R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" Turns 35
Today marks 35 years since R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" was released on February 19, 1991. The mandolin-driven alternative rock anthem became an MTV staple and remains one of the band's most recognizable hits.
- The song's iconic mandolin riff was written by guitarist Peter Buck while he was learning to play the newly purchased instrument and watching TV. He recorded himself practicing, and nestled between his learning exercises was the melody that would become the foundation of the song. - The title is a common expression from the Southern United States meaning to lose one's temper or feel frustrated and desperate, not a statement about losing religious faith. Lead singer Michael Stipe has said the lyrics are about the theme of unrequited love. - "Losing My Religion" became R.E.M.'s highest-charting hit in the United States, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining on the chart for 21 weeks. - The critically acclaimed music video was directed by Tarsem Singh, who drew inspiration from the painter Caravaggio and a short story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It won six MTV Video Music Awards in 1991, including Video of the Year. - The music video marked the first time frontman Michael Stipe agreed to lip-sync to the lyrics, a decision influenced by Sinéad O'Connor's video for "Nothing Compares 2 U". - At the 1992 Grammy Awards, the song won for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Short Form Music Video. - The record label, Warner Bros., was initially hesitant to release a song driven by a mandolin as the lead single from the album "Out of Time". - During the recording sessions, touring guitarist Peter Holsapple was brought in to play acoustic guitar to fill the midrange sound between the high notes of the mandolin and the low end of the bass guitar. Michael Stipe recorded his vocals in a single take.
