Driver 8 (1964 B-25N-12) by JTSunrise published on 2023-04-02T18:37:06Z "Driver 8" is a song by the American rock band R.E.M. It was released as the second single from their third studio album, "Fables of the Reconstruction", in 1985. The song was written by R.E.M.'s primary singer, Michael Stipe, and it features a distinctive guitar riff played by Peter Buck The title "Driver 8" refers to the operator of the train that used to run between Atlanta and Athens Georgia, where R.E.M. originated. The song tells the story of the train operator and his experiences on the job. The lyrics are are generally thought to be about the working-class experience and the struggles of everyday life "Driver 8" describes the physical and emotional toll of working long hours, and the need for rest and rejuvenation. The song also touches on themes of the changing landscape and the impact of progress on the environment and communities. The history of land being divided and a treehouse on the outskirts of the farm and power lines with floaters to prevent airplane snagging convey a sense of a rural America being encroached upon by urbanization and industrialization Overall, "Driver 8" can be interpreted as a commentary on the human cost of progress and the need for balance between growth and preservation of tradition and nature I first heard REM recordings in the early 80s on Antidote Radio, an underground FM show on WVVX from 1983-85 in northern Illinois. My teen musical friends from rural farm towns into Chicagoland all knew REM. Their songs were a mainstay of 80s Gen X music nerds. Fast forward to 1987, a friend who lived in the same building in Tempe AZ was a big REM fan - he played a Fender Mustang and would be later know as the legendary guitarist Spiral Stairs. Spiral invited me along to see REM with his friends who were in town from Northern California. That is when I saw historic REM play the historic Ffrank Lloyd Wwright Gammage Auditorium with the guys who would become the rock band Pavement. Was a good show. Michael Stipe did a Grateful Dead acid trip ballerina dance while wearing a flowery oldtime flower-sack dress as he sang Flowers Of Guatemala 16 November 1987 - Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ support: The dB's set: Finest Worksong / These Days / Welcome To The Occupation / Cuyahoga / Disturbance At The Heron House / The Flowers Of Guatemala / Exhuming McCarthy / Orange Crush / Feeling Gravitys Pull / King Of Birds / I Believe / Sitting Still / Driver 8 / Superman / Auctioneer (Another Engine) / Oddfellows Local 151 / It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) / Begin The Begin encore 1: Strange / Wolves, Lower / Pop Song 89 encore 2: The One I Love / What We All Want / See No Evil encore 3: Harpers / Crazy / After Hours” Some years later in 89 I was in Berlin, the real-deal Berlin with the wall and all: 11 June 1989 - Metropol, Berlin, West Germany support: The Go-Betweens set: Pop Song 89 / Exhuming McCarthy / Welcome To The Occupation / Fall On Me / Sitting Still / Turn You Inside-Out / Belong / Orange Crush / Feeling Gravitys Pull / World Leader Pretend / Begin The Begin / White Tornado / Pretty Persuasion / Get Up / Auctioneer (Another Engine) / It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) encore 1: Stand / Underneath The Bunker / King Of Birds / You Are The Everything encore 2: Harpers / Ghost Rider / Finest Worksong encore 3: Perfect Circle / Dark Globe / After Hours The Metropol was an ancient cavernous club with sweaty walls packed with about 1500 hundred people, many of which were US soldiers. I had long curly red hair back then and was pressed to the stage barricade in a dense crowd. I remember being groped on the chest from behind by a big drunk US army guy while watching Michael Stipe dance around dead-stoned in black eyeliner from ten feet away. Army guy looked quite surprised for sure when I turned around and yelled WTF about to beat his ass but then we laughed it off and enjoyed the show. Me too, JTS Genre Alternative Rock Comment by Oli Boli Great job. Like this raw sound from the early records 2023-04-11T17:20:54Z Comment by Witches of the Alamo Great jangly guitar and soulful vocal 2023-04-06T03:05:02Z Comment by Tony's Lyrics Mighty fine work, JT...love the guitar! 2023-04-04T23:22:34Z Comment by Nunz Gambale Awesome story JT! Go Betweens are an Aussie band. Great 12 string sound. 2023-04-03T07:45:33Z Comment by PJ Project Great song 2023-04-02T19:35:58Z Comment by PJ Project Love the sound of a 12 strings guitar 2023-04-02T19:34:55Z Comment by Dennis Nagel unrise Entitled to honor >>> insclife 2023-04-02T19:14:34Z