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R.E.M. — It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Album: Document
Avg rating:
7.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 3938









Released: 1987
Length: 3:57
Plays (last 30 days): 0
That's great, it starts with an earthquake
Birds and snakes, an aeroplane, and Lenny Bruce is not afraid

Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn
World serves its own needs, don't misserve your own needs
Feed it up a knock, speed, grunt, no, strength
The ladder starts to clatter with a fear of height, down, height
Wire in a fire, represent the seven games
And a government for hire and a combat site
Left her, wasn't coming in a hurry with the Furies breathing down your neck

Team by team, reporters baffled, trumped, tethered, cropped
Look at that low plane, fine, then
Uh-oh, overflow, population, common group
But it'll do, save yourself, serve yourself
World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed
Tell me with the Rapture and the reverent in the right, right
You vitriolic, patriotic, slam fight, bright light
Feeling pretty psyched

It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

Six o'clock, TV hour, don't get caught in foreign tower
Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn
Lock him in uniform, book burning, bloodletting
Every motive escalate, automotive incinerate
Light a candle, light a motive, step down, step down
Watch your heel crush, crush, uh-oh
This means no fear, cavalier, renegade and steering clear
A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives, and I decline

It's the end of the world as we know it (I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)
I feel fine (I feel fine)

It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)

The other night I dreamt a nice continental drift divide
Mountains sit in a line, Leonard Bernstein
Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce, and Lester Bangs
Birthday party, cheesecake, jellybean, boom
You symbiotic, patriotic, slam but neck, right? Right

It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)

It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)

It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)

It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine (It's time I had some time alone)

(It's time I had some time alone)
Comments (488)add comment
Peace Corps Botswana 1989--this was our THEME SONG!!!!
What a tune. Can’t hear this anymore without a certain P.Griffin in in my mind.
It always remind me of ID4 the movie and sets a little smile on my face
4 degrees instead of 1,5! THAT'S the world as we got to know now!
I have always hated this song.

Still do.
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives, and I decline!
 folkes.tom wrote:

When I first heard this song it was one of those WFT moments. It just blew me away. It still does. The Chinese symbol for chaos and rebirth is one in the same. I always think of this in a positive frame of mind. I think of it as the time to re-frame the (mine) point of view. 

In battle the 101st Airborne has a saying "They have us surrounded, those poor fuckers" 


Yin for me.
Yang for you.

No, wait.

Yin for you.
Yang for me.

No, wait....
 frisbeepilot wrote:

My goodness. I have hated this song since it was new. Possibly the most annoying song ever. Right up there with "We Didn't Start the Fire," another song that just lists stuff.

Yikes.




Agreed!
My goodness. I have hated this song since it was new. Possibly the most annoying song ever. Right up there with "We Didn't Start the Fire," another song that just lists stuff.

Yikes.
Why does rock music have titles hostile to animals like Eat The Elephant, Stone The Crows and  Shock The Monkey?
they had no idea just how accurate they were.

I am always waiting for the 
Leonard Bernstein
line !
As A Gen Xer this is the song of High School.  It will always have a special place in my heart.  Plus its a great Karoke challenge of breath control!
 Jeffrey_Mishik wrote:

just a novelty song



Been getting regular play for 35 years now.  I think that's a little more than novelty.
just a novelty song
How. am. i. supposed. to. get. work. done.

curse you, Bill.
doomsday segue to REM from Perfect Circle...leave it to Bill to craft the perfect playlist.
 Nenelena wrote:
...The perfect song that fit these days...


Greetings from Italy



These in particular
Never stops being fun 🙂
 xray38 wrote:

This was our wedding song. We just didn't know it at the time.




LOL!!!
I like this tune!!
Good tune!
Meh...novelty track...
This was our wedding song. We just didn't know it at the time.
Started it at 9 and then it was 10. 
I like REM, but this song annoys me.
When I first heard this song it was one of those WFT moments. It just blew me away. It still does. The Chinese symbol for chaos and rebirth is one in the same. I always think of this in a positive frame of mind. I think of it as the time to re-frame the (mine) point of view. 

In battle the 101st Airborne has a saying "They have us surrounded, those poor fuckers" 
watching my nephew one day (age 12?) and he played this over and over again to get the lyrics...loved the album but it took me years to be able to hear this again without cringing. Not the best cut off this one
 rtrt wrote:

Anything good out there that people could suggest a listen to?


Try Radio Paradise, you've discover new music all the time. (and rehash some oldies)
I just noticed the way he says / sings ‘right?’ A couple of times. It’s just like the way the / our kids say it now ...! Was he really 35 years ahead of his time?!!
#rock is broadcasting live on meeting.teams.rock.rp.development.exchange (url) please join this thread and have a lively discussion about the music and further engage the community to promote Radio Paradise.

Rebecca: I don't like reggae no no I really really dislike it, but thanks to you I understand it. You and Bill could have easily accepted my offer, I know $500 I sent in 2002, let alone the $5k I would have if you stopped playing reggae right then and there would have been beyond helpful - but you of course made the right call. Thank you for teaching me a lesson I never forgot hopefully now I can teach you one.

Thanks,

Jason L. Lind, USAF (Sep.)
+1 414.788.2820
lind@multiplex.studio / lind@yahoo.com
in/odyss3us in/wescrusher
 treatment_bound wrote:
Is anybody out there ready for a comeback from this guy?


Michael Stipe, who was the lead singer of R.E.M.:

“I’m not ready to go completely into pop stardom again, as a 56-year-old,” he said, but “I want to work in music again.”


 

Thanks, but no thanks.
 treatment_bound wrote:
Is anybody out there ready for a comeback from this guy?


Michael Stipe, who was the lead singer of R.E.M.:

“I’m not ready to go completely into pop stardom again, as a 56-year-old,” he said, but “I want to work in music again.”


 



COME-ON, MAN !
Let's get this guy a monkey with a cup, and an organ to grind.



Someday I'll be able to sing all these lyrics.  Maybe.
But it's fun trying!
One of my favorite karaoke songs! I don't even need the screen.

You may now return to not caring.
Were they fixated on the Sgt Pepper album cover, while Billy Joel ripped this for his, "We Didn't Start The Fire"? Either way, an annoying ditty from a vastly over-rated band, a fact made obvious to me every day from the other music played on RP that blows this self-important period band back 6 feet under whatever period they supposedly defined.
 gmichaelt wrote:
Any story behind why all the people* specifically named in the lyrics have the same initials?

Leonard Bernstein, Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce, and Lester Bangs

* people whose lives describe an arc over time that touches on music, politics, culture, and back to music, albeit indirectly (the latter person identified is symbolic of music as filtered through the audience, or critic's, experience).
 
Let me google this for you    ... this is from the Wikipedia page about this song: 

"In a 1990s interview with Musician magazine, R.E.M.'s lead singer Michael Stipe claimed that the "L.B." references came from a dream he had in which he found himself at a party surrounded by famous people who all shared those initials."
Does this have anything to do with last night's presidential debate?
 treatment_bound wrote:
Michael Stipe, who was the lead singer of R.E.M.:

“I’m not ready to go completely into pop stardom again, as a 56-year-old,” he said, but “I want to work in music again.”
 
Anything good out there that people could suggest a listen to?
Well, Bill, maybe not fine, but I feel better after hearing that. Hope you're fine. {#Notworthy}
 neotrogg wrote:

Cbs warner brothers rca and all the others
 
Well the lyric structure is the same but obviously the content of the lyrics are different.
I guess you gave this a low rating or just hit PSD.
 treatment_bound wrote:
Yeah, Stipe must have listened to his transistor radio in 8th grade...


 
Cbs warner brothers rca and all the others
 Nenelena wrote:
...The perfect song that fit these days...


Greetings from Italy
 
Yes, it is!!
Greetings from Barcelona
I guess the time has come for this song to be the anthem of A.D.2020. And it's not funny at all. Bio-war has just arrived here on planet Earth.
 Nenelena wrote:
The perfect song that fit these days...


Greetings from Italy
 
My first thoughts....
Greetings from Germany.

STAY SAFE YOU ALL !
I'm feeling it today.  I'm trying to work from home for the first time in my life.  At least I still have RP to keep me going!
 Nenelena wrote:
...The perfect song that fit these days...


Greetings from Italy
 
So true, but as Bill just said, we have to keep our sense of humour .   Gracias Bill.....Hola from Spain ! 
Suitable song in these times...very uplifting!
...The perfect song that fit these days...


Greetings from Italy
Love this song.  The Chinese symbol for chaos is also the symbol for rebirth. It's end of the world as we know it and I feel fine. 
"Team by team, reporters baffled, trumped, tethered, cropped"

HA! Trumped  
Is anybody out there ready for a comeback from this guy?


Michael Stipe, who was the lead singer of R.E.M.:

“I’m not ready to go completely into pop stardom again, as a 56-year-old,” he said, but “I want to work in music again.”


Well, we survived 100 days.
 1
An appropriate song before the State Of The Union - but I don't feel fine.
Lenny Bruce spoke to me last night he told me that God has a f****** sense of humor great f****** sense of humor and then I should not be afraid
 uniguide wrote:
Why does it sound a bit *too* similar to Barry McGuire's Eve of Destruction?!? Am I the only one who sees the similarity?

 
I don't "see" any similarity and don't really hear much musical similarity either - different chord progressions, different melodies, completely different tempos, but everyone hears different things.  I guess they could be "related" in terms of subject matter though.
end  
I feel fine, keep the great music coming RP{#Jump}
 ScottishWillie wrote:

I would suggest next time you sit in the sun you put a hat on.



 
{#Cheesygrin}

Filed away for future use - thank you
"It's the end of this soong and I know it..." psd "blip"
 bryanbeatson wrote:
Love REM, but for some reason this song never really did it for me.
 

 
Yep. {#Neutral}
Any story behind why all the people* specifically named in the lyrics have the same initials?

Leonard Bernstein, Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce, and Lester Bangs

* people whose lives describe an arc over time that touches on music, politics, culture, and back to music, albeit indirectly (the latter person identified is symbolic of music as filtered through the audience, or critic's, experience).
Why does it sound a bit *too* similar to Barry McGuire's Eve of Destruction?!? Am I the only one who sees the similarity?
Lift off the floor
It's ex in hell with
in hell monics
leaf of the flower.
 kingart wrote:


I just read the lyrics posted here. I don't see what's his name referred to. 
However, it will very possibly indeed be the end of the world as we know it, no shit.
 

 
In the 2nd verse:

Team by team, reporters baffled, trumped, tethered, cropped

Doubt if he was refering to The Donald, but I dunno — "baffled reporters" kinda fits...

However, the REM song that puts me in mind of Trump is "Orange Crush" :-) 
 rocklandlove wrote:
Just realized with a shock that Donald Trump is name-checked in this song....!

Could Bill, that sly and brilliant DJ, be playing tricks with our heads?

 

I just read the lyrics posted here. I don't see what's his name referred to. 
However, it will very possibly indeed be the end of the world as we know it, no shit.
 
this is exceptionally bad, the Eagles of alt-rock or R.E.M. as they are more popularly known as
Just realized with a shock that Donald Trump is name-checked in this song....!

Could Bill, that sly and brilliant DJ, be playing tricks with our heads?
 mdfergy wrote:
I know this song is liked by many, but to me it feels too fast-paced and car-radio for RP

 
Something RP should have more of!
 cmarket wrote:
One more time... Please stop playing such (Michael) Tripe/Stipe from a band that should have quit after the first album. 
 

Quit after the first album?!? What a loss that would have been. I would suggest next time you sit in the sun you put a hat on.


I know this song is liked by many, but to me it feels too fast-paced and car-radio for RP
 bryanbeatson wrote:
Love REM, but for some reason this song never really did it for me.

 
   over-produced and gimmiky
It's the end of the world when songs like this are so loved {#Evil}
Love REM, but for some reason this song never really did it for me.
 
Yeah, Stipe must have listened to his transistor radio in 8th grade...


 ivanaus wrote:
Play this with BIlly Joel's  "We Didn't Start the Fire"

  
Proclivities wrote:

No, thank you...really.  Mentioning that person's name is bad enough, but that song should never be thought of again.

 
Please never mention that name again.

{#Dancingbanana} 

As yet, no emoticon for crazed chair dancing....


 cmarket wrote:
One more time... Please stop playing such (Michael) Tripe/Stipe from a band that should have quit after the first album. 

 
And please disregard that request.
Brilliance is always questioned.
One more time... Please stop playing such (Michael) Tripe/Stipe from a band that should have quit after the first album. 
 rtrudeau wrote:
R.E.M. knows more than the Mayans. 

 

Probably so.  Apparently, the Mayans didn't know jack.


The pump don’t work
’Cause the vandals took the handles
this song makes me feel very fine  {#Bananasplit}{#Dancingbanana_2}{#Bananasplit}
Song rings as true today as then.
Love this song...  its irreverence reminds me of this—



 
A "famous" rock critic --- Lester Bangs --- is mentioned in this song.  So I bought a collection of his writings about a year ago.  I was not impressed...I prefer the writings here at RP.  Serioulsy.
Tiring repetitive nonsense
Just had to play Zager and Evans 2525 .. this song brought it to my mind
 ivanaus wrote:
Play this with BIlly Joel's  "We Didn't Start the Fire"
 
IMO, that song is obvious lyrically and monotonous musically.  The lyrics sound like the table of contents of a post-war American history book.  (Don't take my word for it.)
 DD gypsyman wrote:

was the BALLS!  still love it. (have you ever actually read the lyrics? holy crap! try to keep up!)

 
Reading the lyrics while listening (at least once) is highly recommended! Somehow allowed me to listen afresh to a song I thought I knew... definite 8 > 9...
jelly bean - BOOM!  {#Tongue}
 Hodgie wrote:
So who out there didn't think this song was THE BALLS the first 10 times they heard it? (aside from the RP wine snobs we all love so much)
 
was the BALLS!  still love it. (have you ever actually read the lyrics? holy crap! try to keep up!)
 ivanaus wrote:
Play this with BIlly Joel's  "We Didn't Start the Fire"

 
No, thank you...really.  Mentioning that person's name is bad enough, but that song should never be thought of again.
birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom!!!

Were lyrics ever so sublime!!

Love it to death
Ye olde RP "End of the World" medley featuring some of my favorite artists of all time. {#Dance}
I did!
Stopped me in my tracks.
Balls to the wall.

Hodgie wrote:
So who out there didn't think this song was THE BALLS the first 10 times they heard it? (aside from the RP wine snobs we all love so much)
 


So who out there didn't think this song was THE BALLS the first 10 times they heard it? (aside from the RP wine snobs we all love so much)

Time flies when we're having fun...

everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches be dancing buck ass naked all over the world like bowlegged gypsy muleskinners...  love this song...  love sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll...
 

Ah, the wondrous song that I proposed should have been my alma mater's (Morehead State University in Morehead, KY) fight song. If you knew the football team then (or now for that matter), you'd understand the proposal.
 BobLoblaw wrote:
This always seemed like a Barenaked Ladies ripoff to me...

 I hope you're joking, as this came out 11 years before "One Week".

Up and dancing...
This always seemed like a Barenaked Ladies ripoff to me...
Play this with BIlly Joel's  "We Didn't Start the Fire"


We be dancing...  love it forever...
 
I can't help but smile while remembering how much effort I put into trying to memorizing these lyrics.  Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom?  :)

marvelous!!!!  love this song!!!!
 
{#Arrowd}  Exactly!  It's the end of the world and I'm dancing!   {#Dancingbanana}
I want to know how he remembers all those lyrics. Surely one of rock's most challenging speed-word drills. 
awesome song, i love it
 kcar wrote:

Feeling rapturous, are we? 
 

Everybody in my church be dancing wantonly...

 
 Lazarus wrote:

Everybody in my church loves this song!!!!
 
 
Feeling rapturous, are we? 

Everybody in my church loves this song!!!!
 
 KevinM wrote:
perfect! ;-)

 


R.E.M. knows more than the Mayans. 
Perfect timing.  Thank you!
Great choice, just as I turned to my co-workers to mention that today is supposed to be the end of the world... noticed this in the background...

I too feel fine.  {#Bananajumprope}
Ahh ha ha ha.  I see what you did there...

We didn't start the fire...