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| R.E.M. – You Lyrics
| 10 years ago
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This song continues to grow on me even now, 20 years later. Dark ugly mean lusty seedy semen. This is the ugly side of sexuality. |
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| R.E.M. – You Lyrics
| 10 years ago
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I think everything you wrote about this album is dead on. the entire album is about the seedy side of lust, sexuality, voyeurism and home eroticism. This song is one big quiet distorted exclamation point to that theme. And yes, River Phoenix embodied all of these fk'd up attributes. |
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| R.E.M. – Beat A Drum Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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one last personal point to make about this song ...
IMO - this may be one of Michael's most beautifully written lyrics OF ANY song in the entire REM catalogue. It is like a beautiful mosaic or water color in which every word contributes to the picture that he lovingly creates. Contrary to an epilogue or a eulogy with its finalities and overtones of death, this is much more of a tribute to a life led and more importantly, a life to still be fully lived.
Just a beautifully written song. |
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| R.E.M. – Beat A Drum Lyrics
| 13 years ago
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this song is an ode to Bill Berry.
This was REM's first album in the post-Berry era following Bill's near death aneurysm that he suffered while on a European tour. Basically, he had told his bandmates that enough was enough, that he had gotten all that he ever wanted out of being in a great band - wealth, fame, and most importantly, security. He wanted a more simple,family-man type of lifestyle, and he chose to retire to his large piece of farmland down in Gerogia to become a farmer.
With that in my mind, go back and listen to the song.
It's all about Bill and his choice. |
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| R.E.M. – Harborcoat Lyrics
| 14 years ago
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it's interesting to note that so many songs from Reckoning, including Harborcoat, have references to water, in particuular 'bodies' of wate. I think any explanation of any of these songs has to come with an understanding of why this is so.
As for harborcoat, I always felt that there was an undertone of sadness and frustration running throughout the song and that references to lenin and dockworkers and a gown made from drapes was a nod of empathy towards the poor working class that makes a living from the hardscrabble life associated with working with the sea. And knowing that Michael was/is always well-versed in literature, I see this song as romanticizing the proletariat which would fit in well with the mindset of a young recently matriculated liberal arts artist |
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| R.E.M. – Binky The Doormat Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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it's about wanting to be used with no care for the associated shame of being a skanky walked-and-fucked all over doormat. he/she accepts this fate without consequence and just enjoys the fuck |
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| R.E.M. – Living Well Is The Best Revenge Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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Hey Woland ... stop beating around the "Bush." :) That is EXACTLY what this song and many of the others on this wonderful socially-critical album are trying to make.
Unlike most of the his past political commentary, which oft-times was wrapped in complete metaphor, this time Michael is wielding a very blunt hammer, derisively disregarding Bush and the rest of the red state, red meat crowd who blindly lapped up the bones that were being thrown to them without much of a thought. Stipe constantly mocks all of those on this album, including the line:
" all your sad and lost apostles
hum my name and flare their nostrils"
which I think is his own personal vindication for the way Stipe the political activist as well as others, like the Dixie Chicks, were treated back in the hey-day of the Iraqi war, when they were contemptuously dismissed by those with "flaring nostrils" who could never think for themsleves. |
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| R.E.M. – Mr. Richards Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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Obviously Michael is showing extreme derision for this political character Mr. Richards. In my mind I reconcile the personna of the title-character as being Richard Perle, an arch-conservative architect of the Iraqi war in the Dept. of Defense who worked directly with Wolfowitz, Cheney, and Rumsfeld in bringing about Bush's folly in the ME. He (Perle) has since back-pedaled from this poistion, saying that at the time it was the right choice to make but regretfully he was wrong. Well thanks a whole f'in' lot "Mr. Richards."
I believe the judicial references in this song really are about the court of public opinion which has since found all those original planners of this war (mentioned above) guilty, despite their own recantations that, at the time, they were only doing what they fel was best for the country/world. |
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| R.E.M. – Man-Sized Wreath Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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cool. 1st.
This song just mocks the sh*t out of George Bush. I think the reference of a "man-sized wreath" is akin to the floral arrangements found at a funeral. And ol' GW is surely has the personna of a dead-man walking threough the dying days of his final term.
Also, to this point, I thinkStipe's refrain of "owww" or "wowww" after each stanza is like someone putting down or making a joke at some one else's expense and then self-mockingly saying "OW" after each of his jokes/putdowns. It's friggin' awesome.
I really really think that Stipe has a ton of contempt for the hypocritical bastard and this entire song, along with several others off of accelerate, continuously hammer home this theme (including Living Well is the best revenge's line "you're nothing but a footnote."
You go Michael. We are indeed the children of the choir. |
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| R.E.M. – Green Grow The Rushes Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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very simply, this song is about American foreign policy back in the 1980's, particularly in Latin America. Exploitation colonialism, in the name of corporate capitalism, has always been the nom du jour for stated American foreign policy. But no one ever calls it that. Today, of course, it's easily understood (why do you think every call you make to a help desk is answered by some one in India??) But back at the time this song was written (1984) this wasn't so self-evident. It was to Michael (stipe) though.
Stay off that highway
word is it's not so safe
grasses that hide the greenback
the amber waves of gain again
the amber waves of gaaaaaain.
Lastly, this song - or at least its main theme - was re-written on REM's last album as "I Wanted To Be Wrong." |
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| The Psychedelic Furs – Run And Run Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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this song tries - and succeeds I think - in encompassing the whole 80's club scene, before it became cliche to do so. In its simplest terms, the song really is about ALTERNATIVE sex, drugs, and rock n roll of the day (1982/3.) This early 80's club scene was truly avant garde, as opposed to the raves and drug-fueled club scene of the past 10 + years. Back then, these clubs were the only sources of hearing this alternative music (that and college radio) so when you did go out to the club this would be the only time and place where you would meet and see like-minded alternative-oriented people. And trust me, once you flipped that stone over you were amazed at what came out; lip-stick lesbians, speedball-fueled punks, and pre-AIDS sexuality. Man, I miss that era. |
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| Pavement – Unfair Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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I love angry pointed songs. Whether this song is meant as an anthem for NoCal or is just malk being tongue-in-cheek with yet another pop-tart theme, doesn't matter to me. Regardless, it is sung with the proper indiginant and sel-righteous tone SM is famous for. Party on Garth.! |
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| My Drug Hell – Girl At The Bus Stop Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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Is there any better, or more oft-cited, theme to lyrics than unrequited love?! GATBS is IMO one of the greatest examples of a song about a guy taking a chance, putting his heart on his sleeve, and asking a girl - taking a chance - out on a date. And because he fails, he takes on - and sings - in a melancholy personna that is just perfect. I love this song for that. oh and one last ting - for whatever reason, I always imagined that this song took place in Boston. :) |
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| R.E.M. – Just A Touch Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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This is a song about the reactions people had upon hearing about the sudden death of the original King, Elvis Presley, and the immediate subsequent reactions of learning about it. with that context in mind, go back and read the lyrics and it all makes perfect sense. And BTW - Stipe was a big fan of Elvis as a kid. |
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| R.E.M. – Ignoreland Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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don't overreach on this one people: this is as obvious an anti-military, anti-republican, anti-hater song if there ever was one. And when you sing it, shout it. Yell it. Scream it. This song, more so than just about any other song in the REM catalogue, (perhaps Circus Envy) is as angry and as defiant as ANY protest song ever written by ANY band. Not about Reagan/Republicanism/GOP? Are you kidding me? THAT"S WHAT IT IS EXACTLY ABOUT!
I succinctly remember, as if it were yesterday, driving in my car to the local polling station the night of the 1992 pUS presidential election (Bush I, Clinton and Perot.) At the time I was a bit of a fence sitter and hadn't yet really decided who I was going to vote for. And I swear, as I drove in my car, listening to Automatic For the People and this song, I knew exactly which candidate I would NOT be voting for that evening. Yeah! Yeah! yeah! Yeah! ignoreland! |
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| Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Post-Paint Boy Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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the funny thing is that this song could be about Malkmus himself!! I mean, look at the words used to describe "you all know" ... pretentious, a prick, artsy, etc. that's fucking Malkmus in a nutshell! And I like him! I'm sure the circles SM travels in has lots of people in it just like PPB. |
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| Wilco – Either Way Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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no offense everybody but Tweedy tells you what this song about in that little Pitchfork Q+A. Everything else written on this page is purely done for the sake of writing. The man says it's about grasping and accepting ambiguity. When you read the lyrics in that light they make perfect sense. |
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| Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Trojan Curfew Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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Love this song. Having spent a lot of time in the Greek islands in my day, particularly on Ios, I found the irony of the lyrics so simple to understand and yet so poignant and true. Ios is considered a 'party' island and is extremely popular with Scandinavians (Swedes, Danes and such.) The beautiful irony which SM alludes to is that, on just about any sweet summer night, you can sit in the town's hiostoric plaze, with its Greek columns and tavernas all around, and be surrounded by "trashed blonde Scandis" and just totally absorb the vibe and the irony of the moment. The irony being that a couple of 1000 years ago, the Greek inhabitants of the island were sitting in the same square, perhaps under a different set of circumstances, but sitting there nonethesame doing the same thing as those who are enjoying the moment now are doing.
that is so friggin' rich. SM totally gets it. |
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| The Innocence Mission – Bright As Yellow Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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yellow flowers, particularly roses, have always signified freedom and rebirth (very prominent in the Christian trilogy) where as pale pink roses symbolize grace and gentleness which, though a positive feeling, is not the emotion that is trying to be conveyed in this song. But I find the fact that the singer purposely chooses not to be pale pink but, rather, to be bright as yellow, is making her intentions clear as day - she wants to shout joy and freedom, rather than humbling grace. |
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| R.E.M. – Letter Never Sent Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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suffers? not at all. raw, clear, and just ambiguous enough to know that its all about going home after being on the road far too long. |
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| Bob Mould – See a Little Light Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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This is a song about a guy who can read the writing on the wall and knows he's about to get dumped. And now that he "see's the light" he can accept it. |
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| R.E.M. – We Walk Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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and the real meaning behind the song is ... one of Michael Stipe's housemates back in Athens (not sure if he was still in the school at the time) was a girl named Susan. susan used to come home happy-drunk a lot (as most college-age kids are want to do) and as she would ascend the stairs that led to her upstairs bedroom, she would guide herself along by saying "up the stairs, through the landing, up the stairs." I'm sure she didn't say it in the sing-song way that Stipe would make famous but that was the inspiration. And as for Marat? Yes, one of the roommates in the house had a copy of the painting hanging in the upstairs bathroom where, invariably, the housemate would end up sitting down to have a pee.
Some times we give Stipe too much credit. But then again, musically this song is beautiful. I have a 2 and a 4 year old at home and we sing it every time we march upstairs at night for bath and bed time. |
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| R.E.M. – Circus Envy Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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I can't believe nobody has ever left a comment for this song! It is undoubtedly one of the angriest, meanest songs about unrequited love in the entire REM catalogue. If "The One I Love" is easily recognized as the REM song most associated with that theme, than this song takes the emotion behind it and demonstrates the kicking and screaming anger often associated with love not returned. Where "TOIL" seethes, this one boils.
This monster in me - the green-eyed monster of jealousy - gets lose I am going to retch, I am going to act compulsively. And you are not going to want to be around me when I explode.
This song is brilliant. This IS what it feels like to be in unrequited love. This is the anger. And Peter's guitar slams it home. |
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| R.E.M. – Pilgrimage Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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for the longest time, this had been my favorite REM song. I still consider it one of their top 5 of all-time.
I once read an interview back in the 80's with the band that, when asked about this song in particular, Stipe mentioned that during the recordinbg sessions for the album "murmur" the band fell in love with the overlaying track machine (48 track) in the studio, no more so than on this song. His specific quote about the song was that, with the ability to heap layer upon layer of vocals and sounds for the song, that the intent of the song, like the music itself, was "way buried."
I'll leave it at that |
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| R.E.M. – Little America Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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the ultimate 'man, we're always on tour' state of mind song. but anyone whose known REM since way back when knows without being told that this song was originally recorded when the band was playing over 200 gigs a year, going show to show in an old green Ford cargo van. There is no mystery here. |
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| Morrissey – Our Frank Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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maybe it's just simply the overthinker's common lament - somebody stop me from over analyzing everything yet again. have many cigarettes have been burned, how many ice-dilluted drinks have been quaffed after hours spent discussing everything and nothing. and as is always the norm, the conversations usually end up revolving around the bleakest problems that ultimately we figure out can't be solved. and so that all that comes from them are nicotine and alcohol-induced hangovers. if this isn't modus operandi Moz I don't know what is - especially from an over-30 post adolcescent poser :) |
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| The Smiths – That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore Lyrics
| 16 years ago
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I've been listening to this song for over 20 years now. And from the 1st time I ever heard til the last time I ever listened to it, I always come away with the same feeling - that this is the darkest, saddest song that I have ever heard. It is completely and utterly depressing. Thus making it perfect.
Now as for its meaning - I dunno', unless your Morrissey, all we can do is guess. But as Jeff Tweedy - another one of those angst-ridden and depression-fueled singer/songwriters - recently said, whatever you and I as the listeners take from a song, that in turn makes it our own.
So when I tell you that it is the most depressing song that I ever heard - and I think this thought EVERY TIME I listen to this song - listening to it allows me to channel any of my own depressing self-thoughts with it. Whether it be a bad breakup or a personal loss of some kind - we ALL suffer at some point (why else would we listen to Morrissey/The Smiths ?:) ) - what we personally take from this song makes it our own. Thus, how ever you interpret it, it is correct.
As for my own interpretation as to the song's meaning? Well, following the lead from the initial track off the album ("Meat Is Murder), The Headmaster Ritual, I believe it keeps with that same theme - a school-age social misfit suffering from being an outcast both socially and sexually. Eventually, the protagnonist suffers a dark clairevoyant epiphany like his heroes Dickinson and Poe and Wilde and comes to accept his fate and welcomes the coming of his dark fate, whether that be suicide or just complete social isolation. Until he moves to the NYC and finds his niche on the lower east side:) |
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