R.E.M. - Man On The Moon

This was already one of my favourite R.E.M. songs of all time, even before i read a post on Pop Songs 07-08, which is by the way surely one of the best blogs ever, the writer gives insights into every R.E.M. song sans Accelerate.

He writes, "It's a celebration of belief in the face of absurdity, and embracing faith even when you think you know better" which is something i really identify with, and an idea that when reconciled with the song just makes it even more special to me. Some of my favourite Stipe lyrics ever too, there are no others i know of that can combine such humour and acid-tongued prolificacy with such depth. In writing about his agnostic protagonist, the comedian Andy Kaufman, Stipe doesn't lay out a story for the listener as much as present a much more conflicted view of belief. This conflict of ideas or whatever is kind of a metaphor that appeals to me because for me believing in someone or something is never straight forward but ridden with the highs and lows of real faith and doubt, sometimes at the same time too.

"Here's a truck stop instead of St Peters, yeah yeah yeah yeah
Mr Andy Kaufman's gone wrestling, yeah yeah yeah yeah
So Andy did ya hear about this one, tell me are we locked in the punch?
Hey Andy are you goofing on Elvis? Hey baby, are we losing touch?
If you believed they put a man on the moon
If you believe there's nothing up my sleeve, then nothing is cool"

R.E.M. - Man on the moon / Its amazing live too.



Speaking of live, and on an unrelated note, will some good bands come and play live in Singapore please! Looking around the closest are the Manics coming down, but i'm not really a fan, although beggars can't be choosers (in more ways than one, i think i'm too broke to see them anyway, $95 ?!) (this is in no offence to local musicians, though i am definitely not in enough of the know to er, know who to watch and what not. Someone please recommend me some proper 'local' music)