The Wake-up Bomb

One day you might realize that all you have done has been wrong and / or worthless. This song is about a person who has realized that and wants to leave his past "glories" behind to try new things.

I don't know if this is the meaning that Stipe intended - I have never read any claims that Michael Stipe has or had bipolar and I don't think he has any mental illness - but personally I find this song to be such a perfect description of bipolar, which I have.

During a manic episode your thoughts race ("heads on fire"), you become overconfident, egotistical ("self esteem") and believe you are a highly attractive person ("I look good etc.") and you feel like you don't need to sleep ("no sleep"). You also believe you can achieve anything, no matter how unrealistic ("I had to write the great American novel", "I had to teach the world to sing by the age of 21"). You also jump from one thing to the next, seeking novelty ("I'd rather be anywhere doing anything").

After the high comes the crash into depression, the realization that you are not as superhuman as you thought you were and the consequences of your irresponsible behaviour ("I threw up when I saw what I'd done"), ("I've had enough, I've seen enough, I've had it all, I'm giving up", "What a joke, I'm dumb").

Perhaps I am just projecting my own meaning into a song that but it seems too perfect to be a coincidence.

Of course the song isn't JUST about mania - there are also cultural references to the 70s and 80s and I am not sure what they mean except that Stipe grew from an adolescent to an adult during these decades - but it is a pretty damn good description.

Am I the only one who wonders whether this song might partly refer to the bombing at the 1996 Olympics, held in Atlanta? (Also, some might think that the part about knocking a couple buildings over is a 9/11 reference, but this song was released 5 years before that.)

The song stands for a great night! but its over and they dont want to do it again. It is also the state of music comparing queen and T-rex to oasis.

i tihnk its kinda nostalgic, looking back on the 70s when the guys were teenagers

Heehee I love the opening line

I LOOUK GOOUD IN THE GLASS PACK!

This seems to be Stipe speaking autobiographically, looking back on his teen years/early 20s with disdain now for the attitude he had then. Specifically, the younger version of the singer was self-impressed, confident that he would achieve tremendous success ("write the great American novel") and partying too hard. (I think "wake up bomb" may be referring to a hangover.)

Of course, Stipe has ended up enormously successful, but that doesn't seem to lessen his disdain for his earlier hubris. This may be because he wasn't as successful as he thought he would be (he hasn't written the "great American novel") or because he's learned that success isn't so meaningful ("I've had it all; I'm giving up").

I really don't think this is Stipe being autobiographical.

Duh. This is Michael Stipe having a pop at Liam Gallagher from the band Oasis when the whole Britpop thing was in full swing.

The arrogant, swaggering Liam, with his band that sound like Status Quo/The Beatles etc

Even down to the line "Supersonic. What a joke"

Supersonic being a song (released as a single) from Oasis debut album

geminder above is correct but does not go far enough.

This song is a character assasination of Liam Gallagher of Oasis.

Why? Possibly because of this incident.... REM played two dates at Milton Keynes Bowl UK on the Monster tour..the summer of Britpop. The first date had Blur as lead support act, the second Oasis. (I saw the Blur supported concert, my friend the Oasis)

Anyway, Liam of Oasis chose to slag off Blur with the statement "I wish Damon Albarn would get AIDS and die," More or less.

Wake Up Bomb is the first track on New Adventures in Hi-Fi, which was the album following Monster.