Find the River
"Find the River" is a song by American rock band R.E.M., released on November 29, 1993, by Warner Bros. Records as the sixth and final single from the band's eighth album, Automatic for the People. The song reached number 54 on the UK Singles Charts in December 1993. It did not chart in the US. "Find the River" was one of only three R.E.M. singles released in the 1990s to not make the Top 40 in Britain. The song's music video was directed by Jodi Wille.
Background
The song's music was composed by Mike Mills, who plays bass, organ, piano, acoustic guitars and accordion on the song. Guitarist Peter Buck does not perform on the recording.Regarding the song's backing vocals, Mike Mills explained to ''Melody Maker''
Reception
Martin Aston from Music Week gave the song four out of five, writing that the sixth single to be lifted from Automatic for the People "will doubtless follow REM's five previous singles into the charts. Two new B-sides, including the MTV Music Awards version of "Everybody Hurts", are the tempters for the serious fans. Otherwise, the single's slow, moody swing has something winterish about it to take it high up the charts." Barbara Ellen from NME viewed it as "a rare REM track you can't suck some spiritual sustenance from". In a 1992 review of the album, Rolling Stone writer Paul Evans said, "R.E.M. has never made music more gorgeous" than "Find the River", calling it a "masterpiece". Alex Kadis from Smash Hits gave it four out of five, adding, "It's a gentle meandering folky job with guitars a-thrummin' and a-strummin'. And it's beautiful."Music video
The accompanying music video for "Find the River" was shot in September 1992 in Malibu, California, directed by Jodi Wille, and features a stripped-down studio performance by the band and Los Angeles "outsider" artist Henry Hill. In An Hour with R.E.M., which aired on MTV UK prior to the band's televised performance at Cologne Cathedral in 2001, Mike Mills introduced the video and explained that he selected it "because... I've never seen it, and I have absolutely no idea what's on it."In the Warner Bros. promotional film for Automatic for the People, the band is seen performing the song live in their Clayton Street rehearsal room.
Track listings
All songs were written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe.- UK 7-inch and cassette single
- "Find the River" – 3:49
- "Everybody Hurts" – 5:32
- UK CD single
- "Find the River" – 3:49
- "Everybody Hurts" – 5:32
- "Orange Crush" – 3:54
Personnel
R.E.M.- Bill Berry – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Mike Mills – acoustic guitar, bass guitar, organ, piano, accordion, backing vocals
- Michael Stipe – lead vocals
- Scott Litt – producer, mixing engineer
- John Keane – recording engineer
- Stephen Marcussen – mastering engineer
- Clif Norrell – recording engineer, mixing engineer
Charts