Bang and Blame

"Bang and Blame"
Single by R.E.M.
from the album Monster
B-side	"Bang And Blame (Instrumental Version)"
Released	January 10, 1995 (1995-01-10)
Format	CD single, 7" single, 12" single, Cassette
Recorded	1994
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	5:30 (album w/ short interlude) 4:51 (single edit)
Label	Warner Bros.
Writer(s)	Berry, Buck, Mills, Stipe[1]
Producer	Scott Litt & R.E.M.
R.E.M. singles chronology
"What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" (1994) "Bang and Blame" (1994) "Strange Currencies" (1995)

"Bang and Blame" is a song by the American alternative rock group R.E.M. It was released as the second single from the album Monster in 1995. It is the last R.E.M. song to reach the top 40 in Billboard's Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 19, and also their last number one on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

When the album version of the song finishes, an untitled instrumental featuring vibrato effects on the guitar amp and amplified slap bass techniques follows, lasting approximately thirty seconds from fade in to fade out.

The song was the most successful single by the band in America since 1991's "Shiny Happy People". Since "Bang and Blame", the band have not had a single that matched its success. Despite its success, it was left off of In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003.

"Bang and Blame" was featured in the Cold Case episode "Blackout" as well as in the Danish mini-series "Charlot og Charlotte" by Ole Bornedal (director of "Nattevagten"/"The Night Watch"). The song was also used in "Weird Al" Yankovic's polka medley "The Alternative Polka" from his 1996 album Bad Hair Day.

Track listing

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe.

12" and CD Maxi-single

1. "Bang and Blame" – 4:51
2. "Losing My Religion" (live)¹ – 5:24
3. "Country Feedback" (live)¹ – 5:03
4. "Begin the Begin" (live)¹ – 3:47

7", Cassette and CD single

1. "Bang and Blame" – 4:48
2. "Bang and Blame" (instrumental version) – 4:48

Notes

¹ Recorded at the 40 Watt Club, Athens, Georgia; November 19, 1992. The performance, a benefit for Greenpeace, was recorded on a solar-powered mobile studio.

Charts

References