Call my name, here I come
Ninety to nothing, watch me run
You call
I am ashamed to say
Ugly girls know their fate
Anybody can get laid
You want a room with a fire escape
I want to tell you how much I hate this
Don't leave that stuff all over me
It pains me
Please, just leave it
I should toss that vanity license plate
Toss that make-up painted face
Box those poems, chocolate cake
Scratch that name on the record player
Please, just leave me be
Don't lay that stuff all over me
It crawls all over
All over me

Call my name, here I come
Your last ditch lay, will I never learn?
Caramel turn on a dusty apology
It crawls all over me
You turn all over
It pains me
Please, just leave it


Lyrics submitted by Novartza

Tongue Lyrics as written by Peter Buck Bill Berry

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Tongue song meanings
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  • +3
    Song Meaning

    I'm surprised there's debate about one of R.E.M.'s most straightforward songs. Michael Stipe himself has said it's sung from the perspective of a woman (that's why he's singing in a falsetto) who can only get laid as someone's last resort, and how that makes her feel.

    End of story. No abusive relationship, not sung from a man's point of view, gay or otherwise. And commenter Sweet Jane is full of it - there's nothing about "making love" in the song. One of the lamest phrases in the English language. It's called SEX, people!

    clauditoriumon October 11, 2010   Link

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