This album came out in 1983 when I was in high school. It's a favorite album of mine. The cover has kudzu, a vine introduced into Georgia, where the band is from.
People visit the picture on the back. It fell down and they rebuilt it.
I'm putting the lyrics to each song, perhaps mistaken, perhaps right, which I got of the internet.
1. Radio Free Europe Lyrics:
[Verse 1]Beside yourself if radio's gonna stay
Reason, it could polish up the gray
Put that, put that, put that up your wall
That this isn't country at all
[Pre-Chorus]
Raving station
Beside yourself
[Verse 2]
Keep me out of country in the word
Deal the porch is leading us absurd
Push that, push that, push that to the hull
That this isn't nothing at all
[Pre-Chorus]
Straight off the boat
Where to go?
[Chorus]
Callin' on in transit
Callin' on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio
Beside defyin' media too fast
Instead of pushin' palaces to fall
Put that, put that, put that before all
That this isn't fortunate at all
[Pre-Chorus]
Raving station
Beside yourself
[Chorus]
Callin' on in transit
Callin' on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio
[Bridge]
Beside yourself
Callin' on a boat
Media's too fast
[Verse 4]
Keep me out of country in the word
Disappointers into us, absurd
[Pre-Chorus]
Straight off the boat
Where to go?
[Chorus]
Callin' on in transit
Callin' on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
Callin' on in transit
Callin' on in transit
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
[end]
It's quite an amazing poem, impressionistic. This was REM's first single and it charted.
2. Pilgrimage lyrics:
Take a turnTake a turn
Take our fortune
Take our fortune
[Verse 1]
They called the clip
The two-headed calf
Your hate, clipped and distant
Your luck, with pilgrimage
Rest assured, this will not last
Take a turn for the worst
Your hate, clipped and distant
Your luck, the two-headed calf
[Pre-Chorus]
The pilgrimage
Has gained momentum
[Chorus]
Take a turn
Take a turn
Take our fortune
Take our fortune
[Verse 2]
Speaking in tongues
It's worth a broken lip
Your hate, clipped and distant
Your luck, with pilgrimage
Rest assured, this will not last
Take a turn for the worst
Your hate, clipped and distant
Your luck, the two-headed calf
[Pre-Chorus]
The pilgrimage
Has gained momentum
[Chorus]
Take a turn (Take a turn)
Take a turn (Take a turn)
Take our fortune (Take a turn)
Take our fortune
[Bridge]
(Ah-ha-ha)
(Ah-ha) Pilgrimage
(Ah-ha) Pilgrimage
[Verse 3]
Speaking in tongues
It's worth a broken lip
Your hate, clipped and distant
Your luck
Rest assured, this will not last
Take a turn for the worst
Your hate, clipped and distant
Your luck, two-headed
[Pre-Chorus]
The pilgrimage
Has gained momentum
[Chorus]
Take a turn (Take a turn)
(Ah) Take a turn (Take a turn)
Take our fortune (Take a turn)
(Ah) Take our fortune
[Bridge]
(Ah-ha-ha)
(Ah-ha) Pilgrimage
(Ah-ha) Pilgrimage
[Pre-Chorus]
Pilgrimage
Has gained momentum
[Chorus]
Take a turn (Take a turn)
(Ah) Take a turn (Take a turn)
Take our fortune (Take a turn)
(Ah) Take our fortune (Take a turn)
Take a turn (Take a turn)
(Ah) Take a turn (Take a turn)
Take our fortune (Take a turn)
(Ah) Take our fortune
[end]
Again I feel like it's perplexing, profound, poetic.
3. Laughing:
Laocoön and her two sons
Pressured storm tried to move
No other more emotion bound
Martyred misconstrued
Lighted in a room lanky room
Lighted lighted laughing in tune
Lighted lighted laughing
Laocoön and her two sons
Run the gamut sated view
Know them more emotion bound
Martyred misconstrued
Lighted in a room lanky room
Lighted lighted laughing in tune
Lighted lighted laughing
In a room lock the door, latch the room
Lighted, lighted, laughing
Laocoön and her two sons
Ran the gamut, settled new
Find a place fit to laugh
Lock the doors, latch the room
Lighted in a room, lanky room
Lighted, lighted, laughing in tune
Lighted, lighted, laughing in tune
Lighted, lighted, laughing in tunes
Lighted, lighted, laughing in tunes
[end]
I always thought it was logic, not Laocoon. Laocoön is a Trojan priest. He and his two young sons are attacked by giant serpents sent by the gods when Laocoön argued against bringing the Trojan horse into the city.
Empty prayer, empty mouths, combien reaction
Empty prayer, empty mouths talk about the passion
Not everyone can carry the weight of the world
Not everyone can carry the weight of the world
Talk about the passion
Talk about the passion
Empty prayer, empty mouths, combien reaction
Empty prayer, empty mouths talk about the passion
Combien, combien, combien du temps?
Talk about the passion
Talk about the passion
Not everyone can carry the weight of the world
Not everyone can carry the weight of the world
Combien, combien, combien du temps?
Talk about the passion
Talk about the passion
Talk about the passion
Talk about the passion
Talk about the passion
Talk about the passion
Talk about the passion
Talk about the passion
I always thought it was "call me, call me in, call me in to talk". "Combien du temps" means how long?
"Michael Stipe has stated that "Talk About the Passion" was a song about hunger, but the lyrics were not clear enough, with the only direct reference in the song being to "empty mouths" (Wikipedia).
5. Moral Kiosk
Scratch those candles in the twilight
China shop, but instead
Idle hands are oriental hands
Pass a magic pillow under head
[Chorus: Michael Stipe & Mike Mills]
So much more attractive
Inside the moral kiosk
Inside moral kiosk higher twilight (So cold outside your door)
Inside moral kiosk higher twilight (So cold outside your door)
[Verse 2]
Scratch those candles in the twilight
She was laughing like a Horae
Without he in sour landslide
Take those steps to dash her woven hide
[Chorus: Michael Stipe & Mike Mills]
So much more attractive
Inside the moral kiosk
Inside moral kiosk higher twilight (So cold outside your door)
Inside moral kiosk higher twilight (So cold outside your door)
[Bridge]
Ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh
[end]
I didn't realize there was so much reference to the ancient world.
Put your hair back, we get to leave
Eleven gallows on your sleeve
Shallow figure, winner's paid
Eleven shadows way out of place
Standing too soon, shoulders high in the room
Standing too soon, shoulders high in the room
Standing too soon, shoulders high in the room
Pull your dress on and stay real close
Who might leave you where I left off?
A perfect circle of acquaintances and friends
Drink another, coin a phrase
Heaven assumed, shoulders high in the room
Heaven assumed, shoulders high in the room
Heaven assumed, shoulders high in the room
Try to win and suit your needs
Speak out sometimes but try to win
Standing too soon, shoulders high in the room
Standing too soon, shoulders high in the room
Standing too soon, shoulders high in the room
Standing too soon, shoulders high in the room
Standing too soon, shoulders high in the room
[end]
I get now why I just made up my own meaning in these songs.
The lyrics of "Perfect Circle" are purposely opaque. Members of the band agree that the song has an emotional theme that can be interpreted in many ways. For guitarist Peter Buck, the song elicits images of children playing football one evening in Trenton, New Jersey. Singer Michael Stipe interprets the song as being about longing in a relationship. He also has stated that other interpretations are equally valid: "It was an intensely personal song to me. I really like that it can mean two different things. ... It's the exact same feeling, but the details are different."
7. Catapult
Ooooo, we were little boys
Ooooo, we were little girls
It's nine o'clock, don't try to turn it off
Cowered in a hole, opie mouth, question...
Did we miss anything? Did we miss anything?
Did we miss anything? Did we miss anything?
Catapult, catapult, catapult, catapult
Ooooo, we were little boys
Ooooo, we were little girls
It's nine o'clock, don't try to turn it off
Cowered in a hole, opie mouth
We in step, in hand, your mother remembers this
Hear the howl of the rope, a question...
Did we miss anything? Did we miss anything?
Did we miss anything? Did we miss anything?
Catapult, catapult, catapult, catapult
March could be darker
March could be darker
Catapult, catapult, catapult, catapult
Ooooo, we were little boys
Ooooo, we were little girls
It's nine o'clock, don't try to turn it off
Cowered in a hole, opie mouth
We in step, in hand, your mother remembers this
Hear the howl of the rope, a question...
Did we miss anything? Did we miss anything?
Did we miss anything? Did we miss anything?
Catapult, catapult, catapult, catapult
The project of getting closer to the meaning of these lyrics is a worthy one.
This name I got we all were green
See could stop stop it will red
We could bind it in the cist
We could gather, throw a fit
Up to par, and Katie bars the kitchen signs, but not me in
Set a trap for love, big kill, waste of time, sitting still
I'm the sun and you can read
I'm the sign and you're not deaf
We could bind it in the scythe
We could gather, throw a fit
Up to par, and Katie buys a kitchen-size, but not me in
Sit and try for the big key, a waste of time, sitting still
I can hear you, I can hear you, I can hear you
This name I got we all were green
See could stop stop it will red
We could bind it in the cist
We could gather, throw a fit
Up to par, and Katie buys a kitchen-size, but not me in
Sit and try for the big key, a waste of time, sitting still
I can hear you, I can hear you, I can hear you
You can gather when I talk, talk until you're blue
You could get away from me, get away from me
I'm up to par, and Katie buys a kitchen-size, but not me in,
Sit and try for the big key, a waste of time, sitting still
I can hear you, I can hear you, I can hear you
I can hear you, I can hear you, I can hear you
Can you hear me?
[end]
"notoriously murky" says Wikipedia with 2 references to support that statement. ""Up to par and Katie bar the kitchen door but not me in," does not mean anything." (Wikipedia).
"Katie bar the door" is a Southern expression for barring the door to prevent a child from escaping punishment and is used as a warning that the child better watch out.
"...he merely approximates the words when he sings the song in concert."
"To the extent the song contains decipherable lyrics, they seem to be inspired at least in part by Stipe's sister, who is deaf and teaches deaf children. Marcus Gray interprets the song as being directed at a child, possibly a deaf child, based on its title referencing a common exhortation restricting children and other hints in the lyrics."
9. 9-9
(Steady repetition is a compulsion mutually re-enforced
Now what does that mean?
Is there a just contradiction?
Nothing much.
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord, hesitate)
Got to punch right on target
Twisting tongues, gotta stripe down his back
All nine yards down her back
Give me a couple
Don't give me a couple of pointers
Turn to lies and conversation fear
Got to punch right on target
Twisting tongues, gotta stripe down his back
All nine yards down her back
Give me a couple
Don't give me a couple of pointers
Turn to lies and conversation
What is in my mind?
What is in my mind?
(Steady repetition is a compulsion mutually re-enforced.
Now what does that mean?
Is there a just contradiction?
Nothing much.
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake, oh come on, hesitate Hesitate)
Got to punch right on target
Twisting tongues, gotta stripe down her back
All nine yards down his back
Give me a couple
Don't give me a couple of pointers
Turn to lies and conversation fear
Conversation fear, conversation fear
Conversation fear
10. Shaking Through
Could it be that one small voice doesn't count in the room?
Yellow like a geisha gown, denial all the way
Could this by three be ten? Honour marches on
Yellow like a geisha gown, denial all the way
Shaking through, opportune
Shaking through, opportune
Are we grown way too far?
Taking after rain
Yellow like a geisha gown, denial all the way
Shaking through, opportune
Shaking through, opportune
In my life...
Ears that are still
Children of today on parade
Yellow like a geisha gown, denial all the way
Shaking through, opportune
Shaking through, opportune
Shaking through, opportune
Shaking through, opportune
[end]
I always thought it was "you're like a geisha doll" instead of "yellow like a geisha gown."
11. We Walk
Up the stairs to the landing, up the stairs into the hall
Oh, oh, oh
Take oasis, Marat's bathing
We walk through the wood, we walk
Up the stairs to the landing, up the stairs into the hall
Oh, oh, oh
Take oasis, Marat's bathing
We walk through the woods, we walk
Take oasis, take oasis
Take oasis, take oasis
Up the stairs to the landing, up the stairs into the hall
Oh, oh, oh
Take oasis, Marat's bathing
We walk through the world, we walk
Up the stairs to the landing, up the stairs into the hall
Oh, oh, oh
Take oasis, Marat's bathing
Up the stairs to the landing, up the stairs into the hall
Oh, oh, oh
Take oasis, Marat's bathing
Up the stairs to the landing, up the stairs into the hall
Oh, oh, oh
Into the, oh, oh, into the, oh, oh
Up, up, up, up, up, up
Up, up, up, up, up, up
[end]
Is "Marat" Jean-Paul Marat?
12. West of the Fields
Long gone, intuition to assume are gone when we try.
Dream of a living jungle in my way back home when we die.
West of the fields. West of the fields. West of the fields. West of the fields.
Long gone. Long gone. Long gone. Long gone. West of the fields.
Dreams of Elysian, to assume are gone when we try
Tell now what is dreaming
When we try to listen with your eyes oversimplify
The animals, how strange. Try, try to stick it in.
The animals, how strange. Try, try to stick it in.
Dreams of Elysian, to assume are gone when we try
Tell now what is dreaming when we try.
Listen through your eyes when we die.
West of the fields. West of the fields. West of the fields. West of the fields.
Long gone. Long gone. Long gone. Long gone. West of the fields.
[end]
I don't know, I just love listening to this album.
Links:
Michael Stipe’s 6 best lyrics for R.E.M. (Far Out)
Spotify has the Deluxe Edition that includes live versions of the songs at the end.
Comments
Post a Comment