Losing My Religion

Song MeaningThe meaning of this song (officially, according to Mike Stipe of REM) is about unrequited love, meaning unreturned love. (the person recounting this song loves somebody, who has no interest in him).

It is quite a sad song, and a has a very lonely feeling to it.

"Oh, life is bigger
It's bigger than you"

Here he is trying to convince himself that the person he loves is NOT larger than life - she doesn't have to be the centre point of his existence. He is trying to push her out of his mind.

"The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes"

I can relate to this. Constantly following someone around, clinging to them, trying to make them connect with you or notice you.

"That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you"

Same thing really. "Losing my religion" is a southern American way of saying "reaching the end of one's rope" or "losing your temper" or "losing your civility". Basically these verses mean that he is getting angry and frustrated trying to stay ahead of the game and keep up with the competition over this woman. He's behind the game, in the spotlight, failng.

"Every whisper
Of every waking hour I'm
Choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt, lost and blinded fool
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up"

Here he pours his heart out to a greater extent. He obsesses over the person, constantly watching them - he can't think of anything else but this person, and he feels "lost" and "blinded" when not knowing what she's doing or who she's with. "He said too much" but he "hasn't said enough" - he's telling his mates and friends more than he should say about his feelings for this person, but not the person herself.

I CBA to write more interpretations of the rest of the song, but I could leave you guys to that :)

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General CommentI've heard that Michael Stipe called this song a love song. I used to have a hard time understanding how that fit, but now that I'm divorced, I understand it. When you lose the love of your life (or who you think is the love of your life), you lose all of those plans for the future, all of the things you believed in. After a serious breakup, you are never the same person--you never have the same blind trust/faith in love again. In other words, losing my religion means losing all of those hopes, beliefs, and untainted feelings of love. Think about the video--all of the representations of religion that were mere constructs by humans. The angel wings made of iron, the elderly Jesus figure with a wig--it's like the Wizard of Oz, and seeing that there is someone very small and imperfect behind the curtain, instead of the grand entity you believed in.

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General CommentI have a very very strange interpretation, but please hear me out. This song is about someone coming to terms with thier homosexuality. Losing my religion, is in a way to describe them admitting thier homosexuality. Now, saying that they said to much is telling themself that no, they're not gay!! they're straight!! And the person is in love with someone from the same sex, and thier mind and heart are dueling which ultimately ends with the admittance. The part about but that was just a dream, I'd say that maybe, the whole image of thier heterosexuality was just a dream...and nothing more. Also, around this time, Micheal Stipe was coming to terms of being gay. But, that's just my strange opinion.

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General CommentThere are alot of wonderful interpetations of this song here.I thought I would take a stab at it.This for someone who made a strong impression on me that will never read this.
Life is bigger It's bigger than you
I know that there is more to life then you.
And you are not me
I can only be whom I am.
The lengths that I will go to
The anguish that I have put myself through over you.
The distance in your eyes
I'm just not important to you.
Oh no I've said too much
I've exposed myself.
I set it up
Here we go again.
That's me in the corner
I am alone.
That's me in the spotlight
I feel like everyone is watching.
Losing my religion
I am at the end of my rope.
Trying to keep up with you
I listen intently to the little news of you.
And I don't know if I can do it
Am I strong enough?
Oh no I've said too much
I have exposed myself.
I haven't said enough
I have so much to say.
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try
You always there just beyond my senses.
Every whisper
Every thought.
Of every waking hour
All the time.
I'm Choosing my confessions
I'm thinking what to say.
Trying to keep an eye on you
I listen intently to the little news of you.
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool
I'm an idiot.
Oh no I've said too much
I've exposed myself.
I set it up
Here we go again.
Consider this
The hint of the century
My interpetation of this song.
Consider this
The slip that brought me
I've really put my foot in it.
To my knees failed
I'm lost.
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around
What would happen if my wishes came true?
Now I've said too much
Ive exposed myself.
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try
You always there just beyond my senses.
But that was just a dream
That was just a dream
Its only a wish.

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My OpinionI used to love this song when I was a kid. This is pretty much what I think it means. I could be wrong and it could be about a person who lost faith in their god, but I think it’s a metaphor about man (or woman) who in an emotional fit accidently spoke their mind to their partner and is now confronted with the truth and losing the relationship they so desperately tried to preserve. If you haven't heard the song you should probably youtube it before you go through this. In the music video the first thing you notice is spilled milk. Once milk is spilled it can't be unspilled. Once words are said, they can't be unsaid.





Oh, life is bigger

It's bigger than you

And you are not me.

The lengths that I will go to



In life, life itself is the most important thing. No one aspect of life is worth ruining the whole life, not even her. Just like no limb is worth losing the body. She is not him, if she was like him there would be no conflict, but she and him have different values, and value each other differently, he feels he loves her more. He is willing to do anything it takes for the relationship but she will to go the same lengths as he will.





The distance in your eyes

When she looks at him he doesn’t feel love warmth and caring, her eyes looks cold indifferent, there’s no emotional connection between the two of them, when he looks in her eyes she’s feels distant, not there with him.



Oh no I've said too much

I set it up

He’s scared now, he’s said too much to her. He’s so scared of losing her so he’s never said how he feels because it may trigger an argument where they’ll break up, so for the hole relationship he’s been biting he’s tongue, but now he forgot himself for a moment (“Oh no”) and told her how he feels; now he may have set up the break argument he’s dreaded.





That's me in the corner

This relationship makes him feel like he’s punished and constantly lonely. Because he’s choosing to stay in it, it’s a self-imposed punishment.



That's me in the spotlight

Because of his slip of the tongue he’s now in a position where he must act, he can’t hide anymore from the truth now that it’s come out, his slip of the tongue has exposed his feelings and now there’s no turning back, he must do something, he’s in the spotlight.



Losing my religion

He’s losing that for which he’s placed all of his hopes and dreams in. He’s losing his “FAITH” in them working out. He’s confronting the real her as opposed to the illusion of the happy her and him life together. He’s losing the biggest thing in his life. The biggest part of his image of himself was the idea of her and him. For most people that amount of faith is exclusively religious or love. It’s a metaphor.





Trying to keep up with you

And I don't know if I can do it



He’s talking to her again, he’s telling her how hard he’s trying to make the relationship work, by following her lead, doing whatever she needs and appeasing her while sacrificing his needs, and he’s not sure if it’s something he can keep up indefinitely, it’s hurting him too much. He may be wrong, he may not be able to do it.



Oh no I've said too much

I haven't said enough

He’s still dreadfully scared of losing her and fears he said too much, however what’s said can’t be unsaid, and once you’ve accepted the truth you can’t hold the lie, so he’s beginning to want to confront the reality of her. He’s becoming emotional and angry to an extent. He’s held in so much pain and suffering for so long scared that she will leave him and now that’s it’s coming out, he wants it all to come out, he’s no longer scared of her leaving he feels empowered to speak after years of being muzzled he want's to speak, “he hasn’t said enough”.





I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try



He’s telling her that he thought that he was making her happy; he thought he could make her happy, he thought they could be happy together, laughing and singing, but he was wrong. The last line reveals that now he’s aware that she was never trying. He says “he thinks he thought” as opposed to just “thought” like the previous two lines. Revealing that he’s now aware he was deluding himself into believing she was trying. He wanted to believe she was trying like he was trying, because if she was that meant she cared about him and the relationship, but as he honestly reflects he realizes she was never trying, he just wanted to believe she was.





Every whisper

Of every waking hour I'm

Choosing my confessions:

Trying to keep an eye on you

Like a hurt, lost and blinded fool



During the relationship out of fear of upsetting her and breaking up he wouldn’t speak, so he chose his words very carefully, as to not agitate her, whispering, choosing which things he could speak and which things he could not (confessions). Watching her making sure she’s not upset, or getting to mad, because he can’t lose her, she’s all he lives for. So he must cling to her like a hurt lost and blinded fool. Otherwise hid life is lost. he’s’ angry for allowing himself to be degraded so. He calls himself a fool.



Oh no I've said too much

I set it up

(See above)





Consider this

Consider this

The hint of the century

Consider this

The slip that brought me

To my knees failed

What if all these fantasies

Come flailing around

Now I've said too much



Now there’s nothing left to fear. What’s said can’t be unsaid and he has clearly said too much. All there is left to do is consider the consequences of his actions. Consider the “slip” of the tongue that brought him down to this position where he must submit (knees) to reality. He’s considering what if he’s “failed” and lost her. All of his fantasies about him and her are falling around him Now that’s he’s said to much. It’s no longer an “Oh, no I’ve said to much” as if it’s a question, it’s “Now, I’ve said to much” It’s over. The relationship is over.



I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try

(See above)



But that was just a dream

That was just a dream



He realizes that all the things he believed, he thought he could make her happy, he thought they could be happy together, he thought she cared and was trying to make the relationship work, but it was just a fantasy, a dream of something that wasn’t ever going to happen, it was it just a dream he was holding onto and now he’s awake. This is an interesting motif seeing as how the band is called R.E.M which scientifically means Rapid Eye Movement. R.E.M is a stage of sleep which only occurs while one is dreaming.



That's me in the corner

That's me in the spotlight

Losing my religion

Trying to keep up with you

And I don't know if I can do it

Oh no I've said too much

I haven't said enough

I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream

That was just a dream

(see above)

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General CommentI think it is about unrequited love. Very generally speaking, he is trying to confess his love (choosing his confessions) and true feelings for someone; he keeps "setting it up", but he never goes all the way and has either said to much, or not enough. He always keeps an eye on the person he loves, watching to see any sort of reaction or similar feelings. He ultimately doesn't completely confess his love and convinces himself that any sort of similar effort he sees in the other person is just a dream. I think "losing my religion" represents the emotional impact this love has on him. His entire life and whatever is the center of it now will completely change if he pursues his love, and he is just not able to make the sacrifices and risks necessary to pursue true love.

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General CommentProbably their most well known song. "Losing My Religion" is a common saying down south (R.E.M. are from Georgia) and it basically means losing your temper or losing your cool. I saw Stipe on VH1 talking about this song not long ago. He commented on how it's a peculiar song and how be was surprised it became such a big hit for the band considering it doesn't follow the standard formula for successful singles. The main instrument Buck plays is a mandolin and the track really doesn't have a true chorus. I think it's more or less about someone going through a tough situation and wanting to isolate themselves for a period of time, but despite their attempt at doing so, their suffering is out in the open for others to see. He has to make a clean break, and he knows it, but he's unable to do so. My two cents.

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My InterpretationOther people have already touched on this but I think this song is about the strange mental dichotomy that is constructed by many religions; the constant second guessing and criticizing of yourself which leads to internal turmoil and self hate and concentrating on the negatives in life. By accepting some religions, the individual starts resembling the definition of schizophrenia (literally “of split mind”) by inserting an artificial and hyperactive conscience to keep track of all of the sins of the individual. I think one of the most important lines in the song is: “Every whisper, Of every waking hour, I'm choosing my confessions, Trying to keep an eye on you.” This speaks to a constant mental process continuously tracking and judging every thought and action for something that is “wrong” that will need to be confessed. Instead of living life, the person is constantly self-analyzing all of their thoughts and actions. And you are so pathetic you are like a “hurt, lost blinded fool”. When he says, “That's me in the corner” that's how many children are punished. “That's me in the spotlight” speaks to him being himself, on stage and confident; which is then followed by guilt and shame. Religion makes you feel guilty for being you.
An insightful exercise in Zen has you watch your thoughts when you are really angry at yourself. After you mess up you might hear a thought that says, “You really screwed that up, you idiot! You should have known better!” The interesting part of the exercise is to notice the pronoun. When we talk to or about ourselves we use the words “I” and “Me”. When we talk about others we use the word “you”! Why is there a thought in your head that calls you “you”. Where did it come from and who put it there? Look at the third line of the song, “and you, you are not me”. Hmmm. I think it is talking about this super-critical conscience.
Look at the lines: “ I thought that I heard you laughing, I thought that I heard you sing, I think I thought I saw you try”. There it is again, looking for sins. “Where you having a good time? Those are sins. No, well I saw you try, that's a sin just thinking about it”. (Yes there are religions that forbid singing outside of church and declare that just thinking of things are sins — like coveting a neighbor's wife or goods — thought crimes.) Quite literally, if his religion forbids singing out of church than every time he gets on stage he is “losing his religion”. Figuratively, “That's me in the spotlight, Losing my religion” could speak to him expressing himself on stage realizing that it is his talents and abilities filling the seats, not a “gift from an invisible being”. The more he finds himself the more he drifts away from the religious ideas he was brainwashed into believing as a child. 99% of new religious people are children being forced to attend by their parents. Very few happy adults with an education and understanding of science will decide out of the blue to become religious. Most adults that convert are coming over from another religion because of a marriage. Most of the rest that convert due so only after trauma. (Loss of a loved one, job, war, crime victim, 12 step program, etc). They need some belief system to cling to in order to make sense of their world. I think this song speaks to this in the line “ Consider this, The slip that brought me, To my knees — failed”.
I also find it very interesting, that as his criticism of religion become stronger in the stanza, he stops and says, “Oh I've said too much”. In one, he basically says religion is making you treat yourself like “hurt, lost blinded fool” and another talks about religious beliefs being fantasies, “What if all these fantasies come flailing around” then says “oh no I've said too much”. Why? Because in our culture religious people have constantly told people it is not polite to discuss religion in public. It is okay for them to try and convert you by scaring the heck out of you with tales of eternal damnation, but if people want to rationally discuss religion via science, logic, etc, that is to be frowned upon. Why? If people rationally discussed religion, churches would dwindle in size. It's interesting to note that the last stanza he follows “I've said too much” with “I haven't said enough”, meaning that maybe instead of being polite and shying away from discussions of how harmful religions are, maybe he should just let loose and be honest and say what he really feels about the subject. Maybe that's why he wrote the song.

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My InterpretationOh, life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up

At first I think he is trying to distance himself, to tell himself this entire obsession is foolish (as in the other person and his obsession with her should not be allowed to define his entire life) and he's trying to talk some sense to himself, by contrasting the depths of his obsession with her seeming lack of any interest at all, and that by admitting it he is setting himself up for a catastophic failure.

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much
I haven't said enough
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

Referring to whether alone in the corner or out in the open/covertly or overtly, he's going crazy in his pursuit of her, and is experiencing self doubt..whatever he say will be both too much (it shouldn't be said at all) or entirely insufficent (as in his feelings aren't going to be conveyed in mere words) and then he's imagining, in his head, what her reaction might be with a few examples.

Every whisper
Of every waking hour I'm
Choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt, lost and blinded fool
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up

Every time he is around her he is carefully calculating every single word, waiting for a subtle hint or reaction that might give him some encouragement, and he realizes the depth of his desperation - but at some point he knows he has to take the proverbial leap and let the cat out of the bag

Consider this
Consider this
The hint of the century
Consider this
The slip that brought me
To my knees failed
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around
Now I've said too much
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

"Consider if I dropped this huge hint, if I slipped and let my guard down, if I finally confessed, what if it totally backfires and I come crashing down to my knees, looking like an idiot, and this world I've built up in my head where we are together falls to pieces?" Or "what if all these fantasies come flailing around?" could mean he keeps playing this imaginary confession scene over and over and over again and all these possible outcomes come running through his head

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream
That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much
I haven't said enough
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream

Either his gambit has failed and the imaginary world in his head where she loved him was "just a dream" or he knows he has no chance in hell (kind of like in the first verse) but since he's repeating his thoughts earlier, he knows he is doomed to repeat the same pattern of being obsessed and miserable and not willing to lay it on the line.

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General CommentLosing my Religion actually means Losing your temper. Cursing in other words. The song, to me at least, is about him going through a serious break up, retreating to a corner and getting angry at himself for doing something wrong.

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