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 hypnotised 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. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland.
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. T.V. 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 'm) Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland.
If they weren'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 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. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ignoreland. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We live in America: look around - we're pretty much able to ignore reality. We have this great ability to pretend there's nothing wrong, that we're still a superpower and it doesn't matter if we kill a couple of hundred thousand people. Oh, and Reagan lowered taxes. In fact, taxes were raised 12 times during his reign. He lowered rich people's taxes - he and George Bush made me rich, but my mom's taxes went up. She's a secretary. Most people are able to ignore all that and vote overwhelmingly for these guys who just out and out lie to you. Peter Buck 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.
Though I don't agree with their political views, this is one of my favorite REM rockers.
By Doug
This for years has been on of my fav REM songs. I think it hits the nail on the head.
By Mike
I absolutely disagree with the band's politics, but God bless 'em, we live in a free country, and they certainly exercise their views. Great song even though it runs couter to my beliefs.
By Shane
Politics aside this song is great. Becouse i,m Brittish and only 16 the politics is sort of lost on me as I under stand (Correct me it i'm wrong) this song is talking about issues from the early eighties late seventies. And the problem with Politics is that the fight spin docter can translate any view to fit any ideal. But thats irrelivent. Definetly one of the best REM Rock songs.
By John
This is the only song on this album besides Everybody Hurts that I almost always skip. The only redeeming factor is that I adore Michael's voice. I like it when REM will give us a political break, and most of automatic for the people was like that. They just had to throw in at least one super-politically charged song. Ah well, still a fantastic album overall.
By PBS
One of my favourite songs: that's brilliant, incisive and political,PERFECTLY Laura
