Follow me, don't follow me I've got my spine, I've got my orange crush Collar me, don't collar me I've got my spine, I've got my orange crush We are agents of the free I've had my fun and now its time to Serve your conscience overseas (over me, not over me) Coming in fast, over me
(repeat verse)
High on the roof, thin the blood, another one climbs on the waves tonight, comin' in, you're home
We'd circle and we'd circle and we'd circle to stop and consider and centered on the pavement stacked up all the trucks jacked up and our wheels in slush and orange crush in pocket and all this here county hell any county it's just like heaven here and I was remembering and I was just in a different county and all then this whirlybird that I headed for I had my goggles pulled off I knew it all I knew every back road and every truck stop
(repeat verse and chorus)
(Michael) didn't write it about his father. His father was in the helicopter corps. I'm not sure if he actually dropped the stuff, but he was around it. Even so, the song's not about his father's life, though his father sometimes thinks it is. Peter Buck 1989
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.
I believe that this song was about the use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.
By Judson P.Eneas
Heh, this song is actually quite obviously about theuse of Agent Orange.
I first heard this song and didn't like it too much. It sounded way too poppy. However, after several listenings I've come to the conclusion that this song is quite amazing. Haunting and rocking at the same time.
I love the way Michael sings the line "Coming in fast, over me"
By PBS
I think Judson Eneas maybe frighteningly correct and I also agree with PBS. This song is definitely in my top 20 R.E.M. songs. On a not so serious note, I have the strangest imagery. On the last chorus line, I picture the alien creature from the movie "Predator" sitting in a large lounge chair with a human spine/skull in the right hand and a two-liter bottle of Orange Crush in the left hand while watching a big screen TV. Sorry for the weird vision. I guess I've watched "Predator" too many times.
By Kevin Larios
Addition to the "strange imagery." The last chorus line would say . . ."I've got his spine, I've got my orange crush"
