Everybody Hurts

"Everybody Hurts"
Single by R.E.M.
from the album Automatic for the People
Released	April 15, 1993 (1993-04-15)
Format	CD single, 7" single, 12" single, Cassette
Recorded	1992
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	5:20 (Album Version) 4:57 (Edit) 4:46 (Alternate Edit)
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Scott Litt & R.E.M.
R.E.M. singles chronology
"The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" (1993) "Everybody Hurts" (1993) "Nightswimming" (1993)

"Everybody Hurts" is a song by R.E.M., originally released on the band's 1992 album Automatic for the People and was also released as a single in 1993. It peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, #7 on the UK Singles Charts and #3 on the French Singles Chart.

History

Much of the song was written by drummer Bill Berry, although as R.E.M. shares songwriting credits among its members, it is unknown how much he actually wrote.^[1] Berry did not drum on the song — a Univox drum machine took his place — but he was responsible for the sampling of the drum pattern on the track. The string arrangement was written by Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.

In the liner notes of the album In Time - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003, Peter Buck writes that "the reason the lyrics are so atypically straightforward is because it was aimed at teenagers", and "I've never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but the idea that high school is a portal to hell seems pretty realistic to me." Incidentally, the song was used in the 1992 film of the same name that preceded the show.

In the video for the song, directed by Jake Scott and filmed along I-10 in San Antonio, Texas, the band is stuck in a traffic jam. It shows the people in other cars and subtitles of their thoughts appear on screen. At the end, all the people leave their cars and walk instead; then they vanish.

In 1995, British emotional support listening service The Samaritans, in response to the high suicide rate but low crisis service take-up amongst young men, launched a UK press advertising campaign consisting solely of the lyrics to "Everybody Hurts" and the charity's hotline number.^{[citation needed]}

The song was placed on R.E.M.'s Warner Brothers "best of" album In Time - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 in 2003. It was one of four songs from Automatic for the People to make the compilation, more than from any other album.

In a 2006 poll for a Five program "Britain's Favourite Break-up Songs", "Everybody Hurts" was voted 4th.

In October 2007, MuchMoreMusic placed "Everybody Hurts" as number 5 of the Top 40 Most Memorable Music Videos on "Listed".

The song is included on R.E.M. Live.

Cover versions

• Paul Anka, on the album Rock Swings.
• Feeder, originally available as a download-only single in aid of the charity War Child, before being included as a full-band version b-side on their "Shatter / Tender" single.
• The Corrs, on the album The Corrs Unplugged.
• Bonnie Tyler, on the album Heart Strings.
• Alex Parks, on her debut album Introduction.
• Joe Cocker, on his 2004 cover album Heart & Soul.
• Paul Potts, the winner of "Britain's Got Talent", on his debut CD One Chance. Potts performs it in Italian and the track has the additional Italian title "Ognuno Soffre".
• Patti Smith, available as a bonus track on her 2007 album Twelve.
• Tina Arena, for her 2007 album Songs of Love & Loss.
• DJ Sammy
• David Hobson, on his album The Promise.
• Dashboard Confessional, on the album MTV2 Covers
• Marillion, on the live album Friends.
• The Coconutz, for the soundtrack to the film Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The version was performed in the Hawaiian Language.
• Meat Puppets, available on the Stereogum curated album Drive XV. Other versions of the song were recorded for the album by Frida Hyvönen, Elk City, Bodies of Water and Amanda Palmer with Cormac Bride and are available as bonus tracks.
• Russian Singer Zemfira with Patti Smith on Live Performance in Kazan City.
• Diana Vickers performed this on the 8th live show of The X Factor 2008
• G4, on their album "G4".

In popular culture

• The original R.E.M. recording was featured in the film Bewitched (2005) and TV series Party of Five.

• The Scottish band Franz Ferdinand mentions the song in their song "You're the Reason I'm Leaving" from the album titled "You Could Have It So Much Better". The lyrics are "the radio sings that 'Everybody' song by R.E.M."

• The song was also used in the television drama My So-Called Life (1994). By the time the Pilot episode aired, the song was a hit.

• The song was also used on the show Daria (1997-2001) in the episode "Road Worrier". In a slow-motion scene taking place in traffic congestion, the character states, "This is like that R.E.M. video, except you can't read anyone's mind", and a subtitle articulates Daria's mind stating "Thank God".

• In the second-season episode "The Fire" of the U.S. version of the television show The Office, Dwight listens to the song in his car after Michael has castigated him for not having attended business school.

• The song was covered by Daniel Ho (as 'The Coconutz') for the Forgetting Sarah Marshall soundtrack, although it was not featured in the film. The lyrics were translated into Hawaiian for the soundtrack (the film is mostly based in Hawaii). Ho also covered other 'breakup songs' "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" and "Nothing Compares 2 U" in a similar style for the soundtrack - only the latter was actually featured in the film itself, in the end credits.

• The song was featured in an episode of NCIS when DiNozzo's girlfriend was found crying in her apartment before he showed up.

Track listing

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

US 7" and CD Single

1. "Everybody Hurts" – 5:20
2. "Mandolin Strum" – 3:26

"Collector's Edition" CD 1 (UK)

1. "Everybody Hurts" (edit) – 4:57
2. "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1" (Long Version) – 3:29
3. "Mandolin Strum" – 3:26

"Collector's Edition" CD 2 (UK)

1. "Everybody Hurts" (edit) – 4:57
2. "Chance (Dub)" – 2:36
3. "Dark Globe" (Syd Barrett) – 1:51

DE CD Single

1. "Everybody Hurts" (edit) – 4:57
2. "Mandolin Strum" – 3:26
3. "Chance (Dub)" – 2:36
4. "Dark Globe" (Barrett) – 1:51

US 12" and CD Maxi-Single 1

1. "Everybody Hurts" (edit) – 4:57
2. "Mandolin Strum" – 3:26
3. "Belong" (live)^[2] – 4:32
4. "Orange Crush" (live)^[3] – 4:00

US 12" and CD Maxi-Single 2

1. "Everybody Hurts" (edit) – 4:57
2. "Star Me Kitten" (demo) – 3:05
3. "Losing My Religion" (live)^[2] – 4:55
4. "Organ Song" – 3:25

UK Cassette Single

1. "Everybody Hurts" – 5:20
2. "Pop Song '89" – 3:03

UK and DE 7" Single

1. "Everybody Hurts" (edit) – 4:46
2. "Pop Song '89" – 3:03

Charts

References