Bittersweet Me

"Bittersweet Me"
File:R.E.M. - Bittersweet Me.jpg
Single by R.E.M.
from the album New Adventures in Hi-Fi
B-side	"Undertow (Live)"
Released	November 5, 1996
Format	CD single, 7" single, Cassette
Recorded	November 7, 1995 Memphis soundcheck
Genre	Rock
Length	4:06
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer(s)	Scott Litt & R.E.M.
R.E.M. singles chronology
"E-Bow the Letter" (1996) "Bittersweet Me" (1996) "Electrolite" (1997)

"Bittersweet Me" is a song by R.E.M., released as the second single from their tenth studio album New Adventures in Hi-Fi. The song was a bigger hit than its predecessor "E-Bow the Letter," the first single from the album, except on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, where the first single's #2 peak bested the #6 peak of "Bittersweet Me".

Like much of the album, the song originated while the band were on the road for the Monster tour, although the song was only ever soundchecked and has never been played live as part of a concert.

The video for the single was shot in the style of an Italian movie entitled Stanco E Nudo (a translation of the line "tired and naked" in the song). It was included as a bonus video on the DVD release of In View - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003.

The CD single features a live cover of "Wichita Lineman", a song written by Jimmy Webb and made popular by Glen Campbell.

The song appeared in an episode of Party of Five.

Track listing

All songs written by Berry, Buck, Mills, and Stipe unless otherwise indicated.

7", cassette, and CD single

1. "Bittersweet Me" – 4:06
2. "Undertow" (live)¹ – 5:05

12" and CD maxi-single

1. "Bittersweet Me" – 4:06
2. "Undertow" (live)¹ – 5:05
3. "Wichita Lineman" (Webb) (live)²  – 3:18
4. "New Test Leper" (live acoustic)³ – 5:29

Notes

¹ Recorded at the Omni Theater, Atlanta, Georgia; November 18, 1995. Taken from the live performance video, Road Movie.
² Recorded at The Woodlands, Houston, Texas; September 15, 1995.
³ Recorded at Bad Animals Studio, Seattle, Washington; April 19, 1996.

Personnel ("Bittersweet Me" only)

• Bill Berry – drums, tambourine
• Peter Buck – guitar
• Mike Mills – bass, organ, mellotron
• Michael Stipe – vocals

Additional personnel

• Scott Litt – piano

Charts

Chart (1996)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA Singles Chart)	90
Canadian Hot 100	6
Irish Singles Chart	20
UK Singles Chart	19
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	46
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks	6
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	7
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream	28

External links

• Full video on R.E.M. HQ's channel on YouTube
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics