"Begin the Begin" | |
---|---|
Song by R.E.M. | |
from the album Lifes Rich Pageant | |
Released | July 28, 1986 |
Genre | |
Length | 3:28 |
Label | I.R.S. |
Songwriter(s) | |
Producer(s) | Don Gehman |
"Begin the Begin" is the first song on R.E.M.'s fourth album, Lifes Rich Pageant . Lead singer Michael Stipe has called it "a song of personal, political activism." [2] Though never released as a single, it appeared frequently in the band's live performances as a song early in the set. It was even used as an opening song in the live performances at their inductions into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame [3] and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. [4] The song was also included as the first track on their 2006 compilation And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 .
As the opening track on Lifes Rich Pageant, the song heralded a new clarity in Stipe's vocals. [5] Written on acoustic guitars in Stipe's home, the original version of the song was a minute longer, with five different choruses, lacking melody and a bridge. [6] Replete with references to Americana and revolution, the title is a pun on Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine". [6]
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