Lotus (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Lotus” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||
| Single by R.E.M. from the album Up |
|||||
| Released | December 1998 | ||||
| Format | 7", cassette, CD, Japanese 3" CD | ||||
| Recorded | 1998 | ||||
| Genre | Alternative Rock | ||||
| Length | 4:31 | ||||
| Label | Warner Bros. Records | ||||
| Producer | Pat McCarthy and R.E.M. | ||||
| R.E.M. singles chronology | |||||
|
|||||
"Lotus" was the second single to be released by R.E.M. from the band's eleventh studio album Up.
The song's recurring line "I ate the lotus" appeared in an alternate form ("I'll eat the lotus...") in a previous R.E.M. song, "Be Mine".
The song is somewhat mimimalist, with Stipe singing surreal lyrics in a robotic manner. The song is based around a 4 note keyboard part, with an aluminium tinged solo at beginning and after the chorus.
The single's video, directed by Stephane Sednaoui, was included as a bonus video on the DVD release of In View - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003. "I wanted to work with Stephane for a long time," Stipe explained to MTV UK during An Hour with R.E.M. in 2001 after selecting the video for airplay. "Since I saw the video that he did with Björk for, what was that called, "Big Time Sexuality" or something? Where she looks exactly like Shirley MacLaine, 1959-1961. The Apartment, I think, was the name of the film. Shirley McLaine and Björk as Shirley MacLaine on the back of a pick-up truck driving down 5th Avenue in New York City, probably. But I thought this guy exudes sex, he's like sex on a stick, and I wanted to work with him for that reason. He somehow transmogrified that very thing through me. I look very, very foxy in this video, which is why I chose it; it shows off my incredible stomach muscles."
For live performances of the song, Buck alternates between electric guitar (chorus) and keyboard (verse). "[Playing keyboard] always excites me," Buck explained in a soundbite during MTV Uplink, a recording of the band's performance at New York's Bowery Ballroom in October 1998, "even though it's only with one finger." "But it's a big finger," joked Mills. "It's great."
[edit] Track listing
All songs written by Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated.
CD
- "Lotus" - 4:31
- "Surfing the Ganges" - 2:25
- "Lotus" (Weird Mix) - 4:33
7" and cassette
- "Lotus" - 4:31
- "Surfing the Ganges" - 2:25
Japanese 3" CD
- "Lotus" - 4:31
- "Suspicion" (live in the studio)1 - 5:39
[edit] Notes
1 This version is different from the Ealing Studio recording found on the Suspicion single.
[edit] External links
- Video clip at REMhq.com
- stephanesednaoui.com - official Stéphane Sednaoui website.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
