From a reader who wishes to remain anonymous because of his employment situation: “Pete – you picked the wrong REM song to describe the movement. Try ‘Losing my Religion’.” (See What’s the frequency, Alvaro?)
Hmmm….now that you mention it, other REM favorites include: Shiny Happy People, The End of the World, Everybody Hurts, I Took Your Name, Bang and Blame (particularly the verse “The whole world hinges on your swings/ Your secret life of indiscreet discretions”), I Believe, Just a Touch, and Imitation of Life.
I think I detect a pattern. Fables of the Reconstruction, Reconstruction of the Fables, Life’s Rich Pageant, Monster, Up, Reveal – even their album titles seem a tad suspicious. And they were formed in Georgia, within driving distance of Atlanta. Not to mention that Michael Stipe’s outfit in this video bears similarities to clerical garb: