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R.E.M.
R.E.M.


Background information
Origin Athens, Georgia, United States
Genre(s) College Rock
Alternative Rock
Years active 1980—present
Label(s) New West Records
Associated acts The Minus 5
Automatic Baby
The Baseball Project
Hindu Love Gods
Tuatara
Website Website
Members
Michael Stipe
Peter Buck
Mike Mills
Former members
Bill Berry



Music World  →  Lyrics  →  R  →  R.E.M.  →  Albums  →  Automatic For The People

R.E.M. Album


Automatic For The People (10/05/1992)
10/05/1992
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New Orleans Instrumental No. 1 (Instrumental)
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. . .



Smack, crack, Bushwhacked.
Tie another one to the racks, baby.

Hey, kids, rock and roll.
Nobody tells you where to go, baby.

What if I ride? What if you walk?
What if you rock around the clock?
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
What if you did? What if you walk?
What if you tried to get off, baby?

Hey, kids, where are you?
Nobody tells you what to do, baby. Oh...

Hey, kids, shake a leg.
Maybe you're crazy in the head, baby. Oh...

Maybe you did. Maybe you walked.
Maybe you rocked around the clock.
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
Maybe I ride. Maybe you walk.
Maybe I drive to get off, baby.

Hey, kids, shake a leg.
Maybe you're crazy in the head, baby.

Ollie, Ollie.
Ollie, Ollie, Ollie.
Ollie, Ollie in come free, baby.

Hey, kids, where are you?
Nobody tells you what to do, baby.

Smack, crack. Shack-a-lack.
Tie another one to your backs, baby. Oh...

Hey, kids, rock and roll.
Nobody tells you where to go, baby.

Maybe you did. Maybe you walked.
Maybe you rock around the clock
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
Maybe I ride. Maybe you walk.
Maybe I drive to get off, baby.

Hey, kids, where are you?
Nobody tells you what to do, baby.

Hey, kids, rock and roll.
Nobody tells you where to go, baby, baby, baby.

. . .



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 now? (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...

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? (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.

. . .



Dee Dee Dee Dee
Dee Dee Dee Dee

This here is the place where I will be stayin'.
There isn't a number. You can call the pay phone.
Let it ring a long, long, long, long time.
If I don't pick up, hang up, call back, let it ring some more. Oh....
If I don't pick up, pick up... The sidewinder sleep, sleep, sleeps in a coil

Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Oh...

There are scratches all around the coin slot
like a heartbeat, baby, trying to wake up,
but this machine can only swallow money.
You can't lay a patch by computer design.
It's just a lot of stupid, stupid signs.

Tell her,
tell her she can kiss my ass, then laugh and say that you were only kidding.
That way she'll know that it's really, really, really, really me, me

Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Oh...

Baby, instant soup doesn't really grab me.
Today I need something more sub-sub-sub-substantial.
A can of beans or black-eyed peas, some Nescafe and ice,
a candy bar, a fallin' star, or a reading from Doctor Seuss : )

Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Oh...

The cat in the hat came back, wrecked a lot of havoc on the way,
always had a smile and a reason to pretend.
But their world has flat backgrounds and little need to sleep but to dream.
The sidewinder sleeps on his back.

Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
I can always sleep standing up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Oh...

Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
I can always sleep standing up. Call me when you try to wake her.
Oh...

Call me when you try to wake her up. Call me when you try to wake her.
I can always sleep standing up. Call me when you try to wake her.
I can always sleep standing up. Call me when you try to wake her.

We've got to moogie, moogie, move on this one.

. . .



When your day is long
and the night, 
the night is yours alone,
when you're sure you've had enough of this life,
well hang on.
Don't let yourself go, 'cause everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes.

Sometimes everything is wrong. Now it's time to sing along.
When your day is night alone, (hold on, hold on)
if you feel like letting go, (hold on)
if you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on.

'Cause everybody hurts. Take comfort in your friends.
Everybody hurts. Don't throw your hand. 
Hold on.
Don't throw your hand.
If you feel like you're alone, no, no, no, you are not alone

If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long,
when you think you've had too much of this life to hang on.

Well, everybody hurts sometimes,
everybody cries. Everybody hurts... sometimes.
And everybody hurts sometimes. So, hold on, hold on.
Hold on, hold on.
Hold on, hold on.
Hold on, hold on.
Everybody hurts.
(no, no, no, no, no)
You are not alone.

. . .

New Orleans Instrumental No. 1

[No lyrics]

. . .



Readying to bury your father and your mother,
what did you think when you lost another?
I used to wonder why did you bother,
distanced from one, blind to the other.

Listen here my sister and my brother
what would you care if you lost the other?
I always wonder why did we bother,
distanced from one, blind to the other.

Oh..., oh..., but sweetness follows

It's these little things, they can pull you under.
Live your life filled with joy and wonder.
I always knew this altogether thunder
was lost in our little lives.

Oh..., oh..., but sweetness follows.
Oh..., oh..., but sweetness follows.

It's these little things, they can pull you under.
Live your life filled with joy and thunder.
Yeah, yeah we were altogether
lost in our little lives.

Oh..., Oh..., Ah...

Oh, oh, but sweetness follows.
Oh, oh, oh, but sweetness follows.

. . .



Monty this seems strange to me.
The movies had that movie thing,
but nonsense has a welcome ring
and heroes don't come easy.

Now, nonsense isn't new to me.
I know my head, I know my feet,
but mischief knocked me in the knees.
So just let go. Just let go.

I saw the ocean meet the man.
I saw you buried in the sand.
A friend was there to hold your hand,
So walk on by.

So, I went walking through the street.
I saw you strung up in a tree.
A woman knelt there said to me,
So hold your tongue (man). Hold your tongue.

You don't owe me anything.
You don't want this sympathy. (waste your breath)
Don't you waste your breath. waste your breath)
for the silver screen.

That nonsense doesn't mean a thing,
they tried to bust you in a sting,
but virtue isn't everything
So, don't waste time.

Now, here's a rhyme that you can steal.
Put this on your reel to reel.
Mischief threw a rotten deal.
Monty's laying low, (man).
He is laying low.
Just let go, (y'all).
Just let go.

You don't owe me anything.
You don't want this sympathy. (waste your breath)
Don't you waste your breath. (waste your breath)
Monty this seems strange to me.

. . .



These bastards stole their power from the victims of the Us v. Them years,
wrecking all things virtuous and true.
The undermining social democratic downhill slide into abysmal
lost lamb off the precipice into the trickle down runoff pool.
They hypnotized the summer, Nineteen seventy-nine.
Marched into the capital brooding duplicitous, wicked and able, media-ready,
heartless, and labeled. Super U.S. citizen, super achiever,
mega ultra power dosing. Relax.
Defense, defense, defense, defense. Yeah, yeah, yeah. (fuck 'em)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

The information nation took their clues from all the sound-bite gluttons.
Nineteen eighty, eighty-four, eighty-eight, ninety-two too, too.
How to be what you can be, jump jam junking your energies.
How to walk in dignity with throw-up on your shoes
They amplified the autumn, Nineteen seventy-nine.
Calculate the capital, up the republic my skinny ass.
TV tells a million lies. The paper's terrified to report
anything that isn't handed on a presidential spoon,
I'm just profoundly frustrated by all this. So, fuck you, man. (fuck 'em)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland.

If they wasn’t there we would have created them. Maybe, it's true,
but I'm resentful all the same. Someone's got to take the blame.
I know that this is vitriol. No solution, spleen-venting,
But I feel better having screamed. Don't you?
They desecrated the winter, Nineteen seventy-nine.
Capital collateral. Brooding duplicitous, wicked and able, media-ready,
heartless, and labeled. Super U.S. citizen, super achiever,
mega ultra power dosing. Relax.
Defense, defense, defense, defense. Yeah, yeah, yeah. (fuck 'em)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

This is not a revolution, I didn’t do the revolution. Thank you.

. . .



Keys cut, three for the price of one.
Nothing's free but guaranteed for a lifetime's use.
I've changed the locks
and you can't have one.
You, you know the other two.

The brakes have worn so thin that you could hear,
I hear them screeching through the door from our driveway.
Hey love, look into your glove box heart.
What is there for me inside? This love is tired.
I've changed the locks. Have I misplaced you?
Have we lost our minds?
Will this never end?
It could depend on your take.

You. Me. We used to be on fire.
If keys are all that stand between,
Can I throw in the ring?
No gasoline.
Just fuck me kitten.
You are wild and I'm in your possession.
Nothing's free, so fuck me kitten.

I'm in your possession.
So fuck me kitten.

. . .



Mott the Hoople and the game of Life. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Andy Kaufman in the wrestling match. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Monopoly, 21, checkers, and chess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mister Fred Blassie in a breakfast mess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Let's play Twister, let's play Risk. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I’ll see you in heaven if you make the list. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Now, Andy did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Andy are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby. Are we losing touch?
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe there's nothin' up his sleeve, then nothing is cool.

Moses went walking with the staff of wood. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Newton got beaned by the apple good. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Egypt was troubled by the horrible asp. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mister Charles Darwin had the gall to ask. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Now, Andy did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Hey, Andy are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby. Are you having fun?
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe there's nothin' up his sleeve, then nothing is cool.

Here's a little agit for the never-believer. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Here's a little ghost for the offering. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Here's a truck stop instead of Saint Peter's. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mister Andy Kaufman's gone wrestling (wrestling bears). Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Now, Andy did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Hey, Andy are you goofing on Elvis? Hey baby, are we losing touch?
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe there's nothin' up his sleeve, then nothing is cool.

If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe there's nothin' up his sleeve, then nothing is cool
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe there's nothin' up his sleeve, then nothing is cool
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe there's nothin' up his sleeve, then nothing is cool

. . .



Nightswimming deserves a quiet night.
The photograph on the dashboard, taken years ago,
turned around backwards so the windshield shows.
Every streetlight reveals the picture in reverse.
Still, it's so much clearer.
I forgot my shirt at the water's edge.
The moon is low tonight.

Nightswimming deserves a quiet night.
I'm not sure all these people understand.
It's not like years ago,
The fear of getting caught,
of recklessness and water.
They cannot see me naked.
These things, they go away,
replaced by everyday.

Nightswimming, remembering that night.
September's coming soon.
I'm pining for the moon.
And what if there were two
Side by side in orbit
Around the fairest sun?
That bright, tight forever drum
could not describe nightswimming.

You, I thought I knew you.
You I cannot judge.
You, I thought you knew me,
this one laughing quietly underneath my breath.
Nightswimming.

The photograph reflects,
every streetlight a reminder.
Nightswimming deserves a quiet night, deserves a quiet night.

. . .



Hey now, little speedy head,
the read on the speed meter says
you have to go to task in the city
where people drown and people serve.
Don't be shy. Your just deserve
is only just light years to go.

Me, my thoughts are flower strewn
ocean storm, bayberry moon.
I have got to leave to find my way.
Watch the road and memorize
this life that pass before my eyes.
Nothing is going my way.

The ocean is the river's goal,
a need to leave the water knows
We're closer now than light years to go.

I have got to find the river,
bergamot and vetiver
run through my head and fall away.
Leave the road and memorize
this life that pass before my eyes.
Nothing is going my way.

There's no one left to take the lead,
but I tell you and you can see
we're closer now than light years to go.
Pick up here and chase the ride.
The river empties to the tide.
Fall into the ocean.

The river to the ocean goes,
a fortune for the undertow.
None of this is going my way.
There is nothing left to grow
but Ginger, lemon, indigo,
coriander stem and rows of hay.
Strength and courage overrides
the privileged and weary eyes
the river poet search naiveté.
Pick up here and chase the ride.
The river empties to the tide.
All of this is coming your way...

. . .


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