Knowledge (XXG)

Academy Fight Song

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The song has been described as one of Mission of Burma's "more melodic, shout-along tunes". Conley has declined to elaborate on the meaning of the lyrics, and according to author Michael Azerrad, was "typically evasive when asked if the song was angry. 'Yeah, pretty angry,' Conley said. 'It's just a
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ranked the song at number 64 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Debut Singles of All Time", describing it as "a blast of guitar rage, full of punk menace, but without any posturing. ... The single was just a taste of Burma’s sound — ignored at the time, yet influential ever since."
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wrote that R.E.M.'s "clanging version" of "Academy Fight Song" was one of the cover versions that "make perfect sense" as a selection for the band.
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that Mission of Burma were "on their way to becoming a Boston legend with their single 'Academy Fight Song' and 'Max Ernst'."
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listed R.E.M.'s recording of the song as one of the 35 "worst cover songs of the last 35 years". However, a writer for
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wrote that it had "been called one of the best singles of 1980 by several new wave magazines and polls."
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big conceit. A metaphor. ... I find the whole notion of talking about lyrics very embarrassing.'"
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with "Max Ernst" as the B-side. "Academy Fight Song" received significant airplay on Boston's
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Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991
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named "Academy Fight Song" one of the ten best singles of 1980. In 1981,
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has described "Academy Fight Song" as a "one-hook wonder" and "great".
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R.E.M. released a recording of "Academy Fight Song" in 1989 on the
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and sold out its initial pressing of 7,500 copies within weeks.
823: 175:"Academy Fight Song" was released as a single in June 1980 by 165:. It is also known for having been performed and recorded by 973:
A Gun to the Head: A Selection from the Ace of Hearts Era
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single in a limited edition of 4,500 copies. In 1990,
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London: Rough Guides. p. 681. 417: 415: 7: 683:Drozdowski, Ted (January 10, 2002). 1041:That's When I Reach for My Revolver 797:"The most surprising R.E.M. covers" 14: 464:Perfect Circle: The Story of REM 291:Masters, Marc (March 24, 2008). 739:Reilly, Dan (August 13, 2013). 627:Sheffield, Rob (May 19, 2020). 18:1980 single by Mission of Burma 991:The Horrible Truth About Burma 655:Aston, Martin (May 17, 2016). 303:The Horrible Truth About Burma 1: 930:The Sound the Speed the Light 955:Signals, Calls, and Marches 426:. In Buckley, Peter (ed.). 295:Signals, Calls, and Marches 161:and originally recorded by 1147: 567:Post Punk Diary: 1980-1982 545:. June 11, 1981. p. 7 244:Surprise Surprise Surprise 207:Post Punk Diary: 1980-1982 1070:Birdsongs of the Mesozoic 857: 776:. August 1990. p. 62 768:"A Tragic Waste of Vinyl" 502:Azerrad, Michael (2012). 467:. London: Omnibus Press. 28: 385:Reynolds, Simon (2006). 564:Gimarc, George (1997). 461:Fletcher, Tony (2013). 428:The Rough Guide to Rock 218:The Rough Guide to Rock 205:George Gimarc wrote in 1126:Mission of Burma songs 391:. New York: Penguin. 216:Alex Ogg, writing in 177:Ace of Hearts Records 157:is a song written by 1016:Live at the Bradford 254:, as the B-side of " 155:"Academy Fight Song" 24:"Academy Fight Song" 717:Slicing Up Eyeballs 607:RobertChristgau.com 293:"Mission of Burma: 256:Good King Wenceslas 1034:Academy Fight Song 965:Compilation albums 690:The Boston Phoenix 603:"Mission of Burma" 542:The Michigan Daily 424:"Mission of Burma" 422:Ogg, Alex (2003). 199:The Michigan Daily 1113: 1112: 599:Christgau, Robert 515:978-0-316-24718-4 508:. 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Index


Single
Mission of Burma
B-side
Genre
Post-punk
punk rock
Label
Ace of Hearts
Songwriter(s)
Clint Conley
Producer(s)
Clint Conley
Mission of Burma
R.E.M.
Ace of Hearts Records
WBCN (FM)
New York Rocker
The Michigan Daily
Robert Christgau
Rolling Stone
Miracle Legion
Surprise Surprise Surprise
annual Christmas single for their fan club members
Good King Wenceslas
7"
Spin
Salon.com
"Mission of Burma: Signals, Calls, and Marches / Vs. / The Horrible Truth About Burma"
Pitchfork

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