This flower is scorched
This film is on
On a maddening loop.
These clothes,
These clothes don't fit us right
I'm to blame
It's all the same
It's all the same

You come to me with a bone in your hand
You come to me with your hair curled tight
You come to me with positions
You come to me with excuses
Ducked out in a row
You wear me out
You wear me out

We've been through fake-a-breakdown
Self hurt
Plastics, collections
Self help, self pain,
EST, psychics, fuck all
I was central
I had control
I lost my head
I need this
I need this
A paper weight, junk garage
Winter rain, a honey pot
Crazy, all the lovers have been tagged.
A hotline, a wanted ad
It's crazy what you could've had
It's crazy what you could've had
It's crazy what you could've had
I need this
I need this

That's a demo tape we did prior to making the record. We liked it so much, we left it like it is. My vocal is the first and only time I sang that song. In fact, when I went in to sing it, it wasn't even a song. I had a number of quatrains on a piece of paper, and I just started singing. It was like a projective-vomiting catharsis. The next day I came back and listened to it, and by golly, it was a pretty powerful song.
Michael Stipe

We didn't have a song. I walked in, I had four chords. I put them down with Bill playing bass. I put the feedback on it. John Keane put the pedal steel on it. Michael walked in and said, 'Oh, I've got words for that.' The next day he just sang it. The total recording time, not including the mix, was, like, 35 minutes. It's really nice if you can get it to flow like that.
Peter Buck

Ususally, (Michael) has pretty concise words. We get to look them over. We'll say, 'Repeat this. Pull this out. Meybe change this line'. With 'Country Feedback', he just had two little drawings on a piece of paper - an Indian head and an arrow, I think - and he just kind of shouted.
Peter Buck 1991

It's a love song, but it's certainly from the uglier side. It's pretty much about having given up on a relationship.
Michael Stipe

It was exactly what was on his mind that day, It was real.
Peter Buck

Quotes collected from 'R.E.M. - In Their Own Words' by Peter Hogan

Lyrics are based on fans interpretations and are not official.

All R.E.M. originals written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.

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By Mark van der Hoeven The most beautiful song I've ever heard. Nothing else to say...

By Barbara It is difficult to chose my REM favourite song. However In my oppinion this is the one! The versioo is the one REM performed on Jools Holland. Stipe never sung like that ever!

By luis veloso Choosing an R.E.M. song and say "this is it! it can't be any better than this!" is just impossible. However, if I keep at it and try to do it, this is it really. This song is my all time favourite... Why? I just can't tell ... every word and every chord is srawled into my heart and I won't ever be able to let go of it. I feel it's just me...

By Barni wonderful

By Sudo I need this - I need this
I need this song like my daily cup of coffee...
Thanks, Michael Thanks, Mike
Thanks, Peter Thanks, Bill

By Carolin A truly great song :)

By Hmmm I don't think enough could ever be said about this stunning song. It's my favorite. Ever since I first heard this album years ago, that song has remained my song. It's among my five favorite songs ever made.

Hearing it live, made me weep.

By PBS I simply love its lyrics...everything...i don't know how to explain, but it's 'life-authentic', simply (of 4)

By Matthias i love this song. yes.it is very very good. that is double good. yeah

By the awesomeness is upon us Country feedback is one of my favorite songs. I read that it is a lovesong, but from the 'ugly' side and that is how I also see this song. I heard it the first time when my relationship broke down and since then it belongs to my favorites, but it can also make me sad. This song is in my 'top 10' from REM.

By marian I think it is impossible to describe how I feel about this song in mere words... so I won't even try. Thank you, Michael, Mike, Peter and Bill... I owe you guys everything.

By R.E.M.forever I think it is impossible to describe how I feel about this song in mere words... so I won't even try. Thank you, Michael, Mike, Peter and Bill... I owe you guys everything.

By R.E.M.forever The words just conjure up feelings of a broken relationship without bluntness or tired cliche's.'This flower scorched' reminded me of neglected plants in a house,'this film is on,on a maddening loop'to me describes a situation that whatever you do you cant change anything.Truly magnificent song,best sung and arranged on Jools Holland.Ive seen REM 5 times live but unfortunately theyve never played it.

By neil my most favourite song eva

By gillian jones to hear michael sing this song live is truely fantastic

By gillian jones All I have to say is- Beautiful!
Thank you guys!

By Kara