Mix Tape of the Day: March 12, 2015 - The (Mostly) Best of R.E.M. (1987-1992)

It's time for another R.E.M. mix.  Last time, I gave more of an overview of their whole career.  This time, we're focusing on their peak with the four albums Document, Green, Out of Time, and Automatic for the People.  I've selected three great songs from each, as well as my favorite rarity from this era.  But I did not pick my favorite song from each album.  Those songs hold a special place in my heart and I'm saving them each for a more fitting occasion.

1. Exhuming McCarthy - R.E.M. (1987) Maybe it's just because these were the four albums I owned, but it really feels like R.E.M. made the leap from good to great with Document in 1987.  Part of it might have had to do with the changing in record companies that occurred after this album. Along with the switch from I.R.S. Records to Warner Bros. came a new producer in the form of Scott Litt who would oversee this and the following five albums.  It's always cool when music quality can be traced to personnel changes.

2. Finest Worksong - R.E.M. (1987) Continuing with the overtly political theme, R.E.M. delivers a song for all those hard workers out there, doing the labor for those who have confused "what we want" and "what we need."  More maybe this is just a hardcore workout song.  It's hard to tell with R.E.M.

3. The One I Love - R.E.M. (1987) At least this one is much clearer to understand.  Just a plain old love song....Wait a minute..."A simple prop to occupy my time..."  That doesn't sound like love to me at all!  They lied to me through song!  I hate it when people do that!

4. The Wrong Child - R.E.M. (1988) I'm not as keen on Green, but I feel it has some underrated cuts.  Like this one about an isolated, ostracized, somehow "abnormal" child.  Is it about someone who lives with a contagious illness or some physical deformity or a mental disorder?  It works for all of that and then some.

5. Pop Song 89 - R.E.M. (1988) But R.E.M. was getting pretty good with their catchy pop songs by this point, even if they felt they were a bit formulaic.

6. Orange Crush - R.E.M. (1988) This one I can't quite explain.  I know what it's about but that's not why I like it.  It just feels like a great song, musically.  And the vague lyrics paired with the paradoxically upbeat and somber emotions just make it cool to listen to.

7. Love Is All Around - R.E.M. (1991) This is just a cover that was a B-side to the...subpar "Radio Song" single.  But it's got that something special to it.  I think it's Stipe's "ba babab-ba-ba ba ba ba."

8. Endgame - R.E.M. (1991) Maybe it's the current weather, or maybe it's nostalgia, but this song just reminds me of summer.  In fact, a lot of these R.E.M. songs do.  This one is just a great end to a fun and relaxing summer day.

9. Shiny Happy People - R.E.M. (1991) Often considered the most "poppy" and "worst" R.E.M. song by the fans and band members alike, I have to...agree.  But that won't stop me or them from including it on a best hits list!

10. Losing My Religion - R.E.M. (1991) Here it is, the first R.E.M. song I was aware of in my life.  And it made me the man I am today.

11. Drive - R.E.M. (1992) This.  The first song on the best R.E.M. album of all time (and by default, the best album of all time?).  Hearing those opening notes just lets me know that something magnificent is about to happen.

12. Man on the Moon - R.E.M. (1992) This ode to Andy Kaufman led to Michael Stipe becoming the composer for the biopic that shares the title with this song.  It's got a lot of layers and a weird sense of logic and humor, yet it's still welcoming and pleasant.  Almost like Kaufman himself.

13. Everybody Hurts - R.E.M. (1992) Okay, maybe this song has become the go-to joke for "horribly depressing songs," but ignore all that for a second.  It was supposed to be a simple and straightforward song for teenagers to relate to.  Nothing more.  So if it helps some sad kid get through his day, well then, that's something special.