REM ballads appreciation thread

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LemonMelon

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It might just be me, but I have always preferred REM's softer side. Some of their rockers (especially in the early days) kind of blend together for me, but the ballads have always been strong. Some of their classics include:

Perfect Circle
Camera
One I Love
Country Feedback
Everybody Hurts
Nightswimming
Find The River
I Don't Sleep, I Dream
E-Bow The Letter
Suspicion

And so on...:drool:
 
elevated_u2_fan said:
Daysleeper? I dunno if this is more rocky or ballady... either way i like...

Definitely closer to the ballad side, I would say, and also one of their best.

I cried the other night
I can't even say why
Fluorescent flat caffeine lights
Its furious balancing


:heart:
 
You still missed Be Mine, maybe my favorite song from New Adventures.

:drool:
 
Nightswimming :heart:

I'd add Strange Currencies to that list as well. I'm not sure about I Don't Sleep, I Dream being considered a ballad, but it's still one of my favorites off of Monster.
 
I love Daysleeper. Most anything in a waltz-time gets a :up: from me.

Find the River is my favorite REM ballad (see my username for further evidence).
 
REM ballads :drool:

Find the River:drool: :drool: :drool:

But a definition of a ballad should be established for some of these choices I would never consider a ballad...
 
:lol: I get that a lot online.

And yeah, some of these choices are a strange pick for "ballad." Near Wild Heaven? I Don't Sleep, I Dream?

I don't know that I could define a ballad per se, but I know it when I hear it. Near Wild Heaven ain't it. :wink:

Also? I have to say I'd be happy never to hear Everybody Hurts again in this lifetime. That's the exception to my previously-stated waltz-time rule.
 
corianderstem said:
:lol: I get that a lot online.

And yeah, some of these choices are a strange pick for "ballad." Near Wild Heaven? I Don't Sleep, I Dream?

I don't know that I could define a ballad per se, but I know it when I hear it. Near Wild Heaven ain't it. :wink:

Also? I have to say I'd be happy never to hear Everybody Hurts again in this lifetime. That's the exception to my previously-stated waltz-time rule.

EVERYYYYYBODY CRIESSSSSSSSSSS

SOMETIMESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
 
I Don't Sleep, I Dream isn't a ballad? :( It has a pretty slow tempo and a piano, so I just don't know what else to call it. :shrug:
 
A down-tempo non-ballad. :wink:

I dunno, it's got kind of a driving beat, albeit a slow one. And plenty of non-ballads have piano. I don't think a slow tempo automatically makes it a ballad.
 
LemonMelon said:


:crack: I'm on the "Everybody Hurts is an overrated waste of seconds" bandwagon.

The only reason I tolerate that song is the line "Don't throw your hand", and the fact that the video was filmed in San Antonio and I was there for the filming...
 
BonoVoxSupastar said:


The only reason I tolerate that song is the line "Don't throw your hand", and the fact that the video was filmed in San Antonio and I was there for the filming...

:up: That's all kinds of awesome, BVS!

I only like the song when I'm extremely depressed. The rest of the time, my brain functions properly and reminds me how lousy of a song it is. :shrug:
 
LemonMelon said:


The rest of the time, my brain functions properly and reminds me how lousy of a song it is. :shrug:

I think it reminds us of the fact that ALL artists succumb to the lowest common denominator every once in awhile...
 
I have nothing against Everybody Hurts, but I don't listen to it much and it's not my favourite REM song.

Try Not To Breathe, is it a ballad? I really love that one.

And Find The River must be one of my favourite all-time-songs, it is beautiful, deep and so very touching.

I love Michael's voice very much.
 
Country Feedback rules them all.

Anyone mentioned New Test Leper? That's a great one, Stipe's delivery is perfect.
 
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