Customer Reviews

Great Beyond / Man on the Moon

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Once again R.E.M. has shown us they can still put out the hits. The Great Beyond is a great tune. Especially when coming from the voice of Stipe. He has the certain tone in his voice that is amazing. Michael is a talented musician, the lyrics are sung in such a way that give us listenenrs a powerful vibe.

I had the radio turned down low when I heard this song. I turned it up to listen. I went an bought the single.

"The Great Beyond" is another song from R.E.M. about the late comic Andy Kauffman. Their first song, "Man On The Moon", serves as the title of the film that "The Great Beyond" is included in. The song finds the band looking for answers and calling out to Mr. Kauffman to provide them. The song is not quite as whimsical as "Man In the Moon", but it has alot of power and is easily better than anything from their Up album.

** I STRONGLY RECOMMEND GETTING THE OTHER (MAXI) VERSION OF THIS SINGLE (see Amazon search query results for R.E.M.) instead of this version.

The great and worthwhile surprise of that single is the 3 LIVE tracks recorded in England during last summer's tour. It makes for a great souvenir for anyone who saw R.E.M. on tour last year - or wanted to! The CD has One I Love followed by a lengthy version of Everybody Hurts (with audience singalong) and the closer Man On The Moon. The live version of MOTM is much better and so much more energetic than the original studio version from the album Automatic For The People. If this appeals to you, then I recommend that CD.

Of course, the CD also includes the title track Great Beyond, which I think sounds like the Automatic For The People album. But the Great Beyond, in my view, is less enjoyable than the 3 live tracks.

Be sure to get the Maxi version of the CD with the 3 live tracks and NOT this version with only 1 extra track. Note that on my CD, it doesn't say that the 3 extra tracks are live - but they are indeed live!

REM once again has created a truly great piece of music. As with most new REM work, it requires a few listens. But after those few listens you will be addicted!

Another brilliant song from REM.# It takes a few listens but this is REM at their near best.

you better hope it's released on a full-length disc, because it's worth it. I'd want everything to believe that I'm a big REM fan because they have a unique sound, and they don't pander to pop-culture. I'd like everyone to believe that I listen to REM because Michael Stype's lyrics are sometimes impenetrable and it makes people think "I wonder if he gets something about the lyrics that I don't?" But when it comes down to it, REM just makes darn good music. The lyrics as usual (if you can understand them ;) are clever or mildly profound, and man is the tune catchy. I love how REM transitions from verse to refrain, and and "Great Beyond" is no different. It makes you anticipate the refrain with a sort of childhood giddiness, and you'll end up singing along even if you can't carry a tune in a bucket.

The clarity of Stipe's voice and string arrangements are piercing; one of the best cuts from the band in many years.....

This is my favorite song! I have had many favorite songs but they don't hold a candle to this one! I hate geting singles but this is an acception!

It seems like I have been waiting for this single for forever! I really didn't want the soundtrack, but I liked this song because it's catchy.