| R.E.M. – Departure Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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While I certainly agree with the common interpretation relating to travel and touring (given the context of the album and band comments) I also think there is an alternative reading possible here as well, it very well could be about a man Stipe had a crush on or relationship with... "Here it comes" referring to the feeling of seeing him again after a long journey, this fits with the first verse. The second verse is describing the man followed again by the chorus which describes the oncoming of the feeling Stipe gets and then the third verse is Michael talking directly to the lover. It also sounds like in many of the live cuts of this song that Stipe changes the final chorus to "Here HE comes" but thats just my own observation And of course a queer reading fits in with other noted homoerotic themes in REM's lyrics (see Kirk Read on Chronic Town) and the fact that Michael admitted to having multiple same sex relationships in his interview with Christopher Bollen (Interview Magazine). But then again who knows, it's Michael Stipe....he his the king of philosophical ambiguity.... |
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