Seven Chinese Brothers Lyrics

Lyric discussion by rikdad101@yahoo.com 

Cover art for Seven Chinese Brothers lyrics by R.E.M.

This seems to describe a boy's first love affair (he is a boy, she is a woman). Things go awry ("turn the leg", "I guess we lost that battle"), but the boy, or the narrator, have confidence that she will return (to him). The seven (yes, five) Chinese brothers ultimately cannot fall prey to any harm: whatever comes of this affair or its loss, the boy will be fine. The "she" who returns may even be a different woman.