consolate Mediator") - Peter BuckPeter BuckPeter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
(credited as "PL Buck – Ministry of Music") - Bill BerryBill BerryWilliam "Bill" Thomas Berry is a retired American musician, multi-instrumentalist, best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. In addition to his drumming duties, Berry played many other instruments including guitar, bass guitar, and piano, both for songwriting and on R.E.M....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocals (credited as "WT Berry – Best Boy")
Additional musicians
- David Bitelli – tenorTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
and baritoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
on "Cant Get There from Here" - Camilla Brunt – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on "Feeling Gravitys Pull" - Jim Dvorak – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
on "Cant Get There from Here" - Philippa Ibbotson – violin on "Feeling Gravitys Pull"
- David Newby – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
on "Feeling Gravitys Pull" - Peter ThomasPete Thomas (saxophonist)Pete Thomas is a leading British music producer, TV and film composer, recording musician, and saxophonist. He was born in London and is now based in Southampton, England. He is also an expert in Jazz music and theory.-Biography:...
– tenor saxophone on "Cant Get There from Here"
Production
- Joe BoydJoe BoydJoe Boyd is an American record producer and former owner of the Witchseason production company. Boyd was instrumental in launching the careers of Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, and The Incredible String Band.-Career:...
– productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Berry Clempson – engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Tony Harris – engineering
- M. K. Johnston – photography and art
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | I.R.S. I.R.S. Records I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S... |
vinyl LP Gramophone record A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove... |
MIRF1003 | |
| United States | I.R.S. | LP | IRS-5592 | |
| cassette tape | IRSC-5592 | |||
| Compact Disc Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
IRSD-5592 | |||
| Greece | Illegal Illegal Records Illegal Records is a record label founded by Miles Copeland III with his younger brother Stewart Copeland and the manager of The Police, Paul Mulligan in 1977. The label released The Police's debut single, Fall Out.... |
LP | 26525 | |
| Australia | I.R.S./Epic Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... |
LP | ELPS 4495 | |
| The Netherlands | I.R.S. | LP | 26525 | |
| Worldwide | MCA MCA Records MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003... |
Compact Disc | 5592 | |
| I.R.S. | cassette tape | IRSC-5592 | ||
| The Netherlands | EMI EMI The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major... |
Compact Disc | 7 13160 2 9† | |
| United Kingdom | Simply Vinyl | 180-gram vinyl LP | SVLP151 | |
| Worldwide | Capitol Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine... |
Compact Disc | 93479 | |
| Europe | EMI | Compact Disc | 13160† | |
| Worldwide | I.R.S. | Compact Disc | 19016 | |
| United States | Simply Vinyl | LP | 0000151 | |
| Europe | I.R.S. | Compact Disc | 7131602† | |
†I.R.S. Vintage Years edition, with bonus tracks
Chart performance
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
28 |
| 1985 | UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
35 |
Singles
| Year | Song | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "Cant Get There from Here" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 14 |
| 1985 | "Driver 8" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 22 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA – United States | Gold | June 24, 1991 |
External links
- R.E.M.HQ on Fables of the Reconstruction (I.R.S. Vintage Years edition) (LP reissue) (I.R.S. Vintage Years edition)