- Driver 8
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"Driver 8" 
Single by R.E.M. from the album Fables of the Reconstruction B-side "Driver 8 (Live)" Released September 1985 Format 7" Recorded 1985 Genre College rock Length 3:18 Label I.R.S. Records Writer(s) R.E.M.[1] Producer Joe Boyd R.E.M. singles chronology "Cant Get There from Here"
(1985)"Driver 8"
(1985)"Wendell Gee"
(1985)"Driver 8" was the second single from R.E.M.'s third album, Fables of the Reconstruction. Released in September 1985, the song peaked at #22 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It was not released in Europe.
The song refers to the Southern Crescent, a passenger train operated by the Southern Railroad until 1979, and continues today (with fewer stops) as the Amtrak Crescent. The music video shows Chessie System trains running around Clifton Forge, Virginia.
Guitarist Peter Buck admitted in the liner notes for the band's 2003 compilation album In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 that the verse chords for the song "Imitation of Life" were unintentionally taken from the verse chords of "Driver 8."
NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. borrowed the title of this song for his autobiography (until 2008, Earnhardt drove a #8 car).
ESPN anchor John Buccigross frequently references the song on SportsCenter, usually referring to an athlete that wears the number 8 (such as Alex Ovechkin).
Contents
Cover versions
- It was covered by Hootie and the Blowfish in 2000 on their covers-only album Scattered, Smothered and Covered after the band performed a live version of the song with R.E.M. on the UK's TFI Friday in October 1998.
- Dennis "Cannonball" Caplinger's bluegrass instrumental cover appears on 2001's Pickin' on R.E.M.: The Bluegrass Tribute.
- Death Cab for Cutie played the song on their 2006 UK tour for the album Plans, although they have not released an official recording of it.
- Old 97's covered it on their covers-only EP Mimeograph released on July 6, 2010.
- The Walkmen covered it as a part of The A.V. Club's online Undercover series released on August 31, 2010.
Track listing
All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated.
7": IRS / IRS-52678 (US)
- "Driver 8" - 3:24
- "Crazy" (Pylon) - 3:05
Charts
Chart (1985) Peak
positionU.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 22 References
Categories:- 1985 singles
- R.E.M. songs
- Songs written by Bill Berry
- Songs written by Peter Buck
- Songs written by Mike Mills
- Songs written by Michael Stipe
- I.R.S. Records singles
- English-language songs
- Songs produced by Joe Boyd
- Songs about trains
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