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"E-Bow the Letter"
Single by R.E.M.
from the album New Adventures in Hi-Fi
Released	August 27, 1996
Format	CD single, 7" single, Cassette
Recorded	1996, Bad Animals Studio, Seattle
Genre	Rock
Length	5:22
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer(s)	Scott Litt & R.E.M.
Chart positions
#49 (US) #4 (UK)
R.E.M. singles chronology
"Tongue" (1995)	"E-Bow the Letter" (1996)	"Bittersweet Me" (1996)

"E-Bow the Letter" was the first single from R.E.M.'s tenth studio album New Adventures in Hi-Fi. It was released in August 1996 just weeks before the album's release. During the same month, R.E.M. signed its then record-breaking five-album contract with Warner Brothers. Although it peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Charts, the highest any R.E.M. song charted in the UK until "The Great Beyond" in 2000, the song flopped in the United States, reaching only #49 on the Hot 100. It became R.E.M.'s lowest charting lead single since "Fall on Me" released from Lifes Rich Pageant in 1986, when the band was on a smaller record label. Ryan Schreiber of Pitchfork Media says, "it is possibly one of the greatest songs ever written." ^[1]

Patti Smith sings guest backing vocals on this song. The song's title refers to the E-Bow, an electromagnetic field-generating device that creates a distorted sound when used with the electric guitar and to a "letter never sent" by Michael Stipe. Guitarist Peter Buck can be seen using an E-Bow in the video for the song at approximately 1:27 to 1:30.

The song was placed on R.E.M.'s Warner Brothers "best of" album In Time - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 in 2003.

Contents 1 Track listing 1.1 7", Cassette and CD Single 1.2 12" and CD Maxi-Single 2 Notes 3 Personnel ("E-Bow the Letter" only) 3.1 Additional personnel 4 References 5 External links

All songs by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated.

1. "E-Bow the Letter" – 5:22
2. "Tricycle"¹ – 1:59

1. "E-Bow the Letter" – 5:22
2. "Tricycle"¹ – 1:59
3. "Departure"² – 3:35
4. "Wall of Death"³ (Richard Thompson) – 3:07

¹ Recorded during soundcheck at the Riverport Amphitheater, St. Louis, Missouri; September 22, 1995.
² Recorded during soundcheck at the Paleur, Rome, Italy; February 22, 1995.
³ Taken from the Richard Thompson tribute album, Beat the Retreat. Produced by John Keane.

• Bill Berry – drums, percussion
• Peter Buck – guitar, electric sitar
• Mike Mills – bass, organ, mellotron, Moog synthesizer
• Michael Stipe – vocals

• Patti Smith – vocals

1. ^ Pitchfork Media retrieved September 24, 2006.

• Full video on R.E.M. HQ's YouTube channel

R.E.M.
Peter Buck • Mike Mills • Michael Stipe • Bill Berry
Other musicians: Scott McCaughey • Bill Rieflin • Ken Stringfellow • Nathan December • Buren Fowler • Peter Holsapple • Barrett Martin • Joey Waronker
Management and producers: Bertis Downs, IV • Pat McCarthy • Jefferson Holt • Scott Litt Joe Boyd • Don Dixon • Mitch Easter • Don Gehman
Discography
Albums and EPs: Chronic Town • Murmur • Reckoning • Fables of the Reconstruction • Lifes Rich Pageant • Document • Green • Out of Time • Automatic for the People • Monster • New Adventures in Hi-Fi • Up • Reveal • Around the Sun
Singles: See here
Compilations: Dead Letter Office • Eponymous • In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 • And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987
Remix album: R.E.M.IX
Soundtrack: Man on the Moon
Videos: Succumbs • Tourfilm • Pop Screen • This Film Is On • Parallel • Road Movie • In View: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 • Perfect Square • When the Light Is Mine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987
Related articles
Alternative rock • Hindu Love Gods • I.R.S. Records • Warner Bros. Records
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