"Driver 8" is the second single from American musical group R.E.M.'s third album, '' Fables of the Reconstruction''. Released in September 1985, the song peaked at number 22 on the U.S. ''Billboard''

Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock is a music chart in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in Ma ...

chart. It was not released in Europe and did not chart in the United States. The song refers to the Southern Crescent, a passenger train that was operated by the Southern Railroad until 1979, and continues today (with fewer stops) as the Amtrak '' Crescent''. The music video shows Chessie System trains running around Clifton Forge, Virginia. Guitarist Peter Buck admitted in the liner notes for the band's 2003 compilation album '' In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003'' that the verse chords for the song "

Imitation of Life Imitation (from Latin ''imitatio'', "a copying, imitation") is a behavior whereby an individual observes and replicates another's behavior. Imitation is also a form of that leads to the "development of traditions, and ultimately our culture. I ...

" were unintentionally taken from the verse chords of "Driver 8." In a '' Rolling Stone'' interview in 2009, Stipe said about his vocals: "It's like breathing - I don't think about it when I sing it. I was listening to these live tapes and thought it was a beautiful song with incredible imagery. I listen to our old albums and think, 'OK, this is where that went wrong, this is a way to improve that.' And 'Wow, that's really good. You're not the hoax you think you are.'" A harmonica was played in a mimicking fashion to sound like a train whistle.

Reception

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' said it is "a modulating country-folk rocker which features a thoughtful chorus hook and a soaring bridge."

Cover versions

*Driver 8 was covered by Hootie and the Blowfish in 2000 on their covers-only album '' Scattered, Smothered and Covered'' after the band performed a live version of the song with R.E.M. on the UK's '' TFI Friday'' in October 1998. *Dennis "Cannonball" Caplinger's bluegrass instrumental cover appears on 2001's ''Pickin' on R.E.M.: The Bluegrass Tribute''. * Death Cab for Cutie played the song on their 2006 UK tour for the album '' Plans'', although they have not released an official recording of it. * Old 97's covered it on their covers-only EP '' Mimeograph'' released on July 6, 2010. *Canadian rock band The Watchmen covered the song at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto on September 24, 2011, shortly after news of R.E.M.'s breakup was made public. Their version was released on the download-only live album ''Radar Redux.'' * Indie rock band The Walkmen covered the song as a part of '' The A.V. Clubs A.V. Undercover series in August 2010. * Santa Cruz Bicycles produced a mountain bike model called Driver 8. It was first released in 2009. *Love Canon covered the song on their 2018 album Cover Story. * Jason Isbell released a cover to his YouTube channel in September 2021, and is included in the album

Georgia Blue ''Georgia Blue'' is the eighth studio album released by Jason Isbell, and the fifth accompanied by his backing band the 400 Unit. It was released first on streaming services on October 15, 2021, through Southeastern Records, with a CD and Vinyl ...

Track listing

All songs written by

Bill Berry William Thomas Berry (born July 31, 1958) is an American musician who was the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. Although best known for his economical drumming style, Berry also played other instruments, including guitar, bass guitar ...

, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated.

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# "Driver 8" - 3:24 # "Crazy" ( Pylon) - 3:05

Charts

References

{{authority control 1985 singles R.E.M. songs Songs written by Bill Berry Songs written by Peter Buck Songs written by Mike Mills Songs written by Michael Stipe I.R.S. Records singles Song recordings produced by Joe Boyd Songs about trains 1985 songs