LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Good morning. I'm Leila Fadel. Forty years ago this week, R.E.M. released their second album, "Reckoning," to widespread critical acclaim. It featured the single "(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville." Let's listen.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "(DON’T GO BACK TO) ROCKVILLE")
REM: (Singing) Looking at your watch a third time, waiting in the station for the bus.
FADEL: The album would go on to achieve gold status in the United States.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "(DON’T GO BACK TO) ROCKVILLE")
REM: (Singing) Going to a place that's far - so far away...
FADEL: It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.