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R.E.M. — World Leader Pretend
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Lazarus
(Bethany)
Posted: Apr 23, 2013 - 12:14
 

Everybody in my church be dancing...  love it...  love this whole album...
 

daedalus
Posted: Mar 23, 2013 - 00:56
 
So often the same melancholy drone with the same generic melody from REM.
I really liked their earlier more lively songs. 
cShaggy
Posted: Mar 23, 2013 - 00:49
 
 Elroweho wrote:
Once again I say - you can't go wrong playing just about anything by REM!

{#Notworthy} 

 
..you can say that again!..oh wait..
Elroweho
(Cheesehead in Paradise)
Posted: Feb 19, 2013 - 14:35
 
Once again I say - you can't go wrong playing just about anything by REM!

{#Notworthy} 

olivertwist
(Atlanta GA)
Posted: Nov 10, 2012 - 13:46
 
 fuzzy wrote:
I love the guitar on this tune. It would make a nice instrumental.
 

Hey fuzzy, Bill just gave your comment a shout out. Thing is, I don't read your comment as a criticism of the lyrics - I interpet your comment as meaning that this song, with the excellent guitar work, would ALSO make a nice instrumental. 



kaybee
(Lost in the Wilds of Toronto)
Posted: Sep 08, 2012 - 15:34
 
 rdo wrote:


Compared to the 60's and 70's, the 80's did suck.  Then after that, it was really all but over.  I mean, I was born in 1970 and I love the rock since 1980, but let's face it, Rock is dead.  Pretty soon NPR will be playing Rock and asking for donations to keep it alive.
 
I don't think it was the music that sucked in the '80s.  It was a lot of the radio stations that had been independent and into playing all kinds of music were bought out by commercial radio.  As a result, you just didn't hear a lot of the good stuff that was coming out then.  I was lucky enough to live in Toronto in that decade and to listen to an excellent station that played a lot of the alternative music from all over - Britain and Europe as well as North America and other places.  Sadly CFNY went commercial in the early 90's. 

Listening now to RP, I'm amazed not only at what is out there now, but a lot of the great music I've never heard on radio before that came out in the 90's and early 2000's.

Rock is not dead!

rdo
(DC)
Posted: Jul 14, 2012 - 17:57
 
 Proclivities wrote:

Well, it's only as dead as you want it to be.  I guess it also depends on what one's definition of "Rock" is.  By the way, the music of 80's did not suck, compared to any era, whether or not you liked it.  
 

I did not make my point very well.  I agree. Takes too long to really say anything intelligent here.  What I meant basically was that there were so many great bands prior to 1980, and that Rock bands topped the charts in the 70s and 60s and filled the airwaves, it's hard to say Rock is alive in comparison still post 1980.  It's clumsy, I know.  REM is like the whole reason I listen to music.  They got me into good music in the first place.  I was pretty clueless before that. I was a poor kid, serioulsy,  I had hardly any money for CDs and I did not really talk to people about music until college.

ycb661
Posted: Jun 13, 2012 - 03:09
 
A timeless ode to hubris set to pedal steel. Love the segue from Stipe's anti-war song to "The Bleeding Heart Show." I will never forget the irony of R.E.M.'s Green tour was broadcast on Westwood One Radio Network in 1989, sponsored by the U.S. Army. To hear Orange Crush and this song and then a commercial about "being all that you can be" was jarringly ironic.

treatment_bound
(Duluth to Madison)
Posted: May 17, 2012 - 18:48
 
They played this today on WXRT after a movie review of "The Dictator".  I had a chuckle...


treehugger
Posted: Feb 08, 2012 - 12:14
 
 pushkinjim wrote:
Go ahead -just hate REM! Why not? I do. They suck!
 
I'm surprised that a Christian pastor (Reverend Jim - Vineyard Church of Sweden)  would espouse hate of something as benign as music. Or would espouse any kind of hate.  I didn't realize that hate was a Christian value - which explains why I'm so bewildered by the GOP primaries. 

 

Krispian
(Vancouver, BC)
Posted: Dec 05, 2011 - 15:45
 
I am world leader... pretentious

coccyx
Posted: Nov 28, 2011 - 15:42
 
 Mugro wrote:
When they were good, they were very, very good.....
 
There was a little band
Revered across the land
Some songs were dark and torrid
When they were good, they were very very good
....


nigelr
(Coffs Harbour, Australia)
Posted: Nov 04, 2011 - 00:49
 
 Mugro wrote:
When they were good, they were very, very good.....
 

Yo' listenin' ??????????

Mugro
(My body is in Dubai, but my broken heart is in Red Sox Nation)
Posted: Oct 28, 2011 - 01:20
 
When they were good, they were very, very good.....

acolt
(Pittsburgh, PA)
Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 11:08
 
Meh.

emh
Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 11:07
 
Easily my favorite song on Green.


(former member)
(hotel in Las Vegas)
Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 11:06
 


Everybody in my hotel room be dancing...  love it...

 

missyanneb
Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 11:05
 
One of my favorite songs from my favorite band.

nicknt
(Milan Italy)
Posted: Sep 26, 2011 - 12:26
 
The paranoid meditation of a would-be dictator. One of R.E.M. best songs ever.

(former member)
(hotel in Las Vegas)
Posted: Sep 26, 2011 - 08:42
 


This song is soooo good for the external auditory meatus...  love it...
 

peter_james_bond
(West Of The Burg)
Posted: May 30, 2011 - 17:15
 
 alaken wrote:
One of the great R.E.M. songs. IMO Green is an uneven album, not too user-friendly, but with hidden gems like this.
 
I completely agree with you. I love the lyrics {#Arrowd}, thanks Cynaera.



Cynaera
(South of Neanderthal)
Posted: May 30, 2011 - 14:57
 
Lyrics - which only makes me want to write a screenplay for this more than ever...

I sit at my table and wage war on myself
It seems like it's all, it's all for nothing
I know the barricades, and
I know the mortar in the wall breaks
I recognize the weapons, I used them well

This is my mistake. Let me make it good
I raised the wall and I will be the one to knock it down

I've a rich understanding of my finest defenses
I proclaim that claims are left unstated,
I demand a rematch
I decree a stalemate
I divine my deeper motives
I recognize the weapons
I've practiced them well. I fitted them myself

(chorus)
It's amazing what devices you can sympathize, empathize
This is my mistake. Let me make it good
I raised the wall and I will be the one to knock it down

Reach out for me and hold me tight. Hold that memory
Let my machine talk to me, let my machine talk to me

This is my world
And I am world leader pretend
This is my life
And this is my time
I have been given the freedom
To do as I see fit
It's high time I've razed the walls
That I've constructed

(repeat chorus)

You fill in the mortar. You fill in the harmony
You fill in the mortar. I raised the wall
And I'm the only one
I will be the one to knock it down



apd
(Toronto, On)
Posted: May 30, 2011 - 14:57
 
 alaken wrote:
One of the great R.E.M. songs. IMO Green is an uneven album, not too user-friendly, but with hidden gems like this.
 
That's funny - I've always thought it was one of their most commercial albums. There's three big "hits" on it...

Jeff09
(Gainesville, Florida)
Posted: Apr 21, 2011 - 21:17
 
New album is good.

(former member)
(hotel in Las Vegas)
Posted: Mar 28, 2011 - 11:04
 
 WayUpNorth wrote:

like your style {#Cowboy}
 


Thank you...  we be dancing...



lemmoth
(NYC)
Posted: Mar 21, 2011 - 08:40
 
 Randomax wrote:
absolutely the worst REM song IMHO....I just can't take the off key monotone!!!!!!!!!  {#Beat}
 
You must be listening to something else - this is a fantastic song.


lemmoth
(NYC)
Posted: Mar 21, 2011 - 08:39
 
The only rock bands that combined huge popular and critical success in the 80's - U2 and REM - back to back

Dave_Mack
(Homeward bound, I wish I was)
Posted: Mar 21, 2011 - 08:38
 
 Randomax wrote:
absolutely the worst REM song IMHO....I just can't take the off key monotone!!!!!!!!!  {#Beat}
 
Well, I don't know if it's the worst, but it's pretty dull.  My impression was that this really sounds like an REM song but doesn't have anything interesting happening in it.  Kind of a cliche.  Am I making any sense?


WayUpNorth
(Windswept Exile)
Posted: Mar 21, 2011 - 08:38
 
 romeotuma wrote:
Just relax and let it flow all over you...  this song will make you move...
 
like your style {#Cowboy}


Randomax
(Wimberley, TX)
Posted: Oct 25, 2010 - 15:03
 
absolutely the worst REM song IMHO....I just can't take the off key monotone!!!!!!!!!  {#Beat}

(former member)
(hotel in Las Vegas)
Posted: Oct 14, 2010 - 23:06
 
 Cynaera wrote:

It took a moment, but oh. Wow. Okay - there it is... Eyes closed, mind opened... This could be a script. For now, it's a really great song by R.E.M.  I'ma have to get this song, because I just got a great idea for a story - and it's been awhile since I rattled Peter Lenkov's cage... *evil giggle*
 


Yes, this really is a fantastic song...  it always makes me dance...

 

Cynaera
(South of Neanderthal)
Posted: Sep 23, 2010 - 22:32
 
 romeotuma wrote:

Just relax and let it flow all over you...  this song will make you move...

 
 
It took a moment, but oh. Wow. Okay - there it is... Eyes closed, mind opened... This could be a script. For now, it's a really great song by R.E.M.  I'ma have to get this song, because I just got a great idea for a story - and it's been awhile since I rattled Peter Lenkov's cage... *evil giggle*


window
(Richmond, VA)
Posted: Sep 20, 2010 - 07:06
 
 crockydile wrote:
Don't like this spoken word thing...yawn. {#Yawn}
 
You must be listening to the William Shatner cover, because the R.E.M. version is definitely sung.

Randomax
(Wimberley, TX)
Posted: Sep 20, 2010 - 07:06
 
please....make...it....stop....{#Wall}

(former member)
(hotel in Las Vegas)
Posted: Jul 18, 2010 - 08:09
 
 Businessgypsy wrote:
OK, I'll try. Just a minute...working on it....

Oh.

No, that was not pretty. Not pretty at all
 


Just relax and let it flow all over you...  this song will make you move...

 

crockydile
(Outer Spiral Arm, Milky Way)
Posted: Jun 16, 2010 - 11:23
 
Don't like this spoken word thing...yawn. {#Yawn}

rockinmeg
(Washington, DC)
Posted: Jun 16, 2010 - 11:23
 

I like to think of myself who's pretty hip to REM - but I don't know this song - or even this album - how is that possible - it's not like I'm young and new to the REM scene.   Nice song - thanks Bill! {#Clap}



alaken
(Missoula, MT)
Posted: Jun 09, 2010 - 09:54
 
One of the great R.E.M. songs. IMO Green is an uneven album, not too user-friendly, but with hidden gems like this.

peter_james_bond
(The Burg)
Posted: May 19, 2010 - 07:15
 
 Businessgypsy wrote:
OK, I'll try. Just a minute...working on it....

Oh.

No, that was not pretty. Not pretty at all

 
{#Lol}


Tippster
(Washington, DC)
Posted: May 15, 2010 - 16:34
 
Damn this song is so good.

My favorite Michael Stipe sung song.  Period.

Businessgypsy
(Deepest, Darkest Florida)
Posted: Apr 17, 2010 - 12:58
 
romeotuma wrote:
Just let your hips move to the drum beat... this song is great...
OK, I'll try. Just a minute...working on it....

Oh.

No, that was not pretty. Not pretty at all


(former member)
(hotel in Las Vegas)
Posted: Apr 17, 2010 - 12:56
 


Very cool song...  love it...



Fables85
Posted: Mar 17, 2010 - 04:04
 
 ugly wrote:
Had to go read the lyrics before I posted. I have this song on my iPod constantly, but you know, when you listen to an iPod and not a record player with that big vinyl cover to love (and read the lyrics from) I don't know the lyrics to a ton of songs I love. When I was a teen all my music was from albums and the cooler the cover, the better it was to lay in my bedroom with the headphones on and read the lyrics. After hotboxing my VW.
 

Well, if you can find a reliable source for lyrics you can always read them off the iPod while you're playing the songs. (Not that it's the same experience, I'm just saying).

Then again, this was the first R.E.M. lyric printed on an album cover (and the only one in "Green"). Of course these days they print them all... but no one wants to read them!

ugly
(Compton, CA)
Posted: Mar 16, 2010 - 22:58
 
Had to go read the lyrics before I posted. I have this song on my iPod constantly, but you know, when you listen to an iPod and not a record player with that big vinyl cover to love (and read the lyrics from) I don't know the lyrics to a ton of songs I love. When I was a teen all my music was from albums and the cooler the cover, the better it was to lay in my bedroom with the headphones on and read the lyrics. After hotboxing my VW.

peacockangel
(Phoenix)
Posted: Mar 06, 2010 - 08:19
 
one of the best album covers IMHO ~ lots of cryptic code stuff

(former member)
(hotel in Las Vegas)
Posted: Feb 09, 2010 - 18:03
 


Yes, this is a profound song... we be dancing...



marcio
(Vitoria, Brazil)
Posted: Feb 02, 2010 - 20:44
 
College Rock....

(former member)
(hotel in Las Vegas)
Posted: Feb 02, 2010 - 20:24
 


fantastic...



Proclivities
(Carrboro, NC)
Posted: Jan 09, 2010 - 07:28
 
 rdo wrote:


Compared to the 60's and 70's, the 80's did suck.  Then after that, it was really all but over.  I mean, I was born in 1970 and I love the rock since 1980, but let's face it, Rock is dead.  Pretty soon NPR will be playing Rock and asking for donations to keep it alive.
 
Well, it's only as dead as you want it to be.  I guess it also depends on what one's definition of "Rock" is.  By the way, the music of 80's did not suck, compared to any era, whether or not you liked it.  

sirdroseph
(Outer Mongolia)
Posted: Jan 02, 2010 - 09:47
 
REM put out a lot of good stuff around this era, this song, as stated below.....not so much.{#No}