Green by R.E.M.

This is an unlikely candidate for one of the biggest selling albums of the 80s. It’s an archetypal example of the Athens, Georgia sound, with jangly guitars, Michael Stipe’s distinctive, plaintive vocals and some nice touches on some tracks with mandolins, cello and pedal steel guitar giving a touch of country/Americana.

The thing that really sets this album is the utterly baffling nature of the lyrics, with gnomic allusions turned into sing along hooks. I had no idea what lines like “I’ve got my spine, I’ve got my orange crush” meant at the time and I’m still not much clearer even after reading the wikipedia page.

Does it matter if it doesn’t make sense? Maybe, maybe not, but perhaps that’s where its charm lies.