REM 6-9-84 Passaic 04. Letter Never Sent

the whole show is up. check my other rare REM vids.

[@REMchout]

Yes, a beautiful and underrated song...many of my favorite REM songs are the 'deep album cuts' as they say...

[@peteolson6093]

I saw them on this concert tour when I was 15 and it was simply the best thing that had happened to American rock n roll during my teen years--thanks so much for posting--never thought I get to see that again!

[@ProfessorNeuwaveX]

After 25 years of listening to these guys You Tube has opened up a whole new world of performances I need to see. This song just popped in my head today, and made me realize how much I have to look forward to. I'm gonna let them come naturally. So many wonderful times listening to this one in my room as a teenager.

[@filimail]

Mike Mills is MVP of this band!!! Yes! I actually wrote an essay about him in a creative writing class in college '92, being an underrated but most valuable player...rock on.

[@jimmurphy3213]

I saw this tour on. LI 40 years ago. At there best

[@AllanOstermann]

Reckoning is all I need in life. Harbor Coat, Letter Never Sent, Camera. That'll do on a desert island.

[@ScratchMountain]

There was a moment when this album was absolutely everything

[@ayatollahrocknrolla]

I especially love the version of this on "Live At The Olympia", and the dialogue with the audience after it. [fan shouts something indecipherable] Michael: What? [fan repeats statement] Michael: You love my clothes, is that what you said? Thank you. [same fan starts the "oh oh oh oh-oh" from the middle 8] Michael: Oh... Oh that part! Mike: They love your "oh"s Peter: Do you wanna hear it again? Michael: Yeah do you wanna hear it again? No I don't want to [Peter plays the riff] oh-oh oh oh... :)

[@ClueSign]

I so totally agree about Mike's bass; I saw this tour in in San Francisco and this is no easy song to do live. Reckoning wasn't even out yet and everyone's jaw was dropping. It's a symphony and Mike Mills is MVP of this band.

[@johnvannostrand7612]

Reckoning was released in April 1984.

[@ClueSign]

@@johnvannostrand7612 When they played SF, the record was not yet released.

[@peterw.5984]

​@@ClueSignwhere'd they play in SF?

[@ClueSign]

@@peterw.5984 They played several shows in the Bay Area the same week in June 1983 and I caught a couple. The first (and best as I recall) was at a club called The Old Waldorf which was on the roof of an office complex; it was originally meant to be a comedy club but Bill Graham, the famous SF promoter, figured out he could book newer touring new wave acts there. At the show I'm referring to above, the set list was lots, if not all, of Murmur, a couple of Chronic Town cuts (Gardening At Night/Wolves, Lower) and several from the not-yet released Reckoning. I especially remember 7 Chinese Brothers and Harborcoat, too. The band then came back only a few months later and played a much, much bigger venue, The Kabuki, a proper theater with a great sound system, and that show was spectacular.

[@opaquiosq]

I always thought this was really an underrated R.E.M. song. Love the interplay between Stipe & Mills on the chorus.

[@WickedWings07]

I can't get over the sound of the bass line for this song, especally on the album version. Mike's Rickenbacker just has such an awesome treble punch under it. Just one of the reasons why I bought a Rickenbacker 4003 xD. (although Mills has a 4001) And I guess I'll re-post this, but does anyone else notice Stipe yelling "What's wrong with you!" right at the very end of the song? Right at 2:59 when Peter is using a towel on his hair. Just looks like Stipe has a mad look on his face. xD

[@finehomemadewine]

it is one of my favorites. And it´s very interesting performance too. Thanks, as usually :-).

[@jayantani]

I heard it! Good catch! Wonder what was going down.

[@kaldizoltan]

ua ua ua ua ua heaven is yours I like it

[@KOSMICKEN09]

Weird, I can understand the words in this perfomance unlike the lp version! great stuff.

[@AUS10TEX]

chout should be highly thanked.

[@Roggiedodgie]

thanks a million. I wish you guys would leave the negative comments on for a good laugh though

[@ProfessorNeuwaveX]

@Allanoster Truer words have never been said friend.

[@AUS10TEX]

"Vacation in Athens i calling me", i don't even like Georgia, but they got screwed by the BCS.