R.E.M. “Fall on Me” released

Fall on Me R.E.M.

Writer(s): Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe (see lyrics here) Released: July 14, 1986 First Charted: August 9, 1986 Peak: 94 BB, 5 AR, 7 CO, 2 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 5.9 video, 16.57 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: By the 1990s, R.E.M. achieved superstardom, thanks to Out of Time and Automatic for the People both achieving worldwide sales of 18 million. They’d first reached platinum status with their fifth album, 1987’s Document, thanks to the top-ten success of “The One I Love.” However, over their first four albums it didn’t look like the Athens, Georgia-based band would ever move much beyond its college rock audience. The band released their first single, “Radio Free Europe,” in 1981 and it could make a claim as the college rock anthem. After the 1983 release of their debut album Murmur, critics embraced them for their jangly pop and new folk-rock sound that defied categorization. Over the next three years they released Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, and Life’s Rich Pageant. They definitely showed consistency – all four albums were gold sellers that peaked in the top 40 of the Billboard album chart. Life’s Rich Pageant featured two singles – “Fall on Me” and “Superman.” In 1986, drummer Bill Berry said “Fall on Me” was about acid rain and how it threatened the environment, SF but lead singer Michael Stipe has described it as “a song about oppression.” WK He cited the story of Galileo dropping feathers and weights from the Leaning Tower of Pisa as part of the inspiration for the first verse WK and the song’s main line: “don’t fall on me.” The title also evokes “the story of Chicken Little and his belief that the sky was about to fall.” AM The song was notable for Stipe making “a concerted effort to enunciate his trademark mumble.” AM It was a transition to “a more accessible sound” WK from the band’s earlier “murky lyrics and jangling guitar” trademark. WK In addition, the song was unusual because it was more of a duet between Stipe and bassist Mike Mills. WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for R.E.M. AM AllMusic.com review by Denise Sullivan SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 6/18/2024.