Bang and Blame explained

Bang and Blame
Cover:R.E.M. - Bang and Blame.jpg
Type:single
Artist:R.E.M.
Album:Monster
B-Side:"Bang and Blame" (instrumental version)
Released:[1]
Genre:Hard rock
Label:Warner Bros. Records
Prev Title:What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
Prev Year:1994
Next Title:Crush with Eyeliner
Next Year:1995

"Bang and Blame" is a song by American alternative rock group R.E.M. It was released as the second single from their ninth studio album, Monster (1994), on October 31, 1994 by Warner Bros. Records. The song was R.E.M.'s last to reach the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 19, and was also their last number-one single on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The single reached number one in Canada—R.E.M.'s only single to do so—and peaked inside the top 40 on the charts of Australia, Belgium, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

"Bang and Blame" was not included on and Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982–2011.

Critical reception

Steve Baltin from Cash Box named "Bang and Blame" Pick of the Week and "one of the strongest tracks on the entire album." He wrote, "A hard-edged guitar tune, vocalist Michael Stipe gets one of his best moments of Monster when he sings, “You kiss on me/don't kiss on me/you tug on me don't tug on me.” The propulsive rhythm of this track should also prove enticing even to non-fans of the group."[2] Fell and Rufer from the Gavin Report felt that "Stipe's angst bites the hand that used to feed it. "Bang and Blame" seems to be the result of some bad kiss 'n' tell. His genius as an oblique lyricist is most of his charm. The arrangement adds to the drama and makes it almost irresistible. Hot A/C will eat this one for lunch."[3]

Terry Staunton from Melody Maker named it "one of the least effective songs on the Monster album, and therefore a particularly odd choice for a single."[4] Keith Cameron from NME said it "hinges on an archetypically pretty melody and Stipe's ambiguous voice, caught betwixt disdain and sympathy for the song's distressed subject".[5] Neil Spencer from The Observer wrote that on tracks such as "Bang and Blame", "there are bursts of the musical invention and humanist outlook that characterises their best work."[6]

Track listings

All songs were written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe. All live tracks were recorded at the 40 Watt Club, Athens, Georgia, on November 19, 1992. The performance, a benefit for Greenpeace, was recorded on a solar-powered mobile studio.

  1. "Bang and Blame" – 4:48
  2. "Bang and Blame" (instrumental version) – 4:48
  1. "Bang and Blame" (album version) – 4:48
  2. "Bang and Blame" (K version) – 4:58
  1. "Bang and Blame" (album version) – 4:48
  2. "Losing My Religion" (live) – 4:33
  3. "Country Feedback" (live) – 4:12
  4. "Begin the Begin" (live) – 3:26

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1994–1995)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[15] 46
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[16] 10
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[17] 5

Year-end charts

Chart (1995)Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[19] 22
US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)[20] 27

In popular culture

"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 My Mad Fat Diary episode "Not I" and the Melrose Place episode "No Strings Attached". The song was also used in "Weird Al" Yankovic's polka medley "The Alternative Polka" from his 1996 album Bad Hair Day. The song also leant its title to Episode 7 of in 2005.

Notes and References

  1. Single Releases. Music Week. 23. October 29, 1994. June 23, 2021.
  2. Steve. Baltin. Pop Singles. Cash Box. February 4, 1995. 7. October 11, 2022.
  3. Ron. Fell. Diane. Rufer. Gavin A/C: New Releases. Gavin Report. January 27, 1995. 27. January 20, 2023.
  4. Terry. Staunton. Singles. Melody Maker. November 5, 1994. 42. November 18, 2023.
  5. Keith. Cameron. Long Play. NME. September 24, 1994. 47. October 23, 2023.
  6. Spencer, Neil (October 2, 1994). "Pop Releases". The Observer.
  7. Bang and Blame. R.E.M.. 1994. US 7-inch vinyl disc. Warner Bros. Records. 7-17994.
  8. Bang and Blame. R.E.M.. 1994. US cassette single cassette notes. Warner Bros. Records. 4-17994.
  9. Bang and Blame. R.E.M.. 1994. US CD single disc notes. Warner Bros. Records. 9 17994-2.
  10. Bang and Blame. R.E.M.. 1994. UK 7-inch vinyl sleeve. Warner Bros. Records. W0275.
  11. Bang and Blame. R.E.M.. 1994. UK cassette single cassette notes. Warner Bros. Records. W0275C.
  12. Bang and Blame. R.E.M.. 1994. UK & European CD single disc notes. Warner Bros. Records. W0275CD.
  13. Bang and Blame. R.E.M.. 1994. Australian CD single liner notes. Warner Bros. Records. 9362418572.
  14. Bang and Blame. R.E.M.. 1995. Japanese CD single liner notes. Warner Bros. Records. WPCR-163.
  15. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 11. 47. 24. November 19, 1994. June 14, 2020.
  16. Book: Nyman, Jake. 2005. Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja. 1st. Tammi. Helsinki. 951-31-2503-3. fi.
  17. News: Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (17.–23.11 '94). Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 16. November 17, 1994. October 1, 2019.
  18. News: Árslistinn 1994. Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 25. January 2, 1995. May 30, 2020.
  19. RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995. RPM. Library and Archives Canada. October 22, 2018.
  20. The Year in Music: Hot Album Rock Tracks. Billboard. 107. 51. YE-76. December 23, 1995.