Michael Stipe’s favourite song by The Beatles
A band listing The Beatles as an influence is akin to a car manufacturer claiming Henry Ford as an influence or an astronaut listing Neil Armstrong – in other words, it is an obvious choice. Few bands have managed to escape the influence of The Beatles; from David Bowie to Radiohead, the influence of the Fab Four can be heard in nearly every post-1960s rock act worth their salt. So, it should be fairly unsurprising that R.E.M. frontman and lyricist Michael Stipe always held a candle for Liverpool’s favourite sons.
One of the most emotionally effective voices in the entirety of alternative rock, Michael Stipe is often noted for his distinctive voice and singing style. However, the incredible lyricism and poetry of R.E.M. should certainly not be forgotten. Although Stipe’s group have not been active for over a decade, the band remain as relevant and beloved as they were back in their 1990s heyday.
In the early days of the band, Stipe primarily drew upon punk rock and alternative icons to influence the distinctive sound of R.E.M. Following in the footsteps of fellow Athens band The B-52’s, Stipe was inspired by the likes of The New York Dolls, Patti Smith and The Velvet Underground. As the band matured, however, classic influences of The Byrds, The Rolling Stones and, of course, The Beatles became much more prevalent.
The Fab Four seemingly permeated through all aspects of R.E.M., particularly pervasive within the stylings of bassist Mike Mills, who openly admitted to being inspired by Paul McCartney. However, it was the songwriting partnership of Lennon and McCartney that had the biggest influence over frontman Michael Stipe. In fact, he told Pitchfork that the classic track ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ is one of his all-time favourites.
But, hang on, the frontman of an innovative 1990s rock band listing one of The Beatles’ most clichéd, vapid and poppy tracks as one of his favourites, what’s going on there? Well, predictably, not all is as it seems when it comes to Michael Stipe. The actual Beatles track he holds dear is ‘Komm, gib mir deine Hand’, the German-language version of their early track.
This bizarre track, which owes itself to The Beatles’ early days spent in Hamburg, forms one of the frontman’s earliest musical memories. As he explained, “There was this German woman who cleaned our apartment and babysat us when my mother and father were off working”.
Continuing, he added: “I went to her house one afternoon, and she left me in the living room. She had an old-school radio on a tall shelf, and it was playing this song. I just stood there and stared up and wondered what on Earth I was listening to.”
It is fitting that Stipe must deviate from the norm, even when it comes to listing his favourite Beatles track. Among rock bands, there seems to be a pretentious need to list the band’s most obscure efforts as their favourite, as a way of seeming edgy and cool. In that way, Stipe’s pick is a perfect encapsulation of R.E.M. as a whole; pop sensibilities but with an undercurrent of the obscure and alternative.
