Beatles Cover Among R.E.M.'s Gifts to Fan Club

To tide over fans eagerly awaiting their upcoming album, due next spring, R.E.M. dispatched their annual Christmas gift to members of their fan club last week.

The Athens-based band has turned back the hands of time -- after sending out a video in 1998 and a CD last year -- and has gifted their faithful with a seven-inch single. In nod to Elvis and the Beatles, the band pressed the single on blue vinyl, and included a cover of the Fab Four's "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)." The platter also features two instrumentals recorded last May in Vancouver, British Columbia during the sessions for their yet-to-be titled album. The first track, "Hasting and Main" is a 1:22 jazz-imbued piano and bass instrumental, followed by a more poppy and longer "Take Seven," a snippet that they played at soundcheck during their Atlanta shows on Aug. 28 and 29.

In addition to the music in their annual Christmas stocking, fans also received a calendar and R.E.M. sticker.

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Song Stories

“Oh Sherrie”

Steve Perry | 1984

Steve Perry's girlfriend Sherrie Swafford was actually in the studio when Perry began writing this song--his lone Top Ten hit as a solo act--with two co-writers. The trio began at midnight one night with just "Oh, Sherrie!" and "hold on, hold on." Three hours later, they had a complete song. Swafford, however, had to wait until the next day to hear it. "Sherrie actually got tired and went to bed," Perry said. She also appeared in the video, but their relationship did not hold on for long.

More Song Stories entries »

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