Tongue

Song MeaningI'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!

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General CommentI like to think it's about a young,unpretty girl who falls in love with someone,and loses her virginity with this person. But this doesn't sound like a pleasant experience,in fact she feels ashamed,scared and soring...She would like it to end as soon as possible (please just leave me be...don't lay that stuff all over me...) because she didn't simply want to "get laid",she longed to "make love"...That's different.

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General CommentI think this is about being used and wanting to forget it. "you want a room with a fire escape" suggests their partner just wants to have sex and leave.
I think it's about being in an unequal relationship and not feeling like you can escape. It screams of regret "call my name, here I come.
your last ditch lay, will I never learn?" The other person calls, and they come running, just to be used again.
The line about ugly girls suggests low self esteem, perhaps she feels she can't do any better?

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General Commentabove person same difference it's about people doin it

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General CommentIt's about feeling invaded and discomforted by sex, from a female perspective.

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General Commenti thought that the singer's voice sounded pretty different in this one, and then i noticed that it's in a high falsetto...because he's singing as a woman. i thought that was interesting.

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General CommentStipe is queer, not gay.

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General Commentqueer and gay are SO not the same thing, though i think camp would be a better word that queer
but i agree with sweet jane on this one.

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General CommentThere's obivously a scene of sex taking place, and some abuse between two people. The narrator is a girl, and to me it seems like she's too weak to leave the relationship, but she knows that it seems to be more and more about having sex. The passion and the sparks of being together has been burned out, but she can't make herself leave, maybe because she feels bad for the other part, but at the same time she realize that she should move on (second verse). A beautiful song. Love the way Michael's falsetto takes this one away.

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General CommentI remember reading Stipe say something about this song to the effect of "anybody can get laid, it's just a matter of lowering your standards enough". Seems oddly relevant - it's about a girl who's in a relationship with someone because she lacks the self esteem to leave - with a guy "you want a room with a fire escape" who, equally would leave the moment a better offer came along. Kind of sad, and I suspect, kind of true.

And what does Stipe's being gay have to do with anything? (I thought he was bisexual, but it hardly matters) Surely that doesn't prevent someone from singing from the point of view of someone with a different sexuality from his own?

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