New Song: Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) & Andrew Watt, “I Played The Fool” (Theme Song From ‘Rooster’)

I am, as I’ve admitted in these pages, a bit of a music obsessive. When I was young it used to actually piss me off when a new album slipped past me. Well, it would only rile me in a mild way… I had other things to be pissed about as a teenager (didn’t we all?).

It was more common that a stray single – from say a soundtrack or a tribute album – would get past me until sometimes years later. Here we are, all these years later, and you’d think with social media, the internet and all that goes with that, that it would be virtually impossible to slip something past me.

Sadly, it still happens all the time. Apparently actor Steve Carrell is starring in a new show called Rooster. I know nothing about this show. I have not watched it. However, I stumbled across the “main theme” from the show, “I Played The Fool” sung by none other than erstwhile lead singer of R.E.M., Michael Stipe. And alas, it came out in early March, a full month ago. Sigh. 

I have always loved Stipe’s voice. I remember at some inauguration, Stipe and Mike Mills (bass/keyboards in R.E.M.) got up with the rhythm section of U2, Adam Clayton (bass) and Larry Mullen, Jr (drums), and sang the U2 anthem “One.” I remember that because I read a quote from Bono who said, “I’m glad that song finally found a decent singer.” Now that made me laugh. 

I’d like to say I was an early adopter on R.E.M. but alas, I was not. Those first few LPs: Murmur (1983), Reckoning (1984), and Life’s Rich Pageant(1986) are still in high rotation here despite not discovering them until much later. I included “Superman” on my Playlist: Rock Songs of 1986 and frankly I could have picked almost any track from that album. 

I bought Document on vinyl – my first R.E.M. LP purchase – in 1987 but it wasn’t until 1991’s Out Of Time that I got on the bandwagon. After that record I went crashing through their back catalog, like you do when you get into a band, and purchased every LP they’d put out. I’ve been on that bandwagon ever since. 

I absolutely loved R.E.M.’s last two albums, long after drummer Bill Berry had retired to go antiquing, Accelerate and Collapse Into Now. Those were the type of LPs we founded B&V on – great new records from artists who, like me, have been around for a while.

Sadly that 2011 LP, Collapse Into Now, was the end of R.E.M. They hung it up afterwards. Since then we haven’t heard much from Michael Stipe. He’s made the occasional guest appearance on someone else’s song. He’s put out a few singles (according to his discography on Wikipedia) but admittedly I haven’t heard many of them. 

When they first broke up he said he wasn’t going to do a solo record because if they toured, and they’d have to, it’d be like singing in an R.E.M. cover band. Again, I thought that was funny. However, I’ve heard rumblings for years that he was working on a solo album. One has to wonder if that’ll ever come out. 

With all that in mind, imagine my surprise when I saw “I Played The Fool” on my streaming service. Getting a new song from Michael Stipe is like getting a delightful surprise text from an old friend you haven’t heard from I a while. The track is co credited to Andrew Watt who seems to be everywhere these days. 

When does this Watt guy sleep? He’s produced this song, an upcoming new Stones LP, a new upcoming Paul McCartney album… this after producing everybody from Iggy Pop and Ozzy to Post Malone and Pearl Jam. All my favs…well Post is more the Rock Chick’s thing.  

Watt is listed only as producer but we know, besides Stipe’s beautiful voice, we get Travis Barker of Blink-182 fame on drums and Watt’s go to guy Josh Klinghoffer of RHCP fame on guitar/keyboards. I have to imagine Watt slipped from behind the board and out into the studio to help lay this track down but who knows? 

This is a great, some might say jaunty little track. Stipe sounds fantastic as you would assume. He sings over a drums and a stabbing little guitar. And yes, I’ve added “I Played The Fool” to my April Fool’s Playlist: Songs About Fools.  Stipe’s voice soars on the wordless chorus. Here it is:

It is so nice to hear this guy’s voice again. I don’t know if this will lead anywhere in terms of him recording a solo album, but it’s definitely a song worth hearing… over and over again. Now I may have to check out this Rooster show… maybe the Rock Chick will put it on her endless list of shows we’re going to binge watch?

Cheers and welcome back Michael!