R.E.M. Top 5 Videos + Bonus

On September 21, 2011, R.E.M. announced their retirement in a news release on its website. Enjoy my Top 5 Videos of R.E.M and see what we going to miss. Official site: www.remhq.com. Official R.E.M. YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/remhq

1. LOSING MY RELIGION
(Peter Buck/Michael Stipe/Bill Berry/Mike Mills)
From the album Out of Time

Life is bigger
It’s bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I’ve said too much
I set it up

That’s me in the corner
That’s me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don’t know if I can do it
Oh no I’ve said too much
I haven’t said enough

I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try
Every whisper
Of every waking hour
I’m choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool
Oh no, I’ve said too much
I set it up

Consider this
The hint of the century
Consider this
The slip that brought me
To my knees failed
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around
Now I’ve said too much

I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream

That’s me in the corner
That’s me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don’t know if I can do it
Oh no I’ve said too much
I haven’t said enough

I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream, try, cry, why, try
That was just a dream, just a dream, just a dream
Dream

SEE LOSING MY RELIGION VIDEO ON YOUTUBE:

2. AT MY MOST BEAUTIFUL
(Peter Buck/Michael Stipe/Mike Mills)
From the album Up

I’ve found a way to make you
I’ve found a way
A way to make you smile

I read bad poetry
Into your machine
I save your messages
Just to hear your voice.
You always listen carefully
To awkwards rhymes.
You always say your name.
Like I wouldn’t know it’s you
At your most beautiful.

I’ve found a way to make you
I’ve found a way
A way to make you smile

At my most beautiful
I count your eyelashes secretly.
With every one, whisper I love you.
I let you sleep.
I know you’re closed eye watching me,
Listening.
I thought I saw a smile.

I’ve found a way to make you
I’ve found a way
A way to make you smile

SEE AT MY MOST BEAUTIFUL VIDEO ON YOUTUBE:

3. DAYSLEEPER
(Peter Buck/Michael Stipe/Mike Mills)
From the album Up

Receiving dept. 3 a.m.
Staff cuts have socked up the overage
Directives are posted.
No callbacks complaints.
Everywhere is calm.
Hong Kong is present
Taipei awakes

All talk of circadian rhythm
I see today with a newsprint fray
My night is colored headache gray
Daysleeper

The bull and the bear are marking
Their territories
They’re leading the blind with
Their international glories
I’m the screen the blinding light
I’m the screen, I work at night.
I see today with a newsprint fray
My night is colored headache gray
Don’t wake me with so much.
Daysleeper.

I cried the other night
I can’t even say why
Fluorescent flat caffeine lights
Its furious balancing
I’m the screen, the blinding light
I’m the screen, I work at night
I see today

Don’t wake me with so much. the
Ocean machine is set to nine
I’ll squeeze into heaven and valentine
My bed is pulling me.
Gravity

Daysleeper, daysleeper.
Daysleeper, daysleeper, daysleeper

SEE DAYSLEEPER VIDEO ON YOUTUBE:

4. THE GREAT BEYOND
(Peter Buck/Michael Stipe/Mike Mills)
From the Original Soundtrack for the movie Man on the Moon

I’ve watched the stars fall silent from your eyes
All the sights that I have seen
I can’t believe that I believed I wished
That you could see
There’s a new planet in the solar system
There is nothing up my sleeve

I’m pushing an elephant up the stairs
I’m tossing up punchlines that were never there
Over my shoulder a piano falls
Crashing to the ground

And all this talk of time
Talk is fine
And I don’t want to stay around
Why can’t we pantomime, just close our eyes
And sleep sweet dreams
Being here with wings on our feet

I’m pushing an elephant up the stairs
I’m tossing up punchlines that were never there
Over my shoulder a piano falls
Crashing to the ground

I’m breaking through
I’m bending spoons
I’m keeping flowers in full bloom
I’m looking for answers from the great beyond

I want the hummingbirds, the dancing bears
Sweetest dreams of you
Look into the stars
Look into the moon

I’m pushing an elephant up the stairs
I’m tossing up punchlines that were never there
Over my shoulder a piano falls
Crashing to the ground

I’m breaking through
I’m bending spoons
I’m keeping flowers in full bloom
I’m looking for answers from the great beyond

I’m breaking through
I’m bending spoons
I’m keeping flowers in full bloom
I’m looking for answers from the great

(repeat next verses 3x each)
I’m breaking through
I’m bending spoons
I’m keeping flowers in full bloom
I’m looking for answers from the great beyond

I’m breaking through
I’m bending spoons
I’m keeping flowers in full bloom
I’m looking for answers from the great

SEE THE GREAT BEYOND VIDEO ON YOUTUBE:

5. EVERYBODY HURTS
(Peter Buck/Michael Stipe/Mike Mills)
From the album Automatic for the People

When your day is long and the night
The night is yours alone
When you’re sure you’ve had enough of this life, well hang on
Don’t let yourself go
Everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes

Sometimes everything is wrong
Now it’s time to sing along
When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)
If you feel like letting go (hold on)
When you think you’ve had too much of this life, well hang on

Everybody hurts
Take comfort in your friends.
Everybody hurts
Don’t throw your hand. Oh, no
Don’t throw your hand
If you feel like you’re alone, no, no, no, you are not alone

If you’re on your own in this life
The days and nights are long
When you think you’ve had too much of this life to hang on

Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody cries
And everybody hurts sometimes
And everybody hurts sometimes
So, hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
(Hold on, hold on)

Everybody hurts
You are not alone

SEE EVERYBODY HURTS VIDEO ON YOUTUBE:

BONUS: THE ONE I LOVE
(Peter Buck/Michael Stipe/Bill Berry/Mike Mills)
From the album Document

This one goes out to the one I love
This one goes out to the one I’ve left behind
A simple prop, to occupy my time
This one goes out to the one I love

Fire
Fire

This one goes out to the one I love
This one goes out to the one I’ve left behind
A simple prop, to occupy my time
This one goes out to the one I love

Fire
(She’s comin’ down on her own, now)
Fire
(She’s comin’ down on her own, now)

This one goes out to the one I love
This one goes out to the one I’ve left behind
Another prop has occupied my time
This one goes out to the one I love

Fire
(She’s comin’ down on her own, now)
Fire
(She’s comin’ down on her own, now)
Fire
(She’s comin’ down on her own, now)
Fire
(She’s comin’ down on her own, now)

SEE THE ONE I LOVE FROM TOUR FILM 1989 ON YOUTUBE:

Read more about R.E.M. on this blog:
R.E.M. – I don’t believe yet, but it’s over
Happy B-Day, Michael Stipe

Rocket Man

“Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)” is a song composed by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and originally performed by Elton John. The song echoes the theme of David Bowie’s 1969 song “Space Oddity” (both recordings were produced by Gus Dudgeon), but, according to an account in Elizabeth Rosenthal’s book, His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John, the song was inspired by Taupin’s sighting of either a shooting star or a distant airplane. The account goes on to relate that the notion of astronauts no longer being perceived as heroes, but in fact as an “everyday occupation” led him to the song’s opening lines, “She packed my bags last night, pre-flight. Zero hour: 9 a.m. And I’m gonna be high as a kite by then.”

This is the front cover for the 45 Rocket Man album by Elton John, with “Susie (Dramas)” as B-side.

The song first appeared on John’s 1972 album Honky Château and became a hit single, rising to #2 in the UK and #6 in the U.S.

Elton John performing “Rocket Man” in Rock in Rio 2011.

The lyrics in the song, inspired by a short story of the same title written by Ray Bradbury, and written by John’s longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, describe a Mars-bound astronaut’s mixed feelings at leaving his family in order to do his job. Musically, the song is a highly arranged pop ballad anchored by piano, with atmospheric texture added by synthesiser and processed slide guitar.

SEE ROCKET MAN VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE:
Live in Rock in Rio September, 2011:

With NASA Footsteps:

ROCKET MAN
(I Think It’s Going To Be A Long Long Time)
Music and lyrics Elton John and Bernie Taupin

She packed my bags last night pre-flight
Zero hour nine a.m.
And I’m gonna be high as a kite by then
I miss the earth so much I miss my wife
It’s lonely out in space
On such a timeless flight

And I think it’s gonna be a long long time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I’m not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no I’m a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone

Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact it’s cold as hell
And there’s no one there to raise them if you did
And all this science I don’t understand
It’s just my job five days a week
A rocket man, a rocket man

And I think it’s gonna be a long long time…

© 1972 Dick James Music Limited

The Rocket Man lyrics was taken from http://www.eltonography.com/index.html

New Year’s Day

“New Year’s Day” is a song by rock band U2. It is on their 1983 album War and it was released as the album’s lead single in January 1983. Written about the Polish Solidarity movement, “New Year’s Day” is driven by Adam Clayton’s distinctive bassline and The Edge’s keyboard playing. It was the band’s first UK hit single, peaking at #10 on the singles chart, #11 on the Dutch Top 40 and charting on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in their career. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine placed the single at #427 on their list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.

“New Year’s Day” is a song of U2 1983 album “War”.

The lyric had its origins in a love song from Bono to his wife, but was subsequently reshaped and inspired by the Polish Solidarity movement. The bass part stemmed from bassist Adam Clayton trying to figure out what the chords to the Visage song “Fade to Grey” were.
In 1983, Bono said of the song, “It would be stupid to start drawing up battle lines, but I think the fact that ‘New Year’s Day’ made the Top Ten indicated a disillusionment among record buyers. I don’t think ‘New Year’s Day’ was a pop single, certainly not in the way that Mickie Most might define a pop single as something that lasts three minutes and three weeks in the chart. I don’t think we could have written that kind of song.”

NEW YEAR’S DAY
U2

Yeah…

All is quiet on New Year’s Day.
 A world in white gets underway.
 I want to be with you, be with you night and day.
 Nothing changes on New Year’s Day.
 On New Year’s Day.

I… will be with you again.
 I… will be with you again.

Under a blood-red sky
 A crowd has gathered in black and white
 Arms entwined, the chosen few
 The newspaper says, says
 Say it’s true, it’s true…
 And we can break through
 Though torn in two
 We can be one.

I… I will begin again
 I… I will begin again.

Oh, oh. Oh, oh. Oh, oh.
 Oh, maybe the time is right.
 Oh, maybe tonight.
 I will be with you again.
 I will be with you again.

And so we are told this is the golden age
 And gold is the reason for the wars we wage
 Though I want to be with you
 Be with you night and day
 Nothing changes
 On New Year’s Day
 On New Year’s Day
 On New Year’s Day

SEE NEW YEAR’S DAY LIVE AT SLANE CASTLE, 2001 ON YOUTUBE:

He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother

HE AIN’T HEAVY, HE’S MY BROTHER

“He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” is a popular music ballad written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. Originally recorded by Kelly Gordon in 1969, the song became a worldwide hit for The Hollies later that year and again for Neil Diamond in 1970.

The Hollies in 1969.

The Hollies’ recording, which featured Elton John on piano, was released in the UK on 1 September 1969 and on 1 December 1969 in the US. The Neil Diamond version was released as a single on November 7, 1970. The flip side was “Free Life”. The song appears on the Neil Diamond album “Tap Root Manuscript”, which was released November 21, 1970. In 1988, Bill Medley recorded a version for the end credits of the film Rambo III. This version, produced by Giorgio Moroder, was released in the UK as a single around the same time as the re-issued Hollies version, and both featured in the “Top 40” simultaneously, Medley’s version reaching #25.

The Hollies album single He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Brother, with ‘Cos you Like to Love Me as B-side, was released on 1969.

HE AIN’T HEAVY, HE’S MY BROTHER
Music and lyrics by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell

The road is long
With many a winding turns
That leads us to who knows where,
Who knows where.
But I’m strong,
Strong enough to carry him.
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.

So on we go.
His welfare is of my concern.
No burden is he to bear,
We’ll get there.
For I know
We would not encumber me.
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.

If I’m laden at all,
I’m laden with sadness
That everyone’s heart
Isn’t filled with the gladness
Of love for one another.

It’s a long, long road
From which there is no return.
While we’re on the way to there,
Why not share?
And the load
Doesn’t weigh me down at all.
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.

He’s my brother.
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother…

SEE THE HOLLIES’ HE AIN’T HEAVY HE’S MY BROTHER ON YOUTUBE:

SEE ALSO THE BILL MEDLEY’S HE AIN’T HEAVY, HE’S MY BROTHER ON YOUTUBE:

Love Hurts

“Love Hurts” is the name of a song, written and composed by Boudleaux Bryant and Felice Bryant. First recorded by The Everly Brothers in July 1960, as an album track on “A Date with The Everly Brothers”.

The first hit version of the song was by Roy Orbison, who earned Australian radio play, hitting the Top Five of that country’s singles charts in 1961. The most successful recording of the song was by hard rock band Nazareth, who took the song to the U.S. Top 10 in 1975 and hit number one in Norway and the Netherlands. In the UK the most successful version of the song was by former Traffic member Jim Capaldi, who took it to number four in the charts in November 1975 during a 11-week run. The song was also covered by Cher in 1975 for her album Stars. Cher re-recorded the song in 1991 for her album of the same name. Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

See “Love Hurts” by Nazareth, live in Brazil, on YouTube and see how the vocalist looks like Bilbo Baggins from the Lord of the Rings… Yes, it is a great song but time does not forgive anyone…:

See also the original 1976 Nazareth Video for “Love Hurts”:

LOVE HURTS
Music and lyrics by Boudleaux Bryant and Felice Bryant

Love hurts,
Love scars,
Love wounds and marks
Any heart not tough or strong enough
To take a lot of pain, take a lot of pain
Love is like a cloud, it holds a lot of rain
Love hurts,
Ooo-oo love hurts

I’m young,
I know,
But even so
I know a thing or two, I learned from you
I really learned a lot, really learned a lot
Love is like a flame It burns you when it’s hot
Love hurts,
Ooo-oo love hurts

Some fools think
Of happiness, blissfulness, togetherness
Some fools fool themselves, I guess
They’re not foolin’ me
I know it isn’t true I know it isn’t true
Love is just a lie made to make you blue
Love hurts,
Ooo-oo love hurts

I know it isn’t true
I know it isn’t true
Love is just a lie made to make you blue
Love hurts,
Ooo-oo love hurts
Ooo-oo, love hurts, Ooo-oo