Lotus (R.E.M. song)

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"Lotus"
R.E.M. - Lotus.jpg
Single by R.E.M.
from the album Up
B-side"Surfing The Ganges"
ReleasedDecember 7, 1998 (1998-12-07)[1]
GenreAlternative rock, glam rock[2]
Length4:31
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Pat McCarthy
  • R.E.M.
R.E.M. singles chronology
"Daysleeper"
(1998) 		"Lotus"
(1998) 		"At My Most Beautiful"
(1999)

"Lotus" is a song by R.E.M., released as the second single from their eleventh studio album Up. The song is somewhat minimalist, with Michael Stipe singing surreal lyrics in a percussive manner. It builds on a four-note keyboard part, with a distorted guitar riff at the beginning and after the second chorus. The song's recurring line "I ate the lotus" appeared in an alternate form ("I'll eat the lotus...") in a previous R.E.M. song, "Be Mine". The line "dot dot dot and I feel fine" is a reference to R.E.M.'s 1987 hit "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)".

For live performances of the song, Peter Buck alternates between electric guitar (chorus) and keyboard (verse). "Playing keyboard always excites me," Buck explained in a soundbite during MTV Uplink, a recording of the band's performance at New York's Bowery Ballroom in October 1998, "even though it's only with one finger." "But it's a big finger," joked Mills. "It's great."

Music video[]

The single's video, directed by Stéphane Sednaoui, was included as a bonus video on the DVD release of In View - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003. "I wanted to work with Stephane for a long time," Stipe explained to MTV UK during An Hour with R.E.M. in 2001 after selecting the video for airplay. "Since I saw the video that he did with Björk for, what was that called, "Big Time Sexuality" or something? Where she looks exactly like Shirley MacLaine, 1959-1961. The Apartment, I think, was the name of the film. Shirley McLaine and Björk as Shirley MacLaine on the back of a pick-up truck driving down 5th Avenue in New York City, probably. But I thought this guy exudes sex, he's like sex on a stick, and I wanted to work with him for that reason. He somehow transmogrified that very thing through me. I look very, very foxy in this video, which is why I chose it; it shows off my incredible stomach muscles."

Track listings[]

All songs were written by Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated.

CD

  1. "Lotus" - 4:31
  2. "Surfing the Ganges" – 2:25
  3. "Lotus" (Weird Mix) – 4:33

7-inch and cassette

  1. "Lotus" – 4:31
  2. "Surfing the Ganges" – 2:25

UK 3-inch CD

  1. "Lotus" – 4:31
  2. "Suspicion" (live in the studio) – 5:39
  • This version of "Suspicion" is different from the Ealing Studio recording found on the "Suspicion" single.

Charts[]

Chart (1998–1999) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[3] 18
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[4] 32
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[5] 56
Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[6] 25
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[7] 88
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[8] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[9] 50
Scotland (OCC)[10] 23
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 60
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 26
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[13] 4
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[14] 31
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[15] 31

References[]

  1. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. December 5, 1998. p. 23. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  2. ^ Zaleski, Annie (October 26, 2018). "20 Years Ago: R.E.M. Find Their Way as a Trio With 'Up'". Classic Rock. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  3. ^ "Ultratop.be – R.E.M. – Lotus" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  4. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7350." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  5. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 7152." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 7450." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  7. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15 no. 52. December 26, 1998. p. 7. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  8. ^ "Íslenski Listinn (5.3–12.3. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). March 5, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  9. ^ "Charts.nz – REM – Lotus". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  10. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  11. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – R.E.M. – Lotus". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  12. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  13. ^ "R.E.M. Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  14. ^ "R.E.M. Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  15. ^ "R.E.M. Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2013.

External links[]

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