Codes and Lyrics

REM’s song “Losing My Religion” is over 20 years old. Lead singer Michael Stipe’s early work is criticized frequently for mumbling lyrics that are difficult to understand. This is not the case with Losing My Religion. The song, with it’s famous “That’s Me in the Corner” lyrics is one of the band’s most popular lyrics.

The band has been asked and has called it a love song, but REM and its members are missing the point. The song is no more than a love song any more than Simon and Garfunkel’s song “I am a Rock” is about a socialite. The song resonates because it is not a love song. The lyrics relate to anyone who has ever questioned their belief.

The confusion found throughout even the music backs this up. Then again, if you look as to what the band says it’s about, the band often says there songs are about love. (Unless, like “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” and “Radio Free Europe” it’s clearly about something else.)

REM is more known for painting word-pictures with its lyrics than it is for conveying deep meanings. It is possible a person finding himself in love will experience these emotions, but it is more likely to resonate with a young adult questioning his or her belief system.