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My Gen X Playlist: South Central Rain – REM

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Daily writing prompt
The most important invention in your lifetime is…
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Rotary phone. Touch tone phone. Digital phone. Cordless phone. Cell phone. Flip phone. Blackberry. Smart phone.

Man, phones have changed during my lifetime. It’s not only the phones, but also the different ways we’re able to communicate at the tips of our fingers. Phone calls. Emails. Text messages. Tweets. Video calls. The majority of the shift has been compressed in the most recent years of my life. What’s next? Well, Elon Musk just implanted a chip in a human brain. What the hell. Say what you will. I hate the guy, but his genius is something to marvel at.

Technology has led to one of my biggest pet peeves. I hate it when someone is having a loud conversation while sitting in the stall next to me in a public restroom. Seriously? This conversation couldn’t have waited five minutes? Whenever this happens, I proceed to flush the toilet a number of times hoping the person on the other end hears the loud background noise. Yes, I know. I’m toilet shaming the caller. Not good. Yes, you are right. I’m wasting water. That’s bad, too. And usually the caller next to me remains unphased by my efforts. It’s an exercise in futility. Why am I sharing this publicly? I have no idea. At the very least, it’s therapeutic.

I love the lyrics in REM’s South Central Rain. Admittedly, they’re vague and grey and I can’t really figure them out. But I find the combination of words and phrases beautiful. I can feel the rivers of suggestions of waiting for a call.

Did you never call? I waited for your call
These rivers of suggestion are driving me away
The trees will bend, the cities wash away
The city on the river there is a girl without a dream

I know I’m not suppose to understand what was going through Michael Stipe’s head when he wrote the lyrics. I’m guessing it was intentionally left grey. The poetic vague lyrics is one of the reasons REM is one of my favorite bands and South Central Rain is one of my favorite songs. And it looks like I’m not alone.

Sometimes when you hear a song it takes you right back to a place you thought you had long forgotten all about. This is one of those songs.

– YouTube comment from kevinwalker818

Brilliant. Still gives me the chills to this day when I hear it. Goes down as one of my all time favorites. Getting old…but, this one brings me back to that simple, beautiful, happy place of my youth.

– YouTube comment by htetreau

I’m here for REM. 29 years ago at my small town school, in the country, full of work and dust and a bunch of idiots, REM planted a seed within me and some other kids. It was a big deal. It didn’t make sense to the older folk. We had skateboards, REM, tube socks and awful parents.

– YouTube comment by acquelinedeniston9108

“Eastern to mountain, third party call, the lines are down, the wise man built his words upon the rocks but I’m not bound to follow suit”.

I just can’t get enough of those words in that order.

– YouTube comment by dozer1642

This song is a masterclass in setting a mood and tone with vocals and melody. You just feel it in your soul.

– YouTube comment by mackeydirk8643

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.


Did you never call? I waited for your call
These rivers of suggestion are driving me away
The trees will bend, the cities wash away
The city on the river there is a girl without a dream
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry

Eastern to Mountain, third party call, the lines are down
The wise man built his words upon the rocks
But I'm not bound to follow suit
The trees will bend, the conversation's dimmed
Go build yourself another home, this choice isn't mine
I'm sorry, I'm sorry

Did you never call? I waited for your call
These rivers of suggestion are driving me away
The ocean sang, the conversation's dimmed
Go build yourself another dream, this choice isn't mine
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry

19 thoughts on “My Gen X Playlist: South Central Rain – REM”

  1. This post is both horrifying and hilarious! Implanting a chip in someone’s brain? Horrifying! There are just too many unknown implications there.
    Flushing the toilet to end a loud public conversation? Hilarious! I will try that the next time that happens to me. 😁

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  2. The song and the photo remind me of times I spent just staring at a phone, just willing it to ring. A friend, a boy, an invitation to go somewhere…it was our ticket out of teenage boredom in suburbia!

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  5. Yep I am old enough that we had a rotary phone when I was a (super young) kid. And not only can we do all this stuff at the drop of a hat we can do multiple things at once. I was just on a call while I was leaving a comment online. I must admit I have not heard anyone in a toilet stall on the phone that is just egregious but I love your solution. Great song. Great posts

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  7. A fabulous R.E.M. track I know well, though strangely I never remember the title and wondered what song I was in for here. Whenever I hear their songs, I recall a friend bopping in the seat next to me (in the car, not the public toilets, to be clear) when he introduced me to their music.

    And ‘toilet shaming’… truly, I nearly peed myself laughing when I read that! Full disclosure: I have done it too, or made other location-identifying noises, when a stall neighbour has been carrying on a phone conversation. I too could never understand the need, unless the person was really, really busy and they had thought of it as time management… but even then, really?

    And like Susan, I’m not up for the chip in the brain.

    Great post, fun!

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    1. Thanks for your comments and humor, Steve. When I hit the button, I immediately felt a little regret, but then said, “oh well…”

      Yes, it’s a great track on the album. The early REM stuff was really great stuff. This one really stuck with me.

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  8. I remember when you had to buy a phone from Ma Bell. Like it was weird to be able to get one from the store. But I agree that the phone, in all of its shapes and forms is a revolutionary invention. Not too sure about brain chips though.

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  9. Hahaha 😂
    Good one! Phone ediquette still yet to be invented

    REM Yes! one of my favorite bands. I once did a painting inspired by the lyrics of one of their songs ‘I’m pushing and elephant up the stairs..’ I LOVE abstract lyrics! Fun post

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