Wendell Gee

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"Wendell Gee"
"Wendell Gee" cover
Single by R.E.M.
from the album Fables of the Reconstruction
Released September 1985
Format 7", 7" double pack, 12" (Holland),12" (UK)
Recorded 1985
Genre College rock
Length 2:56
Label IRS
Producer(s) Joe Boyd
Chart positions

Did not chart

R.E.M. singles chronology
"Driver 8"
1985
"Wendell Gee"
1985
"Fall On Me"
1985

"Wendell Gee" was the third and final single issued by R.E.M. from their third studio album Fables of the Reconstruction in 1985. It was released in Europe only, in two 7" and two 12" formats. Like all of the previous singles R.E.M. had released, "Wendell Gee" failed to chart on the UK Singles Charts.

Wendell Gee was the proprietor of Wendell Gee's Used Cars in Pendergrass, Georgia. He died on November 25, 1995, aged 69. [1]

Instrumentally, the song was almost entirely composed and performed by Mike Mills, with Michael Stipe supplying the lyric and vocal. Peter Buck hated the song when it was initially recorded, claiming its only redeeming feature was his banjo solo, and it was only included on the album at the last minute. With Buck's objections being such, the song was very rarely played live, even on the European leg of the Reconstruction tour where it had been released as a single. Buck has since revised his view of the song, saying "I must admit, I was wrong. I don't love it, but I like it." [citation needed]

[edit] Track listings

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated.

(7")

  1. 'Wendell Gee' - 3:02
  2. 'Crazy' (Pylon) - 3:05

(7" Double Pack and 12" - Holland)

  1. 'Wendell Gee' - 3:02
  2. 'Crazy' (Pylon) - 3:05
  3. 'Ages of You' - 3:44
  4. 'Burning Down' - 4:13

(12" - UK)

  1. 'Wendell Gee' - 3:02
  2. 'Crazy' (Pylon) - 3:05
  3. 'Driver 8' (live)1 - 3:30

[edit] Notes

1 Recorded at the Music Hall, Seattle, Washington; June 27, 1984.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Real People in R.E.M. lyrics
R.E.M.
Peter Buck | Mike Mills | Michael Stipe | Bill Berry
Other musicians: Scott McCaughey | Bill Rieflin | Ken Stringfellow | Nathan December | Buren Fowler | Peter Holsapple | Barrett Martin | Joey Waronker
Management and producers: Bertis Downs, IV | Pat McCarthy | Joe Boyd | Don Dixon | Mitch Easter | Don Gehman | Jefferson Holt | Scott Litt
Discography
EPs: Chronic Town
Albums: Murmur | Reckoning | Fables of the Reconstruction | Lifes Rich Pageant | Document | Green | Out of Time | Automatic for the People | Monster | New Adventures in Hi-Fi | Up | Reveal | Around the Sun
Singles: Radio Free Europe | Talk About the Passion | So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry) | (Don't Go Back to) Rockville | Can't Get There From Here | Driver 8 | Wendell Gee | Fall On Me | Superman | The One I Love | It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) | Finest Worksong | Stand | Orange Crush | Pop Song 89 | Get Up | Losing My Religion | Shiny Happy People | Near Wild Heaven | Radio Song | Drive | Man on the Moon | The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite | Everybody Hurts | Nightswimming | Find the River | What's the Frequency, Kenneth? | Bang and Blame | Star 69 | Strange Currencies | Crush With Eyeliner | Tongue | E-Bow the Letter | Bittersweet Me | Electrolite | How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us | Daysleeper | Lotus | At My Most Beautiful | Suspicion | The Great Beyond | Imitation of Life | All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star) | I'll Take the Rain | Bad Day | Animal | Leaving New York | Aftermath | Electron Blue | Wanderlust
Compilations: Dead Letter Office | Eponymous | In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 | And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987
Remix Albums: R.E.M.IX
Soundtracks: Man on the Moon
Videos: Succumbs | Tourfilm | Pop Screen | This Film Is On | Parallel | Road Movie | In View: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 | Perfect Square | When the Light Is Mine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987
Related articles
Alternative rock | Hindu Love Gods | I.R.S. Records | Warner Bros. Records
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