Cuyahoga (song)

Last updated
"Cuyahoga"
Song by R.E.M.
from the album Lifes Rich Pageant
ReleasedJuly 28, 1986
Genre Alternative rock, indie rock, jangle pop
Length4:20
Label I.R.S. Records
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Don Gehman

"Cuyahoga" is a song by R.E.M. from their 1986 album Lifes Rich Pageant . It was written primarily by R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry, but credited to the whole band. [1] It is one of R.E.M.'s earliest environmentally conscious songs, along with the album's lead single, "Fall on Me". [1] [2]

The themes of "Cuyahoga" include the pollution of the Cuyahoga River in Ohio and the treatment of American Indians earlier in American history. [1] [3] [4] Despite the grim themes, according to R.E.M. biographer David Buckley, the lyrics are "words of optimism, partnership and community, set against an age of individualism." [3] R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck said of the song that it "is a metaphor for America and its lost promises. This is where the Indians were and now look at it. It's one of the ugliest fucking rivers in the world." [1] The song opens with the lines "Let's put our heads together and start a new country up," which R.E.M. biographer Tony Fletcher describes as sounding like a "call to arms." [5] On the other hand, music writer Craig Rosen feels that the line adds to the song's optimism. [1]

Another line in the song states that "we'll burn the river down." [1] [6] This line comes from the fact that as early as the 1910s the river was so polluted that one method of cleaning the river was to throw a torch in it and thus burn the pollutants. [6] [7] The river also actually caught fire on several occasions, including in 1969, an event which helped raise awareness of water pollution and other environmental issues, [8] [9] although it was a photograph of an even larger 1952 fire that was used in an iconic Time magazine cover on the subject. [10] This was another inspiration for the song, and for other songs such as Randy Newman's "Burn On." [8] [9] Newman biographer Kevin Courrier believes that "Burn On" was an influence on "Cuyahoga." [11]

Buckley describes the melody as "beautiful" and the refrain as "anthemic." [3] Musically, "Cuyahoga" is propelled by Mills' bassline. [3] [6]

Musician Ken Stringfellow described "Cuyahoga" as being "an anthem, but it's not self-congratulatory. It's about what's gone wrong with our country. It was an anti-anthem in that way. It took on an issue, but it was still unifying and powerful. That's a hard thing to do well." [3] Slant critic Jonathan Keefe noted that even 25 years after the song's initial release its "optimism...is still inspiring and relevant." [12] He goes on to note that the song's message "reflects an intelligent and decidedly nonpartisan approach to political reconstruction without resorting to...didacticism." [12] Pitchfork Media critic Stephen M. Deusner states that "With its rousing chorus and pensive bass line, 'Cuyahoga' mails postcard dispatches from a museum where rivers and plains are artifacts, consigned to diorama and memory rather than reality." [13] According to music author Martin Charles Strong, "Cuyahoga" (and "Fall on Me") showed the band developing "an assured poise." [14] Fletcher described "Cuyahoga" as the "lyrical peak" of Lifes Rich Pageant. [5] It is one of Mills' favorite songs and one he particularly enjoys playing live. [1]

Although not released as a single, "Cuyahoga" has appeared on several R.E.M. compilation albums, including The Best of R.E.M. in 1991 and And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982–1987 in 2006. [15] It was also included on the live albums R.E.M. Live , Unplugged: The Complete 1991 and 2001 Sessions , Live at the Olympia and R.E.M. at the BBC . [15]

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. The album was recorded at Reflection Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina, with musicians Don Dixon and Mitch Easter serving as producers. 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. In 2003, the album was ranked number 197 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". It retained the position in the 2012 list and was raised to number 165 in the 2020 revision.

<i>Automatic for the People</i> 1992 album by R.E.M.

Automatic for the People is the eighth studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on October 5, 1992, in the United Kingdom and Europe, and on the following day in the United States, by Warner Bros. Records. R.E.M. began production on the album while their previous album, Out of Time (1991), was still ascending charts and achieving global success. Aided by strings arranged by John Paul Jones and conducted by George Hanson, Automatic for the People features ruminations on mortality, loss, mourning, and nostalgia.

<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 than its predecessors, with lyrics drawing from Southern Gothic themes and characters. The album also utilizes more varied instrumentation, 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>Lifes Rich Pageant</i> 1986 album by R.E.M.

Lifes Rich Pageant is the fourth studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on July 28, 1986. R.E.M. chose Don Gehman to produce the album, which was recorded at John Mellencamp's Belmont Mall Studio in Belmont, Indiana. This was the only album the band recorded with Gehman, who moved them from the more obscure and dense sound of their earlier albums to an accessible, hard rock-influenced quality. The album was well-received critically.

Cuyahoga may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Mills</span> American musician (born 1958)

Michael Edward Mills is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock band R.E.M. Though known primarily as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist of R.E.M., his musical repertoire also includes keyboards, guitar and occasional lead vocals. He contributed to a majority of the band's musical compositions and is the only member to have had formal musical training.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fall on Me (R.E.M. song)</span> R.E.M. song

"Fall on Me" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M. from their fourth album Lifes Rich Pageant (1986). It was the first of two singles released from that LP. It peaked at number 94 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was one of the band's early compositions about environmentalism, discussing acid rain. It also transitioned from their murky lyrics and jangling guitar of their first three albums to a more accessible sound influenced by producer Don Gehman.

<i>The Best of R.E.M.</i> 1991 greatest hits album by R.E.M.

The Best of R.E.M. is a greatest hits album by R.E.M. released in 1991, shortly after the success of the band's seventh studio album, Out of Time, released by Warner Bros. The Best of R.E.M., however, was released by the band's previous record label, I.R.S. Records, and only includes tracks from their first five albums while the group was with that label. As such, it covers their output from 1982 to 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">At My Most Beautiful</span> Song by R.E.M

"At My Most Beautiful" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M. During the song's creation, members of the group noted its similarity to the work of the Beach Boys and purposefully fashioned it to resemble that band's output. Singer Michael Stipe strove to make his lyrics the most romantic he had ever written, and the piano-driven ballad became R.E.M.'s first straightforward love song. Released on the group's 1998 album Up, it was issued as the third single from that record the following year, reaching number 10 on the UK Singles Chart.

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

"Bad Day" is a song recorded by American alternative rock band R.E.M. It is one of two previously unreleased songs from their 2003 compilation album, In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003, and was released as the album's lead single on September 15, 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electron Blue</span> Single by R.E.M.

"Electron Blue" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was released as the third single from their thirteenth studio album Around the Sun on February 28, 2005. Written by group members Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe, the song features a synthesizer-heavy arrangement. Its lyrics describe an electric hallucinogenic drug made of light, a concept which was developed from a recurring dream of Stipe's. Upon release as a single, "Electron Blue" peaked at numbers 43 and 26 on the singles charts of Ireland and the United Kingdom respectively. Michael Stipe performed on the Around the Sun tour with a blue band painted across his eyes as a reference to the song, his personal favorite from Around the Sun.

<i>And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982–1987</i> 2006 compilation album by R.E.M.

And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982–1987 is a compilation album by American band R.E.M. It features songs from the band's years at I.R.S. Records. All tracks have been remastered, and the set was released 12 September 2006. A companion DVD, titled When the Light Is Mine, was released the same day.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R.E.M.</span> American rock band

R.E.M. was an American alternative rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, 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, Pixies and Pavement viewed R.E.M. as a pioneer of the genre. After Berry left in 1997, the band continued with mixed critical and commercial success. The band broke up amicably in 2011, 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 titled 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>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.

<i>Green</i> (R.E.M. album) 1988 studio album by R.E.M.

Green is the sixth studio album by American rock band R.E.M., released on November 7, 1988, by Warner Bros. Records. The second album to be produced by the band and Scott Litt, it continued to explore political issues both in its lyrics and packaging. The band experimented on the album, writing major-key rock songs and incorporating new instruments into their sound including the mandolin, as well as switching their original instruments on other songs.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rosen, C. (1997). R.E.M Inside Out: The Story Behind Every Song. Thunder's Mouth Press. p. 63. ISBN   9781560251774.
  2. ↑ Erlewine, S.T. "Life's Rich Pageant". Allmusic . Retrieved 2015-06-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Buckley, D. (2012). R.E.M.: Fiction: An Alternative Biography. Random House. ISBN   9781448132461.
  4. ↑ Lynskey, D. (2011). 33 Revolutions Per Minute. Faber & Faber. p. 1843. ISBN   9780571277209.
  5. 1 2 Fletchger, T. (2013). Perfect Circle: The Story of REM. Omnibus Press. ISBN   9781780386980.
  6. 1 2 3 Black, J. (2004). Reveal: The Story of R.E.M. . Backbeat Books. pp.  123–124. ISBN   0879307765.
  7. ↑ Sullivan, D. (1998). R.E.M.: Talk about the Passion : an Oral History. Da Capo Press. p. 104. ISBN   9780306808579.
  8. 1 2 Feinstein, S. (2010). Conserving and Protecting Water: What You Can Do . Enslow Publishing. pp.  86–87. ISBN   9780766033467.
  9. 1 2 Greenberg, B.; et al. (2008). "Causes for Alarm". Social History of the United States. ABC-CLIO. p. 339. ISBN   9781598841282.
  10. ↑ Urycki, Mark (June 18, 2019). "50 Years Later: Burning Cuyahoga River Called Poster Child For Clean Water Act". Morning Edition on NPR . Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  11. ↑ Courrier, K. (2005). Randy Newman's American Dreams. ECW Press. p. 135. ISBN   9781550226904.
  12. 1 2 Keefe, J. (July 12, 2011). "R.E.M. Life's Rich Pageant: 25th Anniversary Edition". Slant Magazine . Retrieved 2015-06-14.
  13. ↑ Deusner, S.M. "R.E.M.: Life's Rich Pageant (25th Anniversary Edition)". Pitchfork Media . Retrieved 2015-06-14.
  14. ↑ Strong, M.C. (2006). The Essential Rock Discography. Canongate. p. 913. ISBN   9781841958606.
  15. 1 2 "Cuyahoga". Allmusic . Retrieved 2015-06-14.
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.