Lotus (R.E.M. song)

"Lotus" is a song by American rock band R.E.M., released as the second single from their eleventh studio album, Up (1998). The song is somewhat minimalist, with Michael Stipe singing surreal lyrics in a percussive manner. It builds on a four-note keyboard part, with a distorted guitar riff at the beginning and after the second chorus. The song's recurring line "I ate the lotus" appeared in an alternate form ("I'll eat the lotus...") in a previous R.E.M. song, "Be Mine". The line "dot dot dot and I feel fine" is a reference to R.E.M.'s 1987 hit "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)".

"Lotus"
Single by R.E.M.
from the album Up
B-side	"Surfing the Ganges"
Released	December 7, 1998 (1998-12-07)
Genre	Glam rock[1] psychedelic rock[2]
Length	4:30
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Peter Buck Mike Mills Michael Stipe
Producer(s)	Pat McCarthy R.E.M.
R.E.M. singles chronology
"Daysleeper" (1998) "Lotus" (1998) "At My Most Beautiful" (1999)

For live performances of the song, Peter Buck alternates between electric guitar (chorus) and keyboard (verse). "Playing keyboard always excites me," Buck explained in a soundbite during MTV Uplink, a recording of the band's performance at New York's Bowery Ballroom in October 1998, "even though it's only with one finger." "But it's a big finger," joked Mills. "It's great."

Music video

The single's video, directed by Stéphane Sednaoui, was included as a bonus video on the DVD release of In View - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003. "I wanted to work with Stephane for a long time," Stipe explained to MTV UK during An Hour with R.E.M. in 2001 after selecting the video for airplay. "Since I saw the video that he did with Björk for, what was that called, 'Big Time Sexuality' or something? Where she looks exactly like Shirley MacLaine, 1959–1961. The Apartment, I think, was the name of the film. Shirley MacLaine and Björk as Shirley MacLaine on the back of a pick-up truck driving down 5th Avenue in New York City, probably. But I thought this guy exudes sex, he's like sex on a stick, and I wanted to work with him for that reason. He somehow transmogrified that very thing through me. I look very, very foxy in this video, which is why I chose it; it shows off my incredible stomach muscles."

Track listings

All songs were written by Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated. The live version of "Suspicion" is different from the Ealing Studio recording found on the 1999 "Suspicion" single.

Canadian, Australian, and Japanese CD single^[3][4][5]

1. "Lotus" (LP version) – 4:30
2. "Surfing the Ganges" – 2:25
3. "Suspicion" (live in the studio) – 5:39
4. "Lotus" (Weird mix) – 4:34

UK CD single^[6]

1. "Lotus" – 4:30
2. "Surfing the Ganges" – 2:25
3. "Lotus" (Weird mix) – 4:34

UK cassette single and European CD single^[7][8]

1. "Lotus" – 4:30
2. "Surfing the Ganges" – 2:25

UK mini-CD single^[9]

1. "Lotus" – 4:31
2. "Suspicion" (live in the studio) – 5:39

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Lotus" Chart (1998–1999) Peak position Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[10] 18 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 32 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[12] 56 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[13] 25 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 88 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[15] 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] 50 Scotland (OCC)[17] 23 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 60 UK Singles (OCC)[19] 26 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[20] 4 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[21] 31 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[22] 31

Year-end charts Annual chart performance for "Lotus" Chart (1999) Position US Triple-A (Billboard)[23] 34

Release history

Overview of formats for "Lotus" single releases

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	December 7, 1998	CD cassette	Warner Bros.	[24]
Japan	December 16, 1998	CD		[25]
United States	January 11, 1999	Active rock radio		[26]

References

1. Zaleski, Annie (October 26, 2018). "20 Years Ago: R.E.M. Find Their Way as a Trio With 'Up'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
2. Hill, Stephen (May 5, 2022). "Every R.E.M. album ranked from worst to best". Louder Sound. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
3. R.E.M. (1998). Lotus (Canadian CD single liner notes). Warner Bros. Records. CD 44600.
4. R.E.M. (1998). Lotus (Australian CD single liner notes). Warner Bros. Records. 9362446002.
5. R.E.M. (1998). Lotus (Japanese CD single liner notes). Warner Bros. Records. WPCR-2309.
6. R.E.M. (1998). Lotus (UK CD single liner notes). Warner Bros. Records. W466CD, 9362 44601 2.
7. R.E.M. (1998). Lotus (UK cassette single sleeve). Warner Bros. Records. W466C.
8. R.E.M. (1998). Lotus (European CD single liner notes). Warner Bros. Records. 5439 17115 9.
9. R.E.M. (1998). Lotus (UK mini-CD single liner notes). Warner Bros. Records. W466CDX, 5439 17114 9.
10. "R.E.M. – Lotus" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7350." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
12. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 7152." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
13. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 7450." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
14. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 52. December 26, 1998. p. 7. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
15. "Íslenski Listinn (5.3–12.3. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). March 5, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
16. "REM – Lotus". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
18. "R.E.M. – Lotus". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
19. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
20. "R.E.M. Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
21. "R.E.M. Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
22. "R.E.M. Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
23. "The Best of '99: Most Played Triple-A Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 38.
24. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. December 5, 1998. p. 23.
25. "ロータス | R.E.M." [Lotus | R.E.M.] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
26. "Adds for January 11 & 12". Gavin Report. No. 2237. January 8, 1999. p. 37.

External links

• Music video on YouTube