REM - Wendell Gee

[@66flamer]

This is one of the best songs they do. It feels like pure love. Thank you rem for giving the world this song. And the tears I currently have.

[@wilshelton5596]

Absolutely beautiful version mike mills was always like a second vocalist his harmonies always stood out with beautiful melodies . His vocals gave me chills especially on find the river

[@djbrownsville]

My grandpa's name was George. My entire life, everyone called him "Gee"...he was a raging alcoholic -- but a terribly happy, hilarious and loving one. It's said that when they coined the phrase "happy drunk", they were talking about Gramps. The stories that i've been told about that man make me smile or outright laugh when i think about them. Gramps moved on about 20 years ago and to this day, the song "Wendell Gee" brings tears to my eyes and pulls on my heart, thinking about the world's happiest drunk, and one helluva grandpa. I only listen to this song from time to time being that it saddens me....having said that, it also makes me happy to know that Gee was loved by all. More than once did his son, my uncle, come in to find a couple of down-on-their-luck homeless guys getting a hot shower or a meal at Gramps' house...guys he met over a pint of vodka in a brown paper bag. Love and miss you, Grandpa Gee.

[@eddiegalon3714]

a "raging" alcoholic is a mean drunk. Not a "happy" drunk. There are no happy drunks. He should have smoked weed instead. He would have really enjoyed listening to the wind blow through the trees. Just sayin'. Peace.

[@djbrownsville]

Eddie Galon ok...i didn't mean to get caught up in semantics...but yea, the dude was a drunk...a fucking funny one who was sweet as strawberry pie. ps...he loved weed, too. ;)

[@jamescarey2367]

I think everybody has that uncle at least I did man not just one,

[@magyarmainer4692]

Love this . Real life . ❤️

[@MrWatchman76]

One of the most beautiful REM songs. And there are many! Love it!

[@natobanatotoo]

This song made me cry one time. We miss you R.E.M.!

[@promitra9356]

"And if the wind were colors And if the air could speak So listen as the wind blows And whistle as the wind blows through the leaves"

[@mjfan3709]

We were at an after show party in Dublin when REM played for 5 nights, my friend told Michael Stipe how special this song was to him- Michael loved hearing how much it meant to my friend and hugged him before he left with his then bf Thomas. Lovely bunch of guys- a year on Peter Buck ran past backstage in Amsterdam I shouted good luck as REM were about to go on stage- little did I know Peter ran to the toilet.....,me wishing him luck going for a piss lol- at least he smiled snd said thanks!! I miss them!!a sad day when they split😔

[@wlouisharris]

this must have been earlier or later in their career. Mills was always nice when I saw him. Buck and Stipe grew really aloof. Buck would ignore you and Stipe would scold fans for trying to talk to him. This was in the early 90s.

[@nexionaut]

Haha all lyrics are crystal clear with Mike!

[@JesseWright68]

Wendell Gee Used Cars was north of Athens on GA129N in Pendergrass, GA near I-85. It's long gone now. The one thing missing from this song is Mills' tasteful bass playing and background singing.

[@gingerm7800]

And the banjo.

[@th3_g0dz_of_Vict0ry]

One of the most mysterious and lovely songs from the REM pantheos ... EVER!~!~ Great job w/ Wendell G~ ..!!~!~ ...

[@grega.4556]

True, Mike goofs a lyric here and there, but Michael is notorious for forgetting words. There is so much (sometimes hilarious) footage of Mr. Stipe on stage with his trusty music stand holding lyric sheets! 😂 And honestly, it’s really nice to see and hear Mike sing this great song. What a nice performance this is. Thank you R.E.M. Thank you.

[@ThaiThom]

I don't hear him goof anything.

[@JStarStar00]

@@ThaiThom He enunciated "through the leaves" which Stipe doesn't really do on the released version, but it was on purpose, not a flub

[@BLAB-it5un]

@@JStarStar00 While REM always claimed, and Stipe in particular, that lyrics were fluid and changeable, I have always heard this song as intentionally playing off the imagery of wind whistling through the leaves and through the eaves. Both images work and I suspect the distinction is no accident.

[@jamessullivan4391]

REM lyrics are more complex than I thought. Of course I am Gen X and this is my signature band of the 80s. Had all their stuff, etc. But it is crazy that now I can slow down and actually listen. I was actually right listening to them.

[@RonJibs]

Love it! Always one of my faves and to hear Mike sing it is awesome.

[@gordongrant444]

The musical genius behind REM's music. Played/sung with alot of love... Thanks, Mike.

[@johnharvey4448]

Is Peter Buck equally musical genius behing their music ?

[@ThaiThom]

@@johnharvey4448 No, he's second in command.

[@danjsy]

Superb. What a talented band they were.

[@happydude6713]

Gonna miss you boy

[@samara76]

I love Mike Mills! Met him when he was touring with The Baseball Project - super-nice guy! I hope he puts out solo work, I love his voice! Look, there is Cindy Wilson of The B-52s! Love her!

[@natobanatotoo]

I miss the banjo though that was on the original. But as always I love Mike's voice.

[@natobanatotoo]

Arguably the best song on the Fables album.

[@johnharvey4448]

Agreed. Only Maps & Legends, and Green Grow the Rushes, are contenders.

[@ryandooner1440]

My favorite qoYoung-Earth Creationists: believe the Earth is 6,000 years old; subscribe to flood geology and creation science Old-Earth Creationists: accept the scientific consensus that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old and the universe is 13.8 billion years old; some believe the “years” mentioned in Genesis really refer to longer time periods of millions of years; contend that the Hebrew word for “day” (“yom”) can refer to an era or epoch; usually reject macroevolution Theistic Evolutionists: believe that God directed the process of evolution; hold that the Book of Genesis should be interpreted metaphorically "Life and How to Live it" but it is so hard to choose

[@StudioScarecrow]

This is one of the saddest songs I've ever heard.

[@johnharvey4448]

There's sadder : Sad Song by Oasis, Sing Me To Sleep by The Smiths, Batery In Your Leg by Blur.

[@subwaygoddess1]

SO beautiful! ✌💙🎶🎹🎤

[@ALDERSONPHIL]

this is a superb performance of the finest song r.e.m ever did

[@johnharvey4448]

Best on that album, certainly. Do appreciate the song much more now heard it in this clear, simplified way, and rises up the rankings many places, for me.

[@johnharvey4448]

Not keen on the album but It's worth bearing with just to find this.

[@rouxenophobe]

It’s a tough call between this, Rockville and Find The River!

[@mjfan3709]

Met Mike's mum Adora Mills, there with her new hubbie, lovely lady! I miss Mike and the guys, roll on next trip to Athens GA

[@nueve08]

This is the song I listened on a dream of mine the day R.E.M. broke up. It was really sad:(

[@johnharvey4448]

Aww. Such an apt choice.

[@rasavilasini]

i'm surprised that there are no comments about the fact that Mike seems to be singing different lyric's? "so, listen as the wind blows through the trees" I thought it was "So whistle as the wind blows,Whistle as the wind blows, with me" also in this line "He had a dream one night That the tree had lost its middle,So he built a trunk of chicken wire" Mike sings he built a "house" of chicken wire.

[@jan_Travis]

1. Better than the album version. 2. I have never had a song made me cry like a baby within the first verse alone. Mike does a great job on this song. I think better than the album version.

[@johnharvey4448]

I think it probably is better than the album version. The words can be clearly discerned and I think that's important on this song.

[@nbradshaw1324]

Here I am swaying with a lighter in hand to this song! Thanks Mike (and Michael, Peter, and Bill)...

[@heidigretel]

@remgirl i am happy you enjoy this video. i too think Wendell Gee is beautiful song :))

[@elvislives-gl4rv]

I've loved REM and Mike for 30 years. Mike still can't sing lead, but his backup is awsome. Kinda like Keith Richard eh.

[@Ultimomonodelanasa]

Great Mike, great song, Thanks again Heidi. You have an awesome treasures of R.E.M. I guess that you are one of the biggest fans!

[@pedrojaluzot2166]

La chanson est sur l'album est déjà très belle, mais cette version est vraiment touchante et émouvante. Thank you for sharing.

[@HakimALIGHT]

Holy moly !!! Great stuff !! THANK YOU.

[@mikelevitt7365]

This song haunts me

[@ivorbigonee]

rem finishing has just hit me! hard

[@aurorabarajas]

mind blowing! thank you!

[@martinearl5913]

The only band who made birdsong sound phoney. I will never understand how great this band was. And thankyou, boys.

[@golderjames]

Thank you Heidi. Your channel has been great fun to follow. "All The Best" :-)

[@nunzioforpresident]

thank you heidi ,from an italian fan ,i wish you a happy life:)

[@BLAB-it5un]

If I had to guess, the Fleetwood Mac song that inspired this was "Songbird" or "Storms". And I always admired the subtle but important word play between the wind whistling between the leaves and between the eaves.

[@peterbuckisgod]

Thank you Heidi! Your channel has been the BEST!!! Thanks to all R.E.M. fans -its been great

[@shitmandood]

Amazing.

[@heidigretel]

yes. i agree :)))))))

[@goingthrough9390]

Well, shit, I was listening to Fleetwood Mac earier, and then was singing this song to myself. Maybe my synapses made some sort of connection. I wonder if the song that inspired Millsy was "Never Going Back Again?"

[@JStarStar00]

My guess would be "Songbird."

[@heidigretel]

@TVZ1 no, this song is Wendell Gee. video is 2002. thank you for kind comment :))

[@talirayya1]

Mike does a nice job here...apart from not knowing the right lyrics! Still a legend regardless.

[@alaimon11]

Hey! That's my name!

[@rouxenophobe]

I used to love the album version but recently noticed the wooden stick beating the time, which I don't like... and now I can't un-hear it! This version is awesome (if lyrically challenged), the last few notes and lyrics are sublime (& sadly absent on the album version).

[@DerAlmighty]

Peter Buck always seems to hate on their best work. Wendell Gee, Stand, and pretty much the entire Around The Sun record...

[@johnharvey4448]

Can relate to Buck regards Stand. I like it, yet, for a guitarist it is very simple and obvious, once at a certain level perhaps too simple to be interesting or stimulating. Buck is known for 'playing through the gaps' of all the countless guitaring he's heard when working at a record shop. It's a usefull track if you want to guitar it and sing because of It's simplicity, though Buck doesn't need to do that.

[@heidigretel]

@peterbuckisgod you are very welcome. thank you for kind comments :))

[@heidigretel]

@TelltheSky thank you for kind comments. you are very welcome :)))))

[@drstevie]

fab :)

[@heidigretel]

@nunzioforpresident thank you for such kind comment. you are always very welcome and i too wish you have happy life :))

[@nicholsjoshua15]

I wonder if Mike Mills will release a solo album now that R.E.M. has broken up. If he dose I will buy it has fast as I can

[@johnharvey4448]

You'd think he would. It's not like one suddenly ceases to be able to come up with ideas. I'd at least be suprised if he didn't write songs for other people.

[@heidigretel]

@TheWorldinProgress you are very welcome :))

[@heidigretel]

you are very welcome :))))

[@heidigretel]

@JamesRichardGolder thank you for such kind comment. all the best to you :))

[@dogsigh]

edwin mccain! 👋

[@heidigretel]

@TeethoftheHydra i agree with you :)

[@heidigretel]

thank you for interesting comment, you are very welcome for this upload :))))

[@heidigretel]

@kimoxxx you are very welcome :)))

[@MichaelSHuffJr]

Secret 🤫 weapon -Ed V

[@benmeltzer]

song at 1:03

[@michealdoyle4318]

Hi all does anyone know who wrote the song Mike sings on call the egeal

[@th3_g0dz_of_Vict0ry]

"that the tree has lost it's middle / so he built a trunk of chicken wire" ... (slay me, please?) ...

[@firstaddz8100]

he built a trunk of chicken wire

[@SocialScrotem]

the metaphors and symbolism.....that take sounds like it was meant for "AUTOMATIC"

[@Hannahorse715]

look at 52-54 seconds does Mike have braces on in that video

[@joplet1]

and when he climbed inside, not crawled

[@DerAlmighty]

@rasavilasini He might not know all of the exact lyrics. Haven't you ever seen Gene Simmons live?

[@joplet1]

and it's whistle as the wind blows, not listen

[@danjsy]

wow, Daniel day Lewis has had a couple...

[@tafkaga474]

Is that Cindy Wilson?

[@matthewstetson711]

Where's the June Carter Cash tune? Who cares if the lyrics aren't carbon copy 'cuz REM fans know that song lyrics are transitional. Very nice reading by Mike E Mills.

[@heidigretel]

@REMINGTEN2010 i am sorry but i "call it a day" :))

[@6828Lu]

What's the context (where, when, why) of this performance, and did I see Don McLean playing acoustic guitar??

[@TVZ1]

Isn't is 'Whistle as the wind blows?'. Nice vid though. When's this from?

[@amerocker]

May 4, 2002. It's from 'Turner South Live: A Concert From Music Midtown'. I websearched the info.

[@jenniferkonstant5920]

What is this from?!

[@heidigretel]

@ricflairfan5 :))))

[@joplet1]

"upon the string(not wire)

[@BookClubDisaster]

I hate what I'm about to say......but Mike sounds a little like Luke Bryan.

[@michaelbrown2222]

He is signing the wrong lyrics in places

[@michaelbrown2222]

That's not a dig - just an observation. For example. Mike sings 'the tree had lost it's middle so he built a house of chicken wire' - I believe the lyric is 'he built a trunk of chicken wire'.. there are others.

[@joplet1]

he sang a wrong lyric

[@barnacles62]

Mike Mills backups in REM is as much their sound as Stipes. I always loved their music, but I never cared for their political views...

[@edvonblue]

Nice song, but mills singing voice just doesn’t have the impact that Stipes’ voice has

[@StratsRUs]

Can't stand this song.Peter Buck hates it too

[@johnharvey4448]

Admiring the frankness.