‘Gardening at Night’: Michael Stipe on the first real song written by R.E.M.
The narrative of R.E.M. serves as an inspiring tale for any band. They diligently honed their craft for years, facing numerous challenges without reaping immediate rewards. It wasn’t until several albums later that they successfully penetrated the mainstream, a prospect that had once seemed implausible for these cult favourites.
R.E.M. began in 1980 as a typical student outfit. They were all attending the University of Georgia and formed the group without any intentions of taking it off the ground. The project started as another hobby to pass their vacant days, but they quickly realised there was significant potential for R.E.M. and collectively decided to drop out of their studies to pursue their musical ambitions.
At first, this represented a significant risk, but R.E.M. had grown confident in their own ability to turn their pastime into a fruitful career. However, at this stage, dreams of superstardom seemed out of reach, and the four-piece only wanted to make something sustainable, which was more exciting than the prospect of a real job.
For a time, R.E.M.’s songwriting was going nowhere, but their persistence continued, and with the creation of one song, they were instilled with the belief that their high-risk strategy had begun to pay dividends.
The song in question, ‘Gardening at Night’, appeared on their debut EP Chronic Town, released in 1982. It had taken the group two years of dedication to craft a track of this stature, and it remains an incredibly pivotal moment in their history.
In a conversation with Rolling Stone in 1992, Stipe confessed: “None of it was anything, really. I never wrote a song until R.E.M. And then we didn’t really write a song until ‘Gardening at Night’ [on Chronic Town].”
The singer continued: “I maintain that the first 30 songs we wrote were dry runs, like going to elementary school to learn how to write a song. And with ‘Gardening at Night’, it was suddenly like ‘Wow, it kind of makes sense’.”
While the track has a deeper meaning, which can be linked to Stipe’s relationship with his father, the title is literal. During an interview with Q, guitarist Peter Buck revealed: “There was an old guy in my neighbourhood who would be out gardening at 2 a.m. in his suit and tie. I’d see him when I was out trying to get a beer at the Magic Mart or somewhere. It’s basically a metaphor for the uselessness of everything.”
Although writing ‘Gardening at Night’ proved to R.E.M. their capabilities, it didn’t lead to overnight success. However, following Chronic Town, they began to tour incessantly, further improving their artistry. Yet, it was still almost a decade until they’d finally secure a number-one album with 1991’s Out of Time — their seventh full-length LP. Most importantly, R.E.M. didn’t allow themselves to be deterred by their lack of sales, and eventually, they deservedly became one of America’s biggest bands.
