There's a problem, feathers iron
Bargain buildings, weights and pullies
Feathers hit the ground before the weight can leave the air
Buy the sky and sell the sky and tell the sky and tell the sky

Don't fall on me (What is it up in the air for) (It's gonna fall)
Fall on me (If it's there for long) (It's gonna fall)
Fall on me (It's over it's over me) (It's gonna fall)

There's the progress we have found (when the rain)
A way to talk around the problem (when the children reign)
Building towered foresight (keep your conscience in the dark)
isn't anything at all (melt the statues in the park)
Buy the sky and sell the sky and bleed the sky and tell the sky

(repeat chorus)
Don't fall on me

Well I could keep it above
But then it wouldn't be sky anymore
So if I send it to you you've got to promise to keep it whole

Buy the sky and sell the sky and lift your arms up to the sky
And ask the sky and ask the sky

(repeat chorus, etc.)

This may well be my favourite song in the R.E.M. catalogue.
Michael Stipe 1991

Early on, I accepted that once a song is pressed and it goes out to people, it's much theirs as it is mine. Anything anyone wants to see in them is fine. Like 'Fall On Me' is still believed to be about acid rain. Initially, it was. But then I rewrote the song. If you listen to the second verse, there is a counter melody underneath it. That's the original melody to the song; that was the part about acid rain. In fact, the 'Fall On Me' that we all know and love is not about acid rain. It's a general oppression song, about the fact that there are a lot of causes out there that need a song that says, 'Don't smash us'. And specificaly, there are references to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the guy dropping weights and feathers.
Michael Stipe 1992

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 Lone I LOVE THE LYRICS.ITS ONE OF THE MOST TENDER SONGS BY REM

By george e Is my favourite song.But, sometimes, when I listen it I feel blue and sometimes, good. Is a strange song, but i like it.
Alfonso from Spain.

By Alfonso Hi Mark,

Wrote you a while back just to say thanks for developing and maintaining such a great site. I am a want to be singer and as a huge REM fan, your site gives me just what I need with the music in the background to belt it all out while at home. Actually, I am not a bad singer, but probably need to keep my day job.

Are you ever in the states? Let me know and also drop me a note if you have time.

Thanks again,
Billy

By Billy Waltrip My favorite song on this album...
THANKS toMichael, the best lyricist alive

By Carolin I love how guys play this song on 91īMTV unplugged.I think this one is much better than original album version because of more emotive "stuff" in Michaelīs voice.

Also thanks to you,Mark.This site is sooooo great

Katerina from Czech.

By Kate Very super song

By Claudia My favourite REM song now, I think It's just pure bliss from start to finish. A trippy music video too! I hope to see more songs like this in REMs future!

By Dan the best of rem

By Tomasz wery super song rem

By Tomasz it's good to see how REM is worried about the environment,but we know that these guys are right , so REM I LOVE YOU

By amina