Try Not To Breathe

R.E.M.

I will try not to breathe
I can hold my head still with my hands at my knees
These eyes are the eyes of the old, shiver and fold

I will try not to breathe
This decision is mine
I have lived a full life
And these are the eyes that I want you to remember, oh

I need something to fly over my grave again
I need something to breathe

I will try not to burden you
I can hold these inside
I will hold my breath
Until all these shivers subside
Just look in my eyes

I will try not to worry you
I have seen things that you will never see
Leave it to memory me
I shudder to breathe

I want you to remember, oh (you will never see)
I need something to fly (something to fly)
Over my grave again (you will never see)
I need something to breathe (something to breathe)
Baby, don't shiver now
Why do you shiver? (I will see things you will never see)
I need something to fly (something to fly)
Over my grave again (I will see things you will never see)
I need something to breathe, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh

I will try not to worry you
I have seen things that you will never see
Leave it to memory me
Don't dare me to breathe
I want you to remember oh (you will never see)
I need something to fly (something to fly)
Over my grave again (you will never see)
I need something to breathe (something to breathe)
Baby, don't shiver now
Why do you shiver now? (I will see things you will never see)
I need something to breathe (something to breathe)
(I have seen things you will never see)
I want you to remember


Lyrics submitted by shut

Try Not to Breathe Lyrics as written by Peter Buck Bill Berry

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Try Not To Breathe song meanings
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47 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    I agree with Jeema in that I never thought this song was about suicide, just the acceptance of death.

    "I have seen things that you will never see": I don't interpret this as terrible things, necessarily. To me this just reflects that since the speaker is older than the people she is addressing, she has lived parts of history that they will only read about and has had experiences that are no longer possible for the current generations because things have changed.

    For some reason I also pictured the speaker as a woman; no idea why.

    wildflowerfeveron October 28, 2008   Link

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