The lyrics do refer to the infamously polluted Cuyahoga River in OH. "Burn the river down" has to do with the river catching fire because of all the oil and other pollutants. This happened a number of times, including an episode in 1969 (when the members of R.E.M. would have been ~9-13 years old) that made national headlines and helped start a discussion that led to the passage of the Clean Water Act.
There are also references to the area around the river once being home to indigenous people who had a much more environmentally friendly lifestyle, as a contrast with its condition today. References to the river running red could thus be references to the blood of the native people as well as to the fires on the river.
I love this brilliant environmental anthem.
The lyrics do refer to the infamously polluted Cuyahoga River in OH. "Burn the river down" has to do with the river catching fire because of all the oil and other pollutants. This happened a number of times, including an episode in 1969 (when the members of R.E.M. would have been ~9-13 years old) that made national headlines and helped start a discussion that led to the passage of the Clean Water Act.
There are also references to the area around the river once being home to indigenous people who had a much more environmentally friendly lifestyle, as a contrast with its condition today. References to the river running red could thus be references to the blood of the native people as well as to the fires on the river.