TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Apologies if this question has been raised before, but I don't think I have seen anyone talk about it here.

I was listening to Gottle O'Geer the other day (a rare event - it happens about once every couple of years!), and when it got to Limey's Lament at the end, it suddenly struck me that there is a similarity to REM's It's The End Of The World As We Know It.  Both are lists of words in a kind of stream of consciousness/word association (football) kind of way (and cheesecake comes into both too!).

Has anyone else noticed this and does anyone know if there is any more than pure coincidence in it?

Yes I've noticed.  I would think it is just coincidence.  There's been many 'list songs' in the past, and really that's where the similarity ends.  Nothing about the music in either song made a list song inevitable.  Which means that Stipe likely chanced on the idea of doing what he did for the REM song without the rest of the band nudging him in that direction.  And Stipe, you can bet, is probably the one member of REM that hadn't heard a Fairport Convention record back in 1987.

Jules

Are both derivative of Subterranean Homesick Blues?

Hmm, perhaps, but didn't Joe Boyd produce one of the early REM albums, which would increase the chances of Stipe having heard some FC?

Fables of the Reconstruction, 1985.  Personally, I'd be amazed if Mr Stipe hadn't heard a Fairport record by 87.  Even if it was through the wall in some hotel whilst Buck was up partying  ;D

I'm sure I read somewhere (Meet on the Ledge?) that REM cite FC as an influence.

I'd be surprised if they searched out Gottle O' Geer and decided to use Limey's Lament as the basis for End of the World..isn't EOTW more like the Subterranean Home Sick Blues/Eve of Destruction style of list?  

I suspect that Billy Joel, who has admitted to playing Gottle every day for 3 years, used Limey's Lament as the inspiration for We Didn't Start the Fire..

Peter Buck is a fan of the RT period for sure.  But the chances of him playing Gottle to Stipe?  Minimal.  Or even smaller.

Jules

ITEOTWAWKI was a reworked version of 'Bad Day' (which itself was later reworked). If I remember correctly, it was written during the Joe Boyd 'fables' sessions....

However, I'd say the odds are very much against it as an influence! :)

Cheers

Adam

Just after - it was demoed in early '86 just before the Pageant sessions.

Jules

Every day for three years!  There are Fairport records I could do that with, but Gottle?!

Gonna have to make a judgement on this. It's very rare that I have an excuse to get Gottle out...

It's the Subterranean Homesick Blues school of songwriting, isn't it?

Speaking of Limey's Lament, is it true that the band used to perform it live?  How did Swarb ever memorize all the lyrics?

They certainly played it when I saw them that summer.

T-R