Guest blogger Dana continues…
Here is another song I came to through the controversial video and radio play. However, getting beyond Miley’s shedding of Hannah Montana and her controversial antics at various appearances, most notably the MTV music awards, the fact of the matter is, at least in my opinion, this is a damn good song.
Please welcome guest blogger Dana…
Well, those who read our back and forth on your blog had to have known, just as you did, that this song would make an appearance.:)
Here’s another example of a song I love from radio play, but have not bought the album, nor do I intend to do so. I have heard a few of the other tracks from the album and they were far weaker than this mega-hit.
Frequent commenter Dana had quite a bit to say about my ‘best songs of the year’ selections (in particular, he lamented the lack of radio hits).
Obviously every year-end list is different. Mine was light on Billboard toppers, and I’m sure Dana’s hypothetical list would ignore the great year for women in country music. Both of our lists would completely ignore heavy metal. Doesn’t make either of us right or wrong.
I don’t think there is any band or solo artist whose music can instantly put me in a specific emotional and mental zone the way R.E.M. can.
To be more specific, this is true for any R.E.M. album release between 1983 and 1996 (in other words, the Michael Mills years). Once Mills left, either because of his absence or by coincidence, the band lost that special alchemy for me.
It’s weird to hear any song from Side Two of Abbey Road on its own (with the exception of ‘Here Comes the Sun’). ‘Because’ isn’t an official segment of the 16-minute medley that makes up most of Side Two, but it may as well be.
John Lennon said that the inspiration for this track came to him when he heard Yoko playing Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’ on the piano. He ask her to play the chords backward and built the song around that progression.
