Hootie & The Blowfish Do R.E.M’s ‘Losing My Religion’ For Amazon Music
“When we were cutting our teeth as a band, almost every night fans would hear us onstage covering R.E.M.,” says frontman Darius Rucker.
Hootie and the Blowfish have unveiled a cover of R.E.M.’s 1991 staple ‘Losing My Religion.’ The version is an exclusive for Amazon Music, where it’s available to stream and purchase.
Hootie frontman Darius Rucker has explained the background to the band’s tip of the hat to their contemporaries, explaining their longtime affinity with the Athens, Georgia band. “When we were cutting our teeth as a band, almost every night fans would hear us onstage covering R.E.M.,” he said.
“It’s still as thrilling”
“‘Losing My Religion’ is a song that when you first listen to it, you can feel the struggle, the back-and-forth,” he went on. “Plus, Peter Buck wrote the song on mandolin, and being in the south, it’s a lot of fun to perform live. We’re releasing it as a cover with Amazon Music, as I think it’s still as thrilling to people today as it was when it was first released.”
In return, R.E.M.’s social media accounts posted: “Big compliment from @dariusrucker and @HootieTweets selecting ‘Losing My Religion’ as their cover song for @amazonmusic.”
The original ‘Losing My Religion’ was on R.E.M.’s multi-million-selling Out Of Time album. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, topping the magazine’s Mainstream and Modern Rock Tracks charts, and became a major hit in numerous countries around the world.
Carolina on Rucker’s mind
Earlier this week, Rucker gave an at-home performance of three songs for patients, families and staff at a local facility dear to him as a native of Charleston, South Carolina. The appearance was behalf of MUSC Children’s Hospital, the largest and most comprehensive pediatric health care facility in South Carolina.
The appearance was coordinated by Musicians On Call, who deliver “the healing power of music” to patients, families, and caregivers in healthcare facilities. “Thank you to @dariusrucker for making such a special moment for the folks at @MUSCkids with us today!,” posted Musicians On Call. “Stay tuned for more from this programme soon!”
The Hootie and the Blowfish cover of ‘Losing My Religion’ can be bought or streamed here.
Listen to the best of R.E.M. on Apple Music and Spotify.
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