"Star 69" is a song from American rock band

R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...

's ninth album, '' Monster'' (1994). The song was not released as an official

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

but still reached No. 74 on the US '' Billboard''

Hot 100 Airplay The Radio Songs chart (previously named Hot 100 Airplay until 2014 and Top 40 Radio Monitor until 1991) is released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and measures the airplay of songs being played on radio stations throughout the United States acro ...

chart.

Critical reception

Rob Jones of The Delete Bin called the track a "return-to-roots

glam punk Glam punk is a term used retrospectively to describe a short-lived trend for bands which produced a form of proto-punk that incorporated elements of glam rock, initially in the early to mid-1970s. History Glam punk has been seen as a backlash to ...

anthem". Chuck Campbell from '' Knoxville News Sentinel'' felt that

Michael Stipe John Michael Stipe (; born January 4, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and artist, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of alternative rock band R.E.M. He is known for his vocal quality, poetic lyrics and unique stage presence. Pos ...

's "echoing vocals swarm out of the churning punk vivacity" of "Star 69". Keith Cameron from ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' wrote that it "breezes through a mystery tale of celebrity obsession (possibly) like a rough cast cousin of "

Pop Song 89 "Pop Song 89" is the opening track and third single released from R.E.M.'s sixth studio album ''Green''. It peaked at number 86 on the Hot 100, and in the UK "Stand" was re-released instead. '' Cash Box'' called it a "cynical parody of pop: b ...

", and is absolutely fine."

Background

The song is named after the access number for the

last-call return Last-call return, automatic recall, or (on PBX and centrex service) camp-on, is a telecommunication feature offered by telephony service providers to subscribers to provide the subscriber with the telephone number, and sometimes the time, of th ...

feature of telephones in North America, as indicated by its chorus:

"''I know you called''
''I know you called''
''I know you hung up my line''
''Star 69''"

Of all of the songs on ''Monster'', "Star 69" is the one that evolved most from its initial demo. It started out at six minutes long before having its bridge excised and its original chorus discarded. "Star 69" was frequently played live throughout the tours in support of ''Monster'' and their 1998 release '' Up'' but from 2003 to 2008 was only ever sporadically performed.

Charts

References

R.E.M. songs 1994 songs Songs written by Bill Berry Songs written by Peter Buck Songs written by Mike Mills Songs written by Michael Stipe Song recordings produced by Scott Litt Song recordings produced by Michael Stipe Song recordings produced by Mike Mills Song recordings produced by Peter Buck Song recordings produced by Bill Berry Music videos directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris Grunge songs American hard rock songs Songs about telephone calls American garage rock songs Glam punk songs {{1990s-rock-song-stub