My Top 1000 Songs #222: Shaking Through

Given Murmur's integral role in my life, I think I've shown amazing restraint in cherry-picking just a few songs from the LP, this being only the third to hit the Top 1000 so far. It's a prime example of the band's early Peter Buck jangle (augmented by some lovely piano from bassist Mike Mills) coupled with an unforgettable melody, a chorus that sounds as stunning and refreshing as it did on that first listen nearly 40 years ago.

It's also Michael Stipe at his most mumbly, with maximum space to impose your own lyrics over his vagaries. Indeed, I just googled the lyrics, and what I found (by no means official or authoritative) bears almost no resemblance to what I've been singing in the shower for all these decades. I won't say my version of the song is necessarily better, but it's informed by my own personal meaning, making it as much my song as R.E.M.'s.

Surprisingly sparse live footage of the song circulating--but, hey, how about an awesome Feelies cover?

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