California Love #7: R.E.M. > I Remember California

Once again, it's time for my ongoing saga featuring songs about California. In a nod to R.E.M. releasing a new album, Accelerate, next month (on April 1st, no less), we're going to listen to the track, I Remember California.

So this song is apparently being sung after a major earthquake devastates the west coast and California falls into the ocean. The music is sort of plodding and ominous as Michael Stipe reels off a list of characteristics that are supposed to be unique to (or simply define) California. Some of them are stereotypes (traffic jams, girls with tans) and others aren't (lemons, limes and tangerines; isn't that a Florida stereotype?). But hey, it's all in good fun until somebody's state crumbles and dissolves in the Pacific. I like the end when he keeps repeating "at the edge of a continent" and the song fades out, it sounds pretty cool.

If you are interested, you can find this on the Green album. This was their first album for Warner, and the one that turned them into the arena band they are now, but don't let that fool you because it's actually a pretty good album. We could probably go back and forth debating the Warner stuff vs. the IRS stuff, but some other time, perhaps.

R.E.M. > I Remember California