what's the frequency kenneth?

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i heard this song in a bar last night. it struck me as being one of REM's finest moments.

possibly the only entirely successful foray into "swaggering rock" on the 'monster' album? the other good tracks are ballads, primarily. imo.

i like the tuneless, distorted-sounding guitar solo. and also the final, emotion-racked "I couldn't under-staaaannnddd!!!!"

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 2 September 2005 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

i think it got dissed in part b/c its more disco than other things they've done. but imo, its also kinda a boring song.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Friday, 2 September 2005 17:10 (nineteen years ago)

i know ive said this before around here, but monster is a really great album.

― petesmith (plsmith), Friday, 2 September 2005 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

I remember when this single came out. My roommate and I would crank the volume way up each time MTV played it and I still think that's the best way to hear it :-)
(pete otm)

― willem (willem), Friday, 2 September 2005 18:04 (nineteen years ago)

i'd rather listen to monster than most other r.e.m. albums.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 2 September 2005 18:08 (nineteen years ago)

classic song!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 2 September 2005 18:10 (nineteen years ago)

even though it's totally tuneless (read: discordant), i can still sing every note of that (backwards?) guitar solo.

― petesmith (plsmith), Friday, 2 September 2005 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

In the swagger department, I'm partial to "Circus Envy" and "I Took Your Name," perhaps more so than this one.

Remember the video, wich double as the official unveiling of the Bald Stipe? The director (Peter Care?) actually WITHHOLDS a full view of his pate, framing the first shots so that only Stipe's jaw is visible. Then, bam! The bald head dips into the frame. The best special effect ever.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 2 September 2005 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

"wich double" = which doubled. Hello.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 2 September 2005 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

i can still sing every note of that (backwards?) guitar solo.

pls record and ysi thx

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Friday, 2 September 2005 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 2 September 2005 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

Great video too. Great M Mills backing vocals.

― Aaron A, Friday, 2 September 2005 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yeah, it also made for a very good SNL performance. They snuck in "don't fuck with me" unbleeped, too.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 2 September 2005 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

And in that video, I thought Stipe was so freaking sexy. I mean, his dancing was funk on fire. I am a married straight dude, but Stipe has always been my non-sexual man crush. (You all have one...don't front.)

― Justin, Friday, 2 September 2005 19:51 (nineteen years ago)

Heh. Everybody's straight until they meet Michael Stipe.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 2 September 2005 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

man looks like a q-tip. je ne comprend pas.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Friday, 2 September 2005 20:06 (nineteen years ago)

It's the eyes, I believe.

Quite a detour for the thread.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 2 September 2005 20:10 (nineteen years ago)

he does have beautful eyes.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 2 September 2005 20:31 (nineteen years ago)

Looks like a Q-Tip:

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 2 September 2005 20:32 (nineteen years ago)

WONKY LEFT

― Aaron A, Friday, 2 September 2005 20:33 (nineteen years ago)

many (if not every) bands late in their career make their "back to basics" album and this track and the MONSTER album are one of the best, honest attempts at this that exist in rock history.

If you think about it in those terms, you can really appreciate MONSTER and WHAT'S THE FREQUENCY if you haven't before.

― ZionTrain (ZionTrain), Sunday, 4 September 2005 00:34 (nineteen years ago)

It's a great song. I say this despite having been asked the title question countless times.

― k/l (Ken L), Sunday, 4 September 2005 00:40 (nineteen years ago)

I guess it just sounds better than "what's the frequency, anthony?" or "what's the frequency, alex?"

― k/l (Ken L), Sunday, 4 September 2005 00:59 (nineteen years ago)

white stipe's

― bardo bardot, Sunday, 4 September 2005 02:11 (nineteen years ago)

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