The Great Beyond

First, a preface. I'm not an atheist (I class myself as agnostic), or a Dawkins follower, but these are my views.

The song, to me, seems to reflect trying to find beauty and meaning in a meaningless world, trying to understand human nature in the absence of a god.

I've watched the stars fall silent from your eyes All the sights that I have seen

(Finding beauty in other people and the wonders of the natural world)

I can't believe that I believed I wished That you could see

(A realisation that believing in a god does seem ridiculous, and trying to show someone else that noticing how amazing the intricacies of world is)

There's a new planet in the solar system There is nothing up my sleeve

(Showing that seeing something amazing can usually be explained in scientific terms, it doesen't need to be a mystery)

I'm pushing an elephant up the stairs I'm tossing up punchlines that were never there

(I'm doing something impossible, I'm looking for answers where there are non, there is no one answer to the way the world works, no great perfect understanding; it's a billion different answers to a billion different questions)

Over my shoulder a piano falls Crashing to the ground

(Cause and effect; something happens, in this case a piano falling, and gravity forces it down, it can be explained scientifically, even if it looks strange)

And all this talk of time Talk is fine

(Talking about the nature of the universe in a metaphysical manner is fine, but it's just talk. Trying to find deep meaning can feed the soul, but sometimes evidence is needed)

And I don't want to stay around Why can't we pantomime, just close our eyes

(But I don't want to procrastinate and play along, I want to find the real answers)

And sleep sweet dreams? Me and you with wings on our feet

(dreams of an afterlife or heaven is a comforting, sweet thought, and we can cling to that if we so choose; but it's likely just a dream)

I'm pushing an elephant up the stairs I'm tossing up punchlines that were never there Over my shoulder a piano falls Crashing to the ground

(covered this)

I'm breaking through I'm bending spoons I'm keeping flowers in full bloom I'm looking for answers from the great beyond

(All the beliefs that people have about finding this "perfect" realm of understanding, where everything makes sense and we are enlightened. People wanting a simple explanation for a complex world.)

I want the hummingbirds, the dancing bears Sweetest dreams of you I'm looking to the stars I'm looking to the moon

(again, seeing beauty in the things that we know are there, and fillus with wonder, without being supernatural.)

and we've covered the rest, as it repeats. I'm not saying that the song is about stopping searching for enlightenment, by any means. I think it's about realising that the search is probably futile, but that the search itself makes us feel special, and that's amazing in itself; even if there probably isn't an answer out there at all.

i love this song, it's great, donno what it means, but it's great. maybe something about overcoming obsticals or something

I always thought it was about writing good, original music, which if you look at the charts today you migth think is hard to do. My interpretation is hindered by the fact that I originally misheard the chorus as you will see in my quotes, but I put it in anyway.

I´ve watched the stars fall silent from your eyes

• the stars, meaning the great artists who stopped making music

There´s a new planet in the solar system

• a new kind of music?

There is nothing up my sleeve -he doesn't know what to write next, he feels he's running out of ideas

I´m pushing an elephant up the stairs

• achieving the impossible, or something very hard

I´m tossing up punchlines that were never there

• finding new lyrics of songs

Over my shoulder a piano falls Crashing to the ground

• symbolising the descent of good music

Talk is fine -but music is better

I´m breaking through

• obvious

I´m bending spoons

• again, achieving the seemingly impossible

I´m keeping flowers in full bloom

• keeping the band going for as long as they have

I´m looking for answers from the grave beyond

• looking for inspiration from the great songwriters of the past

This song always makes me sad, i think its because of Andy Kaufman.

I watched the stars fall silent from your eyes...I always wondered if this was a reference to crying or losing hope in your dreams, or maybe both at the same time.

But that doesn't fit in with the rest of the song at all, does it? o.O I dunno...>.< 'Sjust my thought on it.

I've become obsessed with this song...and from my understanding, this song is about many different elements. Andy Kaufman, of course - but not completely - Stipe being very spiritual himself, Buddhist, he can relate and understand Kaufman's Transcendental Meditation. I also think Stipe discusses the cycle of media, from what a human being in Hollywood can become through image, that which is something that is idolized, unknown to most of the world..most of the world never knew the real Andy Kaufman. They knew what Andy wanted people to percieve of him - a created image that was mass distributed, sometimes for the best, sometimes for the worse, but always for a purpose. This is true for most - to use a broad term - entertainers - in the world, and also a part of daily life. We are who we choose to be around people. It is a heavy burden when you're in the spotlight, feeling like you constantly have to entertain people and be your most famous persona. "I'm pushing an elephant up the stairs" & "Over my shoulder piano falls/crash into the ground" Is the embodiment of that, but it is also a "fuck you", giving it up, looking for something stable, sincere and the human search for truth in the universe. Perhaps some of these lyrics are meant in a romantic sense - we're all just debating here - but I've always found this song as more of relating to other human beings in the most purest form of love, that we're all in this together, looking out for your fellow man/woman, appreciating each other. Making sure our actions, thoughts, words are all considered with love and positive energy. It's a great song for turning your life around, seeking enlightenment and taking chances in your life.

REM spoke about the meaning of the song in an interview with an italian magazine for the flim "man on the moon" while the song does have something to do with kaufman. it really talks about a relationship, that never could work, but the one singing it, equates keeping it going to doing the impossible, he's keeping flowers in full bloom, bending spoons etc.... what he really wants is dancing bears and humming birds, (happiness with this person) "why can't we pantomine? wings on our feet?" he essentially sees this person as "impossible" difficult, he talks about how foolish he was to try to convince her they can be together "i can't believe that i believe that you could see, that theres so many planets in the solar system and noihing up my sleeve"

he's saying he couldn't believe how naive he was to try to convince this person he was sincere. the song is about doing whatever you can to keep a doomed relationship going with a person, knowing it cant work, dreaming of how it could be and also accepting the reality...

One Of Rem's best songs one of two songs written about Andy Kaufman! (see Man On The Moon)

It was written for the "Man on the Moon" soundtrack, and was written to express Andy's views on life.

This song makes me feel ready for anything the day may bring.

I'm not even that much on an R.E.M. fan. Weird.