they go from their demos to chronic town to murmur within a year or two and there is a such a huge leap in song writing ability in each of those movements.

I've heard that song way too many times, but I can still enjoy it from time to time. I do like its precursor, however.



From Wiki: The song first appeared in 1985, when Michael Stipe sang a few words of it during a concert in Albany, New York, as part of the Reconstruction tour. Then, around the time of Lifes Rich Pageant, the song emerged in a more polished version with the title "PSA"—an abbreviation for "public service announcement". An anti-media rant inspired by a day Stipe found a camcorder lens in his face when he answered the front door, the song was never released but did serve as a sort of forerunner to "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)", a song with a similar cadence and delivery. In 2003, Stipe saw that the song still had contemporary resonance, and the band finally recorded it for In Time, with only slightly updated lyrics and under the new title "Bad Day".

I actually prefer the 2003 version to the earlier demos.

Yeah it is a great song, on the album. But if the band didn't put their foot down, and stick to their guns we would be saddled with this lifeless and horrible sounding track.

And c'mon, that fucking synth.

Fucking Stephen Hague.