Losing My Religion
Categories: R.E.M. singles | 1991 singles
| "Losing My Religion" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Image:REM Losing My Religion.jpg | ||
| Single by R.E.M. | ||
| From the album Out of Time | ||
| Single Released | 1991 | |
| Single Format | vinyl record (7" & 12"), CD | |
| Recorded | ??? | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Song Length | 4:28 | |
| Record label | Warner Brothers | |
| Producer | Scott Litt and R.E.M. | |
| Chart positions | 4 (USA) 19 (UK) | |
| R.E.M. single chronology | ||
| "Pop Song 89" 1989 | "Losing My Religion" 1991 | "Shiny Happy People" 1991 |
"Losing My Religion" is a song recorded by the rock band R.E.M. from their 1991 album Out of Time.
Contents |
The song
The title comes from a figurative Southern expression of being at the end of one's rope, or about to give up on something, often over matters of romance.
Like Rod Stewart's "Maggie May", "Losing My Religion" features the mandolin as a lead instrument, which is rarely heard on a pop hit record.
Michael Stipe has said he wrote the lyrics thinking of the song as a sequel to The Police song "Every Breath You Take".
The song is still the band's largest hit in the U.S, reaching #4 on the Billboard charts. In the U.K., it charted at #19. The song also won the 1991 Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. In addition, the video, directed by Tarsem Singh, was declared Best Video of the Year at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards. The video also won for Best Group Video of the Year, Best Breakthrough Video, Best Art Direction in a Video, Best Director of a Video and Best Editing of a Video.
The song was banned in Ireland due to its religious connotations.
In November 2004, Rolling Stone magazine listed the song at #169 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."
Track listing
7"
- "Losing My Religion"
- "Rotary Eleven"
12" / CD
- "Losing My Religion"
- "Rotary Eleven"
- "After Hours (Live)"
External link
| Band members: Bill Berry | Peter Buck | Mike Mills | Michael Stipe |
| Additional musicians: Nathan December | Buren Fowler | Peter Holsapple | Barrett Martin | Scott McCaughey | Bill Rieflin | Ken Stringfellow | Joey Waronker |
| Management and producers: Joe Boyd | Don Dixon | Bertis Downs, IV | Mitch Easter | Don Gehman | Jefferson Holt | Scott Litt | Pat McCarthy |
| Albums: Chronic Town (EP) | Murmur | Reckoning | Fables of the Reconstruction | Lifes Rich Pageant | Document | Green | Out of Time | Automatic for the People | Monster | New Adventures in Hi-Fi | Up | Reveal | Around the Sun |
| Compilations: Dead Letter Office | Eponymous | R.E.M.: Singles Collected | The Best of R.E.M. | In the Attic | In Time - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 |
| Videos: Succumbs | Pop Screen | Tourfilm | This Film Is On | Parallel | Roadmovie | Perfect Square | In View - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 |
| Musical styles: Alternative rock | College rock | Jangle pop | Post-punk |