REM - Moon River/Pretty Persuasion

[biddlehall1]

God, he was good looking. I saw them 6/13/83 at the Paradise, Boston with the Replacements opening. the only show I remember the date. Go figure......

[ATXviIIIe]

@biddlehall1 I am extremely jealous of you...ultimate lineup in 83!

[xacto17]

LIES!

[JAMESKENNAWAY]

Great song, amazing!! U can defo see that kurt cobain borrowed a lot fae stipe in this era!! Tuuuuuuuuuunnneee!!!!

[demite]

Whistle Tess.

[christiandv8]

This is when REM was badass.

[camprobber61]

I saw them in 1984 with Let's Active.Stipe had a patch on his eye. Apparently he dove off the stage the night before for a little crowd surf and nobody caught him.Buck was very Townshend-like. Great show.

[bfall66]

They were one of those bands that truly payed their dues on the road.

Today the industry cranks out overnight sensations what seems like every week, in nearly every genre.

But the bands today won't have the staying power of REM.

[jennyjacobs1]

I so love and have loved REM since I first heard them...circa 1984...I love Micheal's angelic locks here...I bought tix for all my friends to see them in 1988 ish.....I just so loved them....

[DoroteoVilla]

Well said. I had the privilege of seeing them in the late 80's when they still that edge. True, the best American band of their generation.

[mannaggiacaz]

reckoning....

[pillgroundmudge1]

This really shows how tight the band was even at that early stage. If not for a few vocal changes by Michael, I would have thought they were lip-synching to the album version of that tune. The greatest American Rock band of the last twenty-five years is REM.

[pierreerichexum]

wow!!!!!!!

[bummarketer87]

I wonder why but mysteriously I found this video funny.lol

[bummarketer87]

I wonder why but mysteriously I found this video funny.lol

[deliarae]

yum

[riesencub]

LOVE this bass line!!! Peter's so lively.

[gtijerino]

Cool harmonics. Bands don't do that enough anymore. R.E.M. is the best American band ever.

[iloveweasley5]

Moon River is like the most beautiful song in the world.

[zicnarc]

REM has always been far better live than in studio. Please go see them the next time they are in your area. It is a couple of hours of jaw dropping, oh my!

[RadioFreeSpike]

This is a MUCH better REM version of Moon River than their other (studio?) version here on YouTube.

For another great cover, check out Innocence Mission' version. Gorgeous voice.

[beatlefreak777]

Wow... Amazing video.

[schwarzemadchen]

ese pelooo!!!!!

ajajajaja

rem = es lo mejor!

[MTCatman]

Wow! Look at all the hair Stipe had! I like REM, thanks

[stevensm100]

saw them in london in december 1984 with the lyres they were fantastic ,thanks for this.

[twoparties]

I hate to sound like a girl, but innie pretty?

[kayonalarsen]

Wow, Love this, thanks for posting.

[hatgirl09]

Mike's harmonies are out of this world. This has had me dreaming for 16 years. Never loses any of its beauty.

[sweetfly66]

this is from an english show called the old grey wistle test ... everyone should go out and get this DVD ... it has great rock bands in their prime performing their best songs ... best rock DVD ever

[sweetfly66]

fucking awesome ... nobody could touch REM in their prime

[stacap6]

Bill's living the good life on his farm in Athens, GA USA. Not to mention his royalty annuities. Bless them ALL.

[wirebead]

man oh man .... what happened to Michael Stipes voice over the years - forgot how his used used to be strong. powerful and BALLSY.

[steveyp33]

PEOPLE DO AGE, YOU TOO.

[Useless2112]

I don't.

[xxfacexfacexx]

Favorite song by them...oh so wonderful.

[tomsega]

Michael Stipe and Thom Yorke both seemed to have slightly stronger voices in their mid twenties.

[Terminator958]

Berry gave the band so much,we will always remember him

[nowiguess]

Yeah, he really contributed to the band's sound and he was a great drummer.

[alina1981xxx]

amazing performance by REM, their songs are absolutely incredible.

and how cool was Bill Berry wearing that hat? We will always miss him...

[grantdenn]

Damn Bill Berry was good

[thehibtones]

what!? no Rick???

[ChristianAce793]

I know - a Telecaster! Unlikely. I have, however, seen early photos of Pete with a natural finish Tele. Nothing like the Rick 360 Jetglo though!

[SeanSM92]

He has a Telecaster on the front of And I Feel Fine as well, and on When The Light Is Mine, on a live video of Pretty Persuasion, he uses a Fender.

[marriottmad]

god, michael stipe has hair! he is too cool!

[mainvain606]

RECKONING !!

[march2fuzz]

oh god i love this band. the moon river duet leaves me with goosebumps.. the harmony is perfect.

[altrerose]

kind of remind me to simon and garfunkel

[MaRiAnOrEm]

beautiful and wild in the chorus with the bass of Mike it's awesome

[TJisRad]

Michael Stipe is amazing. Fact.

[jugganaut35]

LOL, this brings back a great memory. Caught REM at Duke auditorium (not Cameron) in '84 and Stipe did Moon River a capella.

About 1/2 through Stipe hits about a 2 second pause and just then in the silence somebody in the balcony yells out "FUUUCK YOU!" at the top of his lungs.

Stipe stopped the song and said "Hold on. We're gonna go back and do this over again from the start."

Stipe did it again a capella from the beginning, and that time around nobody yelled anything. Coolest thing ever.

[greenjello74]

How lucky you were. I would have loved to have seen that performance. Moon Rivers is such a great song. For years it has been a guilty pleasure. Micheal really did it justice.I did however see REM in 1994 the first date of the monster tour, after the 6 year break they took from touring. It was great, awesome and unforgettable.

[greenjello74]

oops I meant River not Rivers.

[hatgirl09]

i have a recording somewhere that has the "fuck you" in it. every time i hear it, i swear it makes me want to sweep right up that balcony and give that idiot a piece of my mind. lol

[Prometheus1314]

what recording is that?? and you can't hassle hanabal

[tweedybootlicker]

@jugganaut35 I was there also....what a great show/tour.

[fordprefectnz]

@jugganaut35 very good, and SO typical of Stipe at his best! Let's not compare band for band in pissing contests (seen too much of that on other REM songs posted on here), just say these guys are our all time favourites...and the world would be so much less cool and insightful without them and Mr Stipe.

[SoryToox]

I still prefer Audrey's one ó_ò

[lameplanet]

Audrey did a version of Pretty Persuasion? Awesome!

:)

[Soniclife91]

best comment, EVER

[nicolexxxd]

I'm so glad they sung this.

I love rem and I also love Breakfast at Tiffany's too. Fun fact is that it's Michael's favorite movie also.

[redrummagin]

They played Old Man Kensey on this show as well, on the end credits. Does anyone, have it?

[lameplanet]

I have it on video somewhere, but the chances of me finding it in the loft are slim.

[screamokill]

i fucking love this.

where can i get a copy of them doing moon river with those harmonies. it owns.

[remfan2000]

My gosh, my fave version of this song ive heard yet , and i've heard alot. This is my fave year of REM . Do you have any more like this?

[541967]

My God- look how young Berry, Buck, Mills, and what's his name look!

[leeraconteur]

Yeah, Peter used to move around alot.

Getting Middle Aged will do that.

[23985826]

Do you mean Stipes? He looks diffent today.

danmac

[joshranwest]

Excellent bit of nostalgia. Thanks for posting this!

[opaquiosq]

I crack up watching this, as I remember reading an interview where Stipe always thought that the "Huckleberry Friend" in the song was referring to Huckleberry Hound.

[feedbackinhibition]

LMFAO! HAIR! i've seen hair on him before but never like THIS! haha great

[avidrocker]

this is Stings favorite song, just listen to THE POLICE and then you tell me.

[Tejano44]

Beautiful song,talent and video !

[bicycledays]

He has such a great voice, so distinctive. Wow, what a song. Thank you.

Kris Kemp :-)

[banjogrrrl]

omg. Kris Kemp.  Imagine finding you here...!

[seancoppinger]

ah 1984

[seancoppinger]

wow when was this recorded

[JavelinNL]

Drums are very high in this record. Still great as ever. REM is a underestimated band.

[sucubusda]

hahahahahahhahahahahahhahhahah­ahah!!!!!!!!!

eu amo essa musica!!!!!!!!

[BeginXtheXBegin]

What year was this?

[lameplanet]

1984.

[BeginXtheXBegin]

Thanks.

[TOMPULGAS2]

@BeginXtheXBegin RECKONING:1-HARBORCOAT 2-SEVEN CHINESE BROTHERS 3-S.CENTRAL RAIN 4-PRETTY PERSUASION 5-TIME AFTER TIME (ANELLISE)6-SECOND GUESSING 7-LETTER NEVER SEND 8-CAMERA 9-(DONT GO BACK TO)ROCKVILLE 10-LITTLE AMERICA

[samtheaccord1]

aginghipster what a div

[jehouse]

This isn't live...unless the audience is, um, dead...

[lameplanet]

It is live, as in, they are actually performing the song, rather than miming to a prerecorded backing track. But it was done for a UK tv show in which bands came in and play in a stdio environment, so there isn't an audience other than the crew. It really depends on whether your definition of "live" includes an audience of sufficient number to make a noise.

[redrummagin]

This was recorded for the BBCs Old Grey Whistle Test in October/ November 1984 in the middle of their first UK tour. I paid £1 to see them at the Liverpool Royal Court. Awesome.

[imaginationpilot1]

what's with all of the Europeans having ALL of the classic REM live music? I love you!

[redrummagin]

REM came over to establish themself in the mid 80s because the british press considered them a good original Indie band whereas in the US they were considered to be 'Weird', anti-rock and not coming from NY or California but Georgia made them not very fashionable. It was also due to U2 plugging them in every interview they had at the time. They played with U2 at the Milton Keynes bowl in 1985. They had bottles and fruit thrown at them - they went off after 10 minutes.

[D8X2F]

Great memories of college days... REM was so fresh - their harmonies & words so unique. Stipe sure was yummy with that hair, too.

[earlyearl389]

god my confusion never thought id see this again great post

[aduares]

thanks for posting!!

[furshark]

Is that a Tele that Pete is playing?

[blowmonkey]

aginghipster you were being a condescending prick. His assessment was spot on.

[aginghipster]

I have sent a pm to jessdisney asking for an apology. Im waiting! The personal attack on me was out of line and uneccessary.

[aginghipster]

Buck and Berry were adequate, decent musicians but Mills has always been an exceptional bassist.

[Jessdisney]

adequate are you kidding me they were all and all and all for one they were all outstanding, original artists always combining the dynamic of REM, eat shit for being a condescending prick...

[OPE08]

This song segued well into "Wolves, lower" at a concert I saw around 86 in SoCal... GOD I need a video jukebox!!

[frickleyblue]

cracking track guys

[joeybellfurie]

this is magical ! Thanks for posting .

[veritas1005]

awesome awesome moon river is the best reckoning might be their best music

[capnmartha]

This video is actually beautiful. Pretty Persuasion is one of my two favourite R.E.M. songs. The introduction shows the raw beauty of Stipe and Mills' voices, and I can't help but watch it with tears in my eyes. Seriously. Michael Stipe's hair was beautiful while it lasted, though.

[Ruda59]

Great live performance and shows how different REM was from groups from that era. No spandex pants, no fluffed permed hair, no chics dancing on the side. I was drawn to them for their original songs and how they did not want to be like the "MTV" crowd.

[Feathershadow]

When I first heard this song playing in a local record store way back in 1984 I was instantly hooked..Pretty Persuasion is still one of my favorite songs from R.E.M. I wish Michael would grow his hair long again..Love you guys!

[qba5775]

LOL Stipey with hair, Peter with a Tele. anyway, beautiful songs

[gravelyma]

I love R.E.M.'s version of Moon River. So beautiful.

[AUDREYoftheISLEofELY]

Great video . I never knew that Micheal ever had hair *LOL*

[robin14669]

Michael Stipe can't play the harp, he's just faking it.

[capnmartha]

Oh, yes he can. Whistle Test was a live music program, and there's a harmonica on the album version, as well as Driver 8. Stipe's also credited as "instrument and vocals" in the sleevenotes to "Reckoning," the parent album. Besides, he's hardly playing elaborate harmonica on this track.

[kerouac45]

remember watching this years ago.fond memories of a truly great band

[jbcatl]

OMG - YouTube is the best!

[mirela80]

Best of the best!

[dlp2006]

lovely

[quietrob1984]

I believe this excellent performance was from an edition of "The Old Grey Whistletest"