Dead Letter Office (album)

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Template:Album infobox Dead Letter Office is a rarities and B-sides collection by R.E.M. and released in 1987 as their fifth official album. The album effectively mops up many of the additional recordings R.E.M. made pre-Murmur to Lifes Rich Pageant that were outtakes or released as flip sides to their singles internationally. Many of the tracks are favorite cover versions beyling the band's disparite influences and musical tastes, including three Velvet Underground covers, and songs by Pylon, Aerosmith and Roger Miller.

Guitarist Peter Buck saw fit to compose wry, self-deprecating (and, in one instance, apologetic) liner notes to the songs on Dead Letter Office.

The album was initially issued as a 15-song collection on vinyl and cassette, but when its CD edition appeared (now the only available edition of Dead Letter Office), the legendary and obscure Chronic Town EP from 1982 was slotted in.

Dead Letter Office originally reached #52 in the US and #60 in the UK, giving it the dubious distinction of being one of R.E.M.'s rare releases to not go gold. However, the album is considered one of the finest rarities packages to be produced by a major group.

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Track listing

All songs by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe, except where noted.

  1. "Crazy" (Bewley/Briscoe/Crowe/Lachowski) – 3:03
  2. "There She Goes Again" (Lou Reed) – 2:50
  3. "Burning Down" – 4:12
  4. "Voice of Harold" – 4:24
    • Backing track of "Seven Chinese Bros." with Michael Stipe reading the liner notes from the back of a gospel album cover ("The Joy Of Knowing Jesus" by The Revelaires
  5. "Burning Hell" – 3:49
  6. "White Tornado" – 1:55
  7. "Toys in the Attic" (Steven Tyler/Joe Perry) – 2:28
  8. "Windout" (J. Ayers/Bill Berry/Peter Buck/Mike Mills/Michael Stipe) – 1:58
  9. "Ages of You" – 3:42
  10. "Pale Blue Eyes" (Lou Reed) – 2:53
  11. "Rotary Ten" – 2:00
  12. "Bandwagon" (Bill Berry/Peter Buck/Mike Mills/L. Stipe/Michael Stipe) – 2:16
  13. "Femme Fatale" (Lou Reed) – 2:49
  14. "Walter's Theme" – 1:32
  15. "King of the Road" (Roger Miller) – 3:13
  16. "Wolves, Lower" – 4:10
  17. "Gardening at Night" – 3:29
  18. "Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)" – 3:54
  19. "1,000,000" – 3:06
  20. "Stumble" – 5:40
    • Above 5 tracks originally released as Chronic Town EP in 1982 and added to CD edition of Dead Letter Office
  • Published by Night Garden Music and administered everywhere as usual by Unichappell Music, Inc., except non-original songs.

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