🎉 Happy Anniversary Murmur! The band’s debut album was released 42 years ago this weekend in 1983… as always, share your favorite track in the comments.
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One of the greatest shows I ever saw: R.E.M. at the 9:30 club, winter 1982 before Murmur came out. It was snowing, and the band wasn't well known. Their van had broken down, so they were super late. There must have been about twelve of us in the club, and the band played as if it was a packed house.
Cool timing! In a weird transitional moment in life that's hard to describe...aging... in my early 50s.. lost my career in these gov job cuts in an instant it seems. Music is taking me back in such vivid replays of parts of my life. Old REM just took me back to the 80s in a very positive way. Thanks
Many years ago I worked with a woman named Adora who was so proud of this band that she wanted all of us to come see them play at Cain’s Ballroom. That was about a year before this album came out. She was a special lady and so is this band❤️. Radio Free Europe fav track.
Early 90s: a friend snuck me in the extension university to check out some of the first computers with internet connections. The first thing we did was look up the lyrics to every song on Murmur.
I sorta miss not knowing.
We could gather throw up beer?
Silly to try for the big kill?
Sitting Still...... Although even after seeing the lyrics, i have no idea at all what it is about... ;)
ps Matthew Sweet and Susanah Hoffs did a very good cover version...
I love this album. Pilgrimage is another big fave
I thought “Carnival of Sorts” was the debut. Maybe not full length album. I loved Boxcars. Played all the albums on WDCE 90.1 FM University of Richmond 1984-1988.
Chronic Town was the EP that preceded Murmur (it contains Carnival of Sorts). Before that, the first thing they ever released was a 45 RPM single of Radio Free Europe (with Sitting Still on the B side).
100%. Raising ourselves. The best music. Feeling like things could get better....
The Boomers have been screwing us over since birth and we just make beautiful music.
It's Radio Free Europe. Heard it first on the radio and had really heard nothing else like it. Like The Byrds married Elvis Costello and gave birth to the band that was coming through the speakers. I'll never forget that sound - and it started me on my REM journey
Talk About The Passion. First saw them at Tiffanys Ballroom in Newcastle in'85. I've never been so sure that a band would be huge as I was after that night.
RFE was the hook right off the top of album.
But…for me, it was “talking about the passion” that sealed it as a band to listen to. The play between the guitar and the vocals was foundation for future songs if not style.
Jumped into all other albums from this one.
I know officially this was there debut album, but Chronic Town forever will be how I remember R.E.M. being debuted. And that’s amazing of a debut album as this is, that is even more of an amazing debut EP.
So hard to choose! That album is a masterpiece. Saw REM touring to support that album in a club in Sacramento 42 years ago. Sitting Still is one of the greatest tunes ever.
A college pal gave me a cassette labelled "XTC/REM," with no other details, but I wasn't sure which band was which until I saw R.E.M. play -- the 40th anniversary of that show is about 2 weeks from now, Bucknell in '85. The tape had this album on one side, & XTC's English Settlement on the other.
Pilgrimage! I saw them play it a couple of times in 1989 and was so happy. Laughing is a very close second. A friend of mine in Atlanta saw their show that year where they played the entirety of Green and then Murmur, and I was so envious.
I also had a radio show there and I played their original Hib Tone single basically every show. I wanted to call my late night show “Nocturnal Emissions” but they said no and it became “Studio X”.
It's hopefully a much better station now. The program director back then treated it like a classic rock station and it sounded like any commercial outlet.
Seeing them perform “Radio Free Europe” on Letterman was a formative moment for this Gen-Xer. I hadn’t heard of them before that, and it made me want more.
I don’t remember seeing that performance on Dave. So great to see REM’s first tv performance and Dave Letterman in his prime. Takes me back. Thanks for posting.
I grew up in the Canadian prairies back in the days of 3 channels and Rabbit ears.
When we finally got cable,
Letterman was always a go to source on what was cool. I taped his show every night and watched it the next day. I was about 13 or 14 when this came out and it blew my mind.
The first time I saw REM live was at Shea Stadium in NYC in the summer of 1983 when they opened for Joan Jett and The Police. I remember there was a heavy downpour during REM’s set.
Can’t believe it’s been 42 years!
Concerts were a different experience in the 80’s and 90’s.
Can't pick a favorite. We used to listen to the entire album, as was the fashion at the time. Learned to play Radio Free Yurp (and all the other songs) as a Jr in high school and never stopped.
Talk about the passion (although it was a tough choice as love radio free Europe too) I saw REM at Southampton Rose Bowl and swore Mike Mills smiled at me. Dined out on that thought for years!
"Radio Free Europe". A bit of a cliche to pick that one, but it's the one I heard the most before buying the album. It's the song that convinced me to buy the album. So, it's the most special song for me.
Favorite track from Murmur: Talk about the Passion. Just sublime everything.
Favorite track of all time: probably Nightswimming, from Automatic for the People. Because we’ve all been there, it’s one of those specific moments that becomes universal ❤️❤️
High school, kid who sat in front of me, we hated each other and would fight every class. Brought this in, he turned to start shit, saw me pop it into my walkman, and was like "no way." Teacher was forever grateful we called a truce.
Happy Record Store Day! Listening to side one of Hindu Love Gods, featuring Mike, Peter, and Bill, plus the legendary Warren Zevon - first time released on vinyl in several decades. Sounds fantastic! Rush out to your local indie store and buy it!
I saw you guys in 1984 (I think), right before you got really big. You came to SIUC while I had a student job as a janitor there. I was cleaning the auditorium before the show and you made the work fly by because you played Beatle‘s tunes for me. It still makes me smile to think of it. 🖖
How the years fly by! This is the album that got me into music and love that album to this day. This dubbed tape in 7th grade started it all. Man, what a time!
I personally think they outdid themselves years later on Letterman when they did "Bad Day." Sadly, it appears that video isn't available on YouTube anymore.
My memory flashback is blaring it while driving, windows down, from San Diego to Rosarito, Mexico, all singing along at the top of our lungs. Good times!
The whole album is great! Sitting Still and We Walk are favorites. My sister and I made up lyrics to all the songs since we had no idea what Michael Stipe was singing.
I was at a party, and I stumbled on a cassette of Murmur. I had never heard of REM, but the cover intrigued me. I stole the cassette from the party. I was not disappointed. Apologies to whomever lost their cassette that night.
I heard Radio Free Europe one night on the local campus radio station (CKCU) & went out next morning to buy the album. It was great, but then I was blown away by the 2nd track, my fav on Murmur & maybe my favourite REM song. I don't try to understand Pilgrimage, but just experience it as a whole.
My friend tells a story about how in the late 80s in Athens, Michael Stipe tried to get my friend and his companions kicked out of a café for being loud, so the group went and TPed Stipes house. Don't know of it's true or not, it's still a fun story.
Mr. Stipe! Free Speech Syndicate is hearing rumors that REM rejected a request from SlipKnot to cover Shiny Happy People. Is this true? If so, would you consider letting them cover Stand?
"Hell," I thought, "It's gonna be tough to beat that Chronic Town cassette I bought at a show." Damned if I wasn't wrong. What a gem! Thanks for Murmur and all the great music.
Comments
I can't pick one song. Why? Because each song on the album is perfectly placed. Take any one out of the track list and it wouldn't be Murmur.
I remember it like it just came out. 🥲
https://chng.it/WBR8LVRmr7
#BuildtheResistance
Here’s another piece of history involving another legend.
I sorta miss not knowing.
We could gather throw up beer?
Silly to try for the big kill?
ps Matthew Sweet and Susanah Hoffs did a very good cover version...
I love this album. Pilgrimage is another big fave
But Murmur is officially their debut LP.
But, if I have to choose, it would be "There She Goes Again"🥰
Gods I feel ancient now.
We have one helluva great generation 🤘
The Boomers have been screwing us over since birth and we just make beautiful music.
They paid for my surgery, my brothers 3 surgeries and my sons early in life heart condition treatment, my best friends cancer.
I’m grateful for their contribution.
https://open.spotify.com/track/1UHmzE3C07RPZhi6cd5Fka?si=PVOQR2CpSMCnLmES_Nbfsg
Can you hear me?
Happy anniversary, I guess
https://youtu.be/Ac0oaXhz1u8?si=7sQS4QcOr0VkZqE0
But…for me, it was “talking about the passion” that sealed it as a band to listen to. The play between the guitar and the vocals was foundation for future songs if not style.
Jumped into all other albums from this one.
Oh, wait. I bought that album in college.
Shit, that means I’M old too.
Seeing them perform “Radio Free Europe” on Letterman was a formative moment for this Gen-Xer. I hadn’t heard of them before that, and it made me want more.
https://youtu.be/dW62Q0TTgS0?si=n3zRqzHSXTGR0d7R
When we finally got cable,
Letterman was always a go to source on what was cool. I taped his show every night and watched it the next day. I was about 13 or 14 when this came out and it blew my mind.
Can’t believe it’s been 42 years!
Concerts were a different experience in the 80’s and 90’s.
Great times ✌️
https://youtu.be/XtTcmqVGXIc?si=0fBjMGjLfFa8aimm
Favorite track of all time: probably Nightswimming, from Automatic for the People. Because we’ve all been there, it’s one of those specific moments that becomes universal ❤️❤️
https://youtu.be/zCMy6kq5ZA0?feature=shared
#Murmur
Dunno why. It just is! ❤️
Gonna listen to the album now and reevaluate 💿
🎵🎶🙂
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_(R.E.M._album)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n_zPwUxy7g
The aching melancholy in the chorus. Standing too soon…
Radio Free Europe, obviously.
Radio Free Europe, great classic
West of the Fields - this song was SO REM..
23 September 1982 - Roman Room, Student Center, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
#REM #PostPunk #Alternative #CollegeRockIsRight #GenX