Members of R.E.M.’s fan club have begun receiving their annual Christmas single from the band, and this year’s disc features a surprise: an appearance by retired drummer Bill Berry on a cover of “Crazy Like a Fox,” a hippie protest song Lenny Kaye recorded in 1966 under the pseudonym Link Cromwell.
Although Berry has performed live with members of R.E.M. a number of times since quitting the band in 1997, this marks only the second time he’s recorded with the band, following a 2007 cover of John Lennon’s “#9 Dream” for the Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
This time, though, it’s not quite a full reunion: While Berry (drums, tambourine and backing vocals) and Mike Mills (guitar, bass and lead vocals) play on the track, frontman Michael Stipe and guitarist Peter Buck are absent from the Christmas single entirely. (Producer John Keane also lends backing vocals on “Crazy Like a Fox.”)
The other track on the promo CD — the band stopped sending 7-inch vinyl following 1997’s single, with the exception of 2000’s installment — is a cover of the Christmas classic “Santa Baby” performed entirely by Mills.
For more information on R.E.M.’s fan club, click here.
See tracklist for R.E.M.’s Christmas single after the jump…
Tracklist: R.E.M., 2009 Christmas Single
1. “Santa Baby”
2. “Crazy Like a Fox”
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Video: Michael Stipe shoots iPhone clips of R.E.M. in the recording studio
- R.E.M. ‘This Is Not a Show’ concert film to receive limited theatrical screenings
- Video: R.E.M.’s Bill Berry, Mike Mills join Peter Buck and The Minus 5 in Athens
- Video: R.E.M., ‘Drive’ from forthcoming ‘Live at the Olympia’ bonus DVD
- Video: R.E.M., ‘Living Well is the Best Revenge’ from ‘Live at the Olympia’
- R.E.M. ‘Live at the Olympia’ tracklist revealed; 39-song, 2CD set due Oct. 26
- Peter Buck, Steve Wynn and Scott McCaughey plan triple-bill band-swapping tour
- Thom Yorke, Michael Stipe pay tribute to Miracle Legion’s Mark Mulcahy
- R.E.M. planning ‘Reckoning’ reissue, ‘Dublin Working Rehearsals’ live album
- R.E.M. crashes its own tribute concert, plays surprise song with Patti Smith
Completely different song than Lenny “Link” Kayes… same only in title.
Tho, not knowing WHICH song REM recorded, Lenny Kayes was written by his uncle (who also wrote the b -side “Shock Me”…no, not the kiss song)…NRBQ’s ‘Crazy Like a Fox” was written by Al Anderson.
Having listened to both the R.E.M. version and the Link Cromwell version, I can assure you they’re the same song. Plus, the R.E.M. single credits one of the track’s songwriters as Larry Kusik, who is, as you mentioned, Lenny Kaye’s uncle.
yes, so it’s not the nrbq song.
Pics of the single are here:
http://home.online.no/~inybak/thatbeat/fanclubsingles/fanclub2009.htm