R.E.M. - Top 10 Songs

Over on Pop Candy, Whitney linked to a post in Paste listing the top 20 R.E.M. songs, and she also listed her own top ten. As an avowed R.E.M. fan, I feel compelled to list my own. R.E.M. set the soundtrack to my college years after my friend Michael introduced them to me in high school. To be fair, I totally mocked him at the time, but soon learned the error of my ways and became a huge fan. In fact, the most embarrassing moment of my life occurred after attending a fabulous R.E.M. concert in Louisville. But I digress....

10. Half a World Away - Very maudlin, love the longing

9. Exhuming McCarthy - Dig the typewriter intro and the political lyrics

8. Leaving New York - Really like the melody and looping and layered chorus

7. South Central Rain (I'm Sorry) - Such a simple refrain, but still gives me chills

6. Cuyahoga - Love the lyrics (Let's put our heads together, and start a new country up, our father's father's father tried, to erase the parts they didn't like)

5. I Am Superman - Hated it the first time I heard it, grew to love it quickly. Great harmonies, and I like Mike Mills taking lead

4. Near Wild Heaven - Another one with Mike Mills singing lead, more great harmonies, and more fun

3. Driver 8 - ITunes says I've listened to this song more than any other, and it's easy to hear why

2. Fall On Me - Seminal song of my college days (Buy the sky, sell the sky...) and I loved it most until...

1. Nightswimming - My favorite song of all time, I think. I just love the story in the lyrics, the beauty of the piano, the longing in Michael Stipe's voice, and then the strings kick in and it's just total bliss.

Honorable Mentions go to Imitation of Life (Great Title) and Supernatural Superserious (Horrible title, great song)