not sure if this is the mojo interview mentioned upthread, but i just found some great info in this interview about “lucky piece.”
Mike Mills has just mentioned that of the forty-seven songs that were originally begun for Monster, there were only four fully-completed numbers that were deemed unsuitable for final inclusion. “They all had lyrics and everything, they just didn’t fit,” he explains.
At Stipe’s initiation, there then begins an intense mini-inquest into the precise status of some of this surplus.
“Peter was talking about ‘Lucky Piece’ last night and wanting to revive that,” he declares, uncurling his legs from beneath himself on the couch, and turning to stare intensely at Mills who, it transpires, seems to have completely forgotten this particular track.
“‘Lucky Piece’, I don’t remember that one,” he says.
“You’ve forgotten ‘Lucky Piece’, it’s the one that Peter plays piano on.” Stipe then begins to sing softly for a couple of seconds. “Bum boo, bum boo, bum boo, bum bum boo.”
Mills continues to look a little unsure. “I like Peter’s piano style,” he avers.
“It’s one of his sort of cocktail, funny kinda things.”
“He’s got a couple of good things on piano.” Still no sign of a penny dropping.
“And ‘Revolution’,” says Stipe abruptly, “that’s another one I don’t want to lose,”
“That’ll turn out. It’s gonna be one of the B-sides,” reassures Mills.
“Is it? With the second verse intact?”
“The second verse didn’t bother me.”
