Hang your dollar on me
Listen to the water still
Listen to the causeway
you are mad and educated
primitive and wild
Welcome to the occupation

Here we stand and here we fight
All your fallen heroes
held and dyed and skinned alive
Listen to the Congress fire
Offering the educated
primitive and loyal
Welcome to the occupation

Hang your collar up inside
Hang your freedom higher
Listen to the buyer still
Listen to the Congress
Where we propagate confusion
Primitive and wild
Fire on the hemisphere below

Sugar cane and coffee cup
Copper, steel and cattle
An annotated history
the forest for the fire
Where we open up the floodgates
Freedom reigns supreme
Fire on the hemisphere below
Listen to me
Listen to me
Listen to me
Listen to me

I wrote that as an extension of 'Green Grow The Rushes'.
Michael Stipe

There was a line in 'Weclome To The Occupation' which originally said, 'Hang your freedom fighters', and I objected to that. I thought it was like kicking a dead horse. It seemed too politically blatant and I didn't like it. And, genius that he is, he changed it to: 'Hang your freedom higher'.
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 Ernie Griffin maybe my favourite on the album. I'm glad to know it is an extension of green grow the rushes. I love that song too.

By Nathanchronym