7 Chinese Bros.

Last updated
"7 Chinese Bros."
Song by R.E.M.
from the album Reckoning
ReleasedApril 9, 1984
Genre Alternative rock
Length4:18
Label I.R.S.
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"7 Chinese Bros." is a song by R.E.M. that was first released on their 1984 album Reckoning .

Contents

Lyrics and music

The lyrics to "7 Chinese Bros.", as with many R.E.M. songs of this period, are somewhat mysterious. [1] The title and some of the lyrics were influenced by the 1938 children's book The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop. [1] [2] [3] In the book, the five brothers each have a special power, and the brother capable of swallowing the ocean agrees to do so in order that a young boy can collect fish from the dry seabed. [1] [2] [3] This seems to be the basis for the lyrics in the refrain about "Seven Chinese brothers swallowing the ocean," even though in the book only one of the brothers swallows the ocean. [1] [2] [3] Another line in the refrain, "She will return," has been interpreted to be a reference to Carol Levy, a friend of the band who had died in a car accident. [1] [3] Lead singer Michael Stipe has stated that the song was about him once "breaking up a couple, and then dating both of them, a man and a woman, which is a terrible thing to do, but I was young and stupid." [3] This incident may be the inspiration for another line in the refrain "Seven thousand years to sleep away the pain." [3]

Allmusic critic Denise Sullivan describes Bill Berry's drumming as giving the song "a danceability unfound in most R.E.M. tracks." [2] However, Stipe felt that the drumming was too loud in the mix on Reckoning. [1] Sullivan states that Peter Buck's guitar "creeps along in melodic jangle tones throughout." [2] Rolling Stone critic Christopher Connelly states that "Buck does it all: curt, distorted background chords, icy piano notes, warm chordal plucking and high-string riffs that drone." [4] Co-producer Mitch Easter has stated that "7 Chinese Bros." was "another classic modal-sounding R.E.M. song where the guitar had this familiar and yet slightly odd quality about it. It had that sort of simple but real memorable guitar line that they were real good at." [1] According to Northwest Herald critic Bryan Wawzenek, Mike Mills' "melodic bass" dovetails with Buck's guitar lines. [5]

Writing and recording

According to Stipe, "7 Chinese Bros." was written in North Carolina. [6]

Stipe had difficulty recording "7 Chinese Bros." and in particular his first attempts at recording the vocal were too soft. [1] [7] In an effort to get Stipe into a better mood to record, co-producer Don Dixon threw him the Revelaires gospel album The Joy of Knowing Jesus. [7] Stipe sang the liner notes to that album to the music of "7 Chinese Bros.", which inspired him to record a usable vocal performance of the lyrics to "7 Chinese Bros." [1] [7] The recording of the liner notes to The Joy of Knowing Jesus was issued as a b-side to the 12" single of "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)" under the title "Voice of Harold". The "Voice of Harold" track was also included on the compilation Dead Letter Office . [1] [2] [7]

Reception

Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine called "7 Chinese Bros." a "classic," praising its "pulsating riffs." [8] Connelly states that "the song flows with elegiac grace." [4]

Cover versions

Chris and Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes covered "7 Chinese Bros." in an acoustic show in Portland 2020, with Peter Buck joining them as a guest guitarist. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Murmur</i> (album) 1983 studio album by R.E.M.

Murmur is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on April 12, 1983, by I.R.S. Records. Murmur drew critical acclaim upon its release for its unusual sound, defined by lead singer Michael Stipe's cryptic lyrics, guitarist Peter Buck's jangly guitar style, and bass guitarist Mike Mills's melodic basslines.

<i>Monster</i> (R.E.M. album) 1994 studio album by R.E.M.

Monster is the ninth studio album by American rock band R.E.M., released on September 27, 1994, by Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by the band and Scott Litt and recorded at four studios. The album was an intentional shift from the style of their previous two albums, Out of Time (1991) and Automatic for the People (1992), by introducing loud, distorted guitar tones and simple lyrics.

<i>Reckoning</i> (R.E.M. album) 1984 studio album by R.E.M.

Reckoning is the second studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on April 9, 1984, by I.R.S. Records. Produced by Mitch Easter and Don Dixon, the album was recorded at Reflection Sound Studio in Charlotte, North Carolina, over 16 days in December 1983 and January 1984. Dixon and Easter intended to capture the sound of R.E.M.'s live performances, and used binaural recording on several tracks. Lead singer Michael Stipe dealt with darker subject matter in his lyrics, with water-related imagery being a recurring theme on the album.

<i>Fables of the Reconstruction</i> 1985 album by R.E.M.

Fables of the Reconstruction is the third studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was released on June 10, 1985, through I.R.S. Records. It was the band's first album recorded outside of the U.S., with sessions taking place at Livingston Studios in London with producer Joe Boyd. The record displays a darker, murkier sound and lyrics drawing from Southern Gothic themes and characters. Additionally, more varied instrumentation is utilized, including string and brass arrangements and banjo.

<i>Document</i> (album) 1987 album by R.E.M.

Document is the fifth studio album by American rock band R.E.M., released on August 31, 1987, by I.R.S. Records. It was the first album by the band to be produced by Scott Litt.

<i>Dead Letter Office</i> (album) 1987 compilation album by R.E.M.

Dead Letter Office is a rarities and B-sides collection by R.E.M., released in April 1987. The album is essentially a collection of many additional recordings R.E.M. made from before Murmur to Lifes Rich Pageant that were outtakes or released as B-sides to their singles internationally. Many of the tracks are favorite cover versions indicating the band's disparate influences and musical tastes, including three Velvet Underground covers, and songs by Aerosmith, Roger Miller, and fellow Athenians Pylon ("Crazy").

<i>New Adventures in Hi-Fi</i> 1996 R.E.M. album

New Adventures in Hi-Fi is the tenth studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was their fifth major-label release for Warner Bros. Records, released on September 9, 1996, in Europe and Australia, and the following day in the United States. New Adventures in Hi-Fi was the band's final album recorded with founding drummer Bill Berry, original manager Jefferson Holt, and long-time producer Scott Litt. The members of R.E.M. consider the recorded album representative of the band at their peak, and fans generally regard it as the band's last great record before a perceived artistic decline during the late 1990s and early 2000s. It has sold around seven million units, growing in cult status years after its release, with several retrospectives ranking it among the top of the band's recorded catalogue.

<i>Up</i> (R.E.M. album) Album by R.E.M.

Up is the eleventh studio album by American rock band R.E.M. It was released on October 26, 1998, through Warner Bros. Records. The album was the band's first without drummer and founding member Bill Berry, who retired from the band in October 1997. In his place, R.E.M. used session drummers such as Joey Waronker and Barrett Martin while also utilizing drum machines. The album was produced by Pat McCarthy, making it R.E.M.'s first album since Lifes Rich Pageant (1986) not to be produced by Scott Litt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imitation of Life (song)</span> 2001 single by R.E.M.

"Imitation of Life" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was written by band members Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe and produced by the band with Pat McCarthy for their 12th studio album, Reveal (2001). The track's title comes from Douglas Sirk's 1959 film of the same name and is used as a metaphor for adolescence and adulthood. One of R.E.M.'s most pop-influenced tracks, "Imitation of Life" has been described lyrically as "see[ing] through the puffed-up performance of a hopeful entertainer", as well as the enjoyment of love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radio Free Europe (song)</span> 1981 single by R.E.M.

"Radio Free Europe" is the debut single by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 1981 on the short-lived independent record label Hib-Tone. The song features "what were to become the trademark unintelligible lyrics which [sic] have distinguished R.E.M.'s work ever since." The single received critical acclaim, and its success earned the band a record deal with I.R.S. Records. R.E.M. re-recorded the song for their 1983 debut album Murmur. The re-recording for I.R.S. became the group's first charting single, peaking at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is ranked number 389 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 2009, it was added to the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry for setting "the pattern for later indie rock releases by breaking through on college radio in the face of mainstream radio's general indifference."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stand (R.E.M. song)</span> 1989 single by R.E.M.

"Stand" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released as the second single from the album Green in 1989. The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming R.E.M.'s second top 10 hit in the United States, and topped both the Mainstream Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts. The song reached number 48 on the UK Singles Chart and number 16 in Canada. It was placed on R.E.M.'s Warner Bros. Records "best of" album In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003 in 2003, as well as the 2011 compilation album Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage.

<i>R.E.M. Live</i> 2007 live album and DVD from R.E.M.

R.E.M. Live is a live album from R.E.M., recorded at the Point Theatre, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, on February 26 and 27, 2005, the closing nights of the winter European leg of the Around the World Tour in support of their thirteenth studio album Around the Sun, released in late 2004. It was released in the United Kingdom on October 15, 2007 and in the United States a day later as a two-CD audio set and a DVD, then released in February 2008 as a triple vinyl set. The performance was filmed by Blue Leach, who also directed Depeche Mode's Touring the Angel: Live in Milan.

"Sitting Still" is a song by American rock band R.E.M. that was issued on their first single in 1981 and on their 1983 debut album Murmur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turn You Inside-Out</span> 1988 song by R.E.M.

"Turn You Inside-Out" is a song by American rock band R.E.M. from their sixth studio album Green. Like all tracks on the album, it was written by group members Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry. The song's main guitar riff is an inversion of that used in "Finest Worksong". The recording also features percussion from former Sugar Hill Records house drummer Keith LeBlanc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R.E.M.</span> American rock band (1980–2011)

R.E.M. was an American alternative rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternative rock bands, R.E.M. was noted for Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style; Stipe's distinctive vocal quality, unique stage presence, and obscure lyrics; Mills's melodic bass lines and backing vocals; and Berry's tight, economical drumming style. In the early 1990s, other alternative rock acts such as Nirvana and Pavement viewed R.E.M. as a pioneer of the genre. After Berry left the band in 1997, the band continued its career in the 2000s with mixed critical and commercial success. The band broke up amicably in 2011 with members devoting time to solo projects after having sold more than 90 million albums worldwide and becoming one of the world's best-selling music acts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pretty Persuasion (song)</span> Song by R.E.M

"Pretty Persuasion" is a song by R.E.M. that was first released on the band's 1984 album Reckoning. It was released as a promotional single and reached number 44 on Billboard's Rock Tracks chart. According to R.E.M. biographer Tony Fletcher, it is often regarded as "the 'archetypal' R.E.M. anthem".

<i>Live at the Olympia</i> (R.E.M. album) Live album by R.E.M.

Live at The Olympia is a live album by American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was recorded during the band's five-night residency at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin, between June 30 and July 5, 2007, and released on October 27, 2009. In this series of "working rehearsals" the songs on Accelerate were debuted, with many still works in progress. Every song from "Accelerate" appear on the album with the exception of "Hollow Man" and "Sing for the Submarine". The album is a two-CD release, and contains a total of 39 songs. In addition, a DVD with a documentary entitled This Is Not a Show directed by Vincent Moon is included. A special edition box set containing the album on four LPs as well as the two CDs and the DVD is also available.

<i>Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982–2011</i> 2011 greatest hits album by R.E.M.

Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982–2011 is a 2011 greatest hits album from alternative rock band R.E.M. Intended as a coda on their career, this is the first compilation album that features both their early work on independent record label I.R.S. Records in addition to their 10 studio releases through Warner Bros. Records. The double-disc retrospective was released through Warner Bros. on November 11, 2011, and was compiled by the band members; the existence of the compilation was revealed simultaneously with the group's announcement that they were disbanding on September 21, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stiff Competition</span> 1978 single by Cheap Trick

"Stiff Competition" is a song written by Rick Nielsen that first appeared on Cheap Trick's 1978 album Heaven Tonight. It is famous for the sexual double entendres in the lyrics, and subsequently appeared on live and compilation albums. In the UK, "Stiff Competition" was the B-side to Cheap Trick's second single from Heaven Tonight, "California Man."

<i>Unplugged: The Complete 1991 and 2001 Sessions</i> Live R.E.M. album released in 2014

Unplugged: The Complete 1991 and 2001 Sessions is a 2014 live album from alternative rock band R.E.M., released initially on vinyl recordings through Rhino Records for Record Store Day, and later made available on compact disc and digitally. The album is composed of two performances that the band made on the U.S. television show MTV Unplugged. Among the album's 33 tracks are 11 performances which were not aired on either broadcast. To promote the album, Mike Mills signed copies at independent record store Bull Moose in Scarborough, Maine. Video of the concerts was released later that year on REMTV.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rosen, Craig (1997). R.E.M. Inside Out. Thunder's Mouth Press. pp. 36–37. ISBN   1560251778.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sullivan, Denise. "7 Chinese Bros". Allmusic. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lurie, Robert Dean (2019). Begin the Begin: R.E.M.'s Early Years. Verse Chorus Press. ISBN   9781891241680.
  4. 1 2 Connelly, Christopher (April 9, 1984). "Reckoning". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  5. ↑ Wawzenek, Bryan (September 22, 2006). "Collection reconstructs R.E.M.'s great early work". Northwest Herald. p. 17. Retrieved 2021-09-05– via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Menconi, David (July 12, 2008). "R.E.M shows enduring power". The News and Observer. pp. 1E, 4E. Retrieved 2021-09-05– via newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Johnny Black (2004). Reveal: The Story of R.E.M. Backbeat. pp. 91–92. ISBN   9780879307769.
  8. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Reckoning". Allmusic. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  9. ↑ Martoccio, Angie (August 5, 2020). "Watch Chris and Rich Robinson Cover R.E.M. With Peter Buck". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.