My Gen X Playlist: Fall On Me – REM

Laguna Beach has a thriving art scene. Every summer, they put on The Pageant of the Masters. Works of art are recreated on stage with people stepping into the frames. It’s done so well, you can’t tell there are live people in the paintings. A little taste of what it is like can be seen in this preview here. Although this preview was not accompanied by the orchestra, you can get a flavor of the creativity behind the show.

On each evening of the Festival of Arts. . . , ticket holders are amazed and enchanted by ninety minutes of tableaux vivants (living pictures), incredibly faithful re­creations of classical and contemporary works of art, with real people posing to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces.

– foapom

We sat in an outdoor amphitheater, listening to a wonderful orchestra and interesting narration while people posed to recreate works of art. It was amazing. The last recreated living painting was Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Two words. Way cool.

I’ve heard about The Pageants for years and enjoyed my first time attending. It was a wonderful evening of art, creativity and music. If you ever have an opportunity to attend, I highly recommend it.

Pageants…I can’t help think of REM’s album Lifes Rich Pageant. The album was named after an idiom that refers to the idea that even bad or difficult experiences are a part of a full and interesting life. They dropped the apostrophe on the word Life because, well, that’s just what REM does. No apostrophes.

 “We all hate apostrophes. Michael insisted, and I agreed, that there’s never been a good rock album that’s had an apostrophe in the title.”

– udiscovermusic

Fall On Me is one of my favorite songs from the album and the band. It was no stranger to the creative process as its lyrics and melody morphed over time.

Before it ended up on the Lifes Rich Pageant album, R.E.M. performed a variation of this song on tour . . . Peter Buck remembered . . . “And pretty much every day Michael had different lyrics or a different melody; we changed the bridge a hundred times. On the Lifes Rich Pageant anniversary box set, there is a version that is kind of what we used to do on stage. Michael wrote new words and melodies during the making of the record, which all took a bit of getting used to since we were so used to the previous versions. But no question, the one on the record is so superior.”

– Songfacts

One of the living paintings showcased that evening was Blue Boy. It was cool to see because we had just seen the original at the Huntington Library a few months ago. The Pageants also showcased Kehinde Wiley’s Blue Boy inspired version which is displayed opposite it at the museum. Similar bones, different color and feel – just like the many versions of Stipe’s Fall On Me. Who says a little bit of change isn’t refreshing.

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

There's the problem, feathers, iron
Bargain buildings, weights and pulleys
Feathers hit the ground
Before the weight can leave the air

Buy the sky and sell the sky
And tell the sky, and tell the sky
Don't fall on me (what is it up in the air for)
Fall on me (if it's there for long)
Fall on me (it's over, it's over me)

There's the progress
We have found a way to talk around the problem
Building towered
Foresight isn't anything at all

Buy the sky and sell the sky
And bleed the sky and tell the sky
Don't fall on me (what is it up in the air for)
Fall on me (if it's there for long)
Fall on me (it's over, it's over me)
Don't fall on me
(Well I would keep it above but then it wouldn't be sky any more)
(So if I send it to you you've got to promise to keep it home)

Buy the sky and sell the sky
And lift your arms up to the sky
And ask the sky, and ask the sky
Don't fall on me (what is it up in the air for)
Fall on me (if it's there for long)
Fall on me (it's over, it's over me)