In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
It's not that she walked away
Her world got smaller
All the usual places
The same destinations
Only something's changed
It's not that she wasn't rewarded
With pomegranate afternoons
And Mingus, Chet Baker and chess
It's not stampede and fortune
Of prim affectations
She's off on a riot
And she knows now
Is greater than the whole
Of the past
Is greater and now she knows
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
It's not that the transparency
Of her earlier incarnations
Now looked back on
Were rich and loaded
With beautiful vulnerability
But now she knows
Now is greater
And she knows that
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
Now is greater
And she knows that
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
It's not like if angels
Could truly look down
Stir up the trappings
A light on the ground
Remind us of what, when, why or who
The how's up to us
Me and you
And now is greater than the whole
Of the past
Is greater and now she knows that
Now she knows
Her world got smaller
All the usual places
The same destinations
Only something's changed
It's not that she wasn't rewarded
With pomegranate afternoons
And Mingus, Chet Baker and chess
It's not stampede and fortune
Of prim affectations
She's off on a riot
And she knows now
Is greater than the whole
Of the past
Is greater and now she knows
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
It's not that the transparency
Of her earlier incarnations
Now looked back on
Were rich and loaded
With beautiful vulnerability
But now she knows
Now is greater
And she knows that
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
Now is greater
And she knows that
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
She just wants to be somewhere
She just wants to be
It's not like if angels
Could truly look down
Stir up the trappings
A light on the ground
Remind us of what, when, why or who
The how's up to us
Me and you
And now is greater than the whole
Of the past
Is greater and now she knows that
Now she knows
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
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I'm fairly conviced that this was written as an alternative view of "She's leaving home" by the beatles. The Beatles track looks more at the parents dispair at "her" leaving, with a hint of a deeper story "she's leaving home after living alone for so many years".
R.E.M. take it up from her side. The dissatisfaction of being bound to a simple idilic life, the lack of ambition or any need of it. This "she" wanted more from life than was available from "Mingus, Chet Baker and chess". "She" finds the strength and power to act now; the present. This ties in with the beatles song ans her departure is so unexpected and so surprising. This song justifies it from her side.
That's my analysis. But I am a bit drunk, so feed my back. I might spruce it up a bit.
AMAZING SONG! could listen to it again and again without getting sick of it.. one of the best by r.e.m!
just dunno what its actually about..
Yep it is indeed great. I think it's about her being bored with her life up to this point. She just realized that she was bored and now she realizes that there is something more.
i think its about tryin to find yourself.. "its not that she walked away, her world got smaller, all the usual places, the same destinations, only something changed" and "she just wants to be" could all be refering, shes changing to suit her but shes confused, and people are wondering why she wants to change because "its not that she wasnt rewarded.."
I think it's about a bored rich girl