50 Days of R.E.M. # 5 So.Central Rain

 This naturally follows. An old post:

'Did you never call. I waited for your call...'

For its thrilling guitar figure. For its brevity. Not a moment is wasted. For its wonderful title,  So. Central Rain is not mentioned in the lyric. Because its chorus refrain is simply 'I'm Sorry...' not a common Rock sentiment, at the time or since. For its almost biblical tone, cities washing away, building things on rocks, which reminded me of The Band, The Byrds and Creedence when I first heard it. Not common denominators in 1983. For Mike Mills extraordinary wordless backing vocal towards the close of the song which convey the ultimate, most incredible desolation. It's a song that still regularly makes me cry. I applaud my youthful taste.

Also because it was clearly an important song to the band as they played it before it was recorded on both their debut TV appearances on US and UK television. On The David Letterman Show before it even had a title. Because they were clearly very proud of it. With good reason. I'm not remotely tired of it, almost forty years on after relentless playing and replaying of it down the years. It, along with so many of the band's early songs, brought back some eternal verities that were in danger of being forgotton. One of Michael's favourites.