A Song for 9-9: R.E.M.’s “9-9”

On one of the most inscrutable LPs ever recorded, R.E.M.’s Murmur, one song stands out for its relative inscrutableness: “9-9.” It’s a textbook example of a college-rock deep album track, largely unknown to all but diehard fans. But since today is September 9th, or 9-9, let’s take a closer look, shall we?

Oddness and mystery permeate every facet of the tune, starting with the title. Is “9-9” the date the song was written? The time signature? Bill Berry’s prediction for the first-half score of the 1983 Georgia – Georgia Tech homecoming game?

Meanwhile, Peter Buck's off-kilter guitar lines seem descended from a certain type of angular rock developed by The Beatles on Revolver and adopted by subesequent R.E.M. influences like Neil Young, Television and Gang of Four. Everything about the song seems like a filter to weed out all but the most dedicated R.E.M. fans. It sounds like it was played before it was written.

Despite having heard “9-9” 999 times or more, the only words I can make out are “right on target” and “conversation fear.” According to the indispensible R.E.M. Chord Archive, here are the complete lyrics, starting with Michael Stipe’s spoken-word intro. You could have put a gun to my head and I wouldn’t have recognized them.

Steady repetition is a compulsion mutually reenforced.
Now what does that mean?
Is there a just contradiction?
Nothing much.
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord, hesitate.

Got to punch
Right on target
Twisting tongues
Gotta stripe down his back
All nine yards down her back

Give me a couple,
Don't give me a couple of pointers
Turn to lies and conversation fear

Listening to “9-9” in the context of Murmur is like a foraging your way through a forest of kudzu darkened by an overcast sky and a violent undertow and running into a wildebeest. It’s a perfect song to transition us from summer to autumn. Here are the boys digging into a fine version of “9-9” in 1984, at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, NJ, which is particularly lovely this time of year.


Buy the Deluxe Edition of R.E.M.'s Murmur on iTunes here