 Reckoning (1984) [ larger cover art ] |
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Looking at your watch a third time
Waiting in the station for a bus
Going to a place that's far, so far away
And if that's not enough
Going where nobody says hello
They don't talk to anybody they don't know
You'll wind up in some factory
That's full time filth and nowhere left to go
Walk home to an empty house, sit around all by yourself
I know it might sound strange, but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long
Don't go back to Rockville and waste another year
At night I drink myself to sleep and pretend
I don't care if you're not here with me
'Cause it's so much easier to handle
All my problems if I'm too far out to sea
But something better happen soon
Or it's gonna be too late to bring you back
It's not as though I really need you
If you were here I'd only bleed you
But everybody else in town only wants to bring you down
And that's not how it ought to be
I know it might sound strange, but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long
Waiting in the station for a bus
Going to a place that's far, so far away
And if that's not enough
Going where nobody says hello
They don't talk to anybody they don't know
You'll wind up in some factory
That's full time filth and nowhere left to go
Walk home to an empty house, sit around all by yourself
I know it might sound strange, but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long
Don't go back to Rockville and waste another year
At night I drink myself to sleep and pretend
I don't care if you're not here with me
'Cause it's so much easier to handle
All my problems if I'm too far out to sea
But something better happen soon
Or it's gonna be too late to bring you back
It's not as though I really need you
If you were here I'd only bleed you
But everybody else in town only wants to bring you down
And that's not how it ought to be
I know it might sound strange, but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: May 12, 2013 - 14:00 Shazam! Love it! Amen! | |
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: Apr 26, 2013 - 21:09 what a fantastic classic... love this album... | |
| softjeans (Upper Ojai, CA) | Posted: Mar 10, 2013 - 22:28 R7-12 wrote: Agreed, neither have I. Yeah...gotta be R.E.M.'s best ever... | |
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: Feb 22, 2013 - 22:34 EVERYBODY in my church loves this song... | |
| treatment_bound (Duluth to Madison) | Posted: Feb 21, 2013 - 11:34 Everyone in my confessional booth wants to know why you don't play the newer live version with Mike Mills on lead vocals. | |
| ick (...out of the primordial ooze) | Posted: Feb 07, 2013 - 13:41 These guys sound like they're from Georgia or somethin'. | |
| Baketown (Maryland) | Posted: Feb 07, 2013 - 13:40 Early REM is timeless!! | |
| lemmoth (NYC) | Posted: Jan 22, 2013 - 15:07 SheRidesABeemer wrote: Would love to hear Natalie Merchants version too. Definitely would not. | |
| R7-12 (Abbotsford, BC) | Posted: Dec 06, 2012 - 20:31 terrapin52 wrote: This is one of the greatest songs on one of my favorite albums of all time. I've never heard this song played anywhere else other than my car, living room, and my job. RP rules!!! Agreed, neither have I. | |
| R7-12 (Abbotsford, BC) | Posted: Dec 06, 2012 - 20:28 gjeeg wrote: Simple, uncomplicated beauty. Q:Where does so much of modern music go off the rails? A: Trying to scratch anywhere close to this kind of accomplishment, and finding it impossible. The unhurried arrangement, the embrace of melody and harmony, heartfelt lyrics. Well Said. | |
| gjeeg (Syracuse, New York) | Posted: May 31, 2012 - 17:35 Simple, uncomplicated beauty. Q:Where does so much of modern music go off the rails? A: Trying to scratch anywhere close to this kind of accomplishment, and finding it impossible. The unhurried arrangement, the embrace of melody and harmony, heartfelt lyrics. | |
| emmo_radio | Posted: May 15, 2012 - 17:34 It's a great song, but there are so many great REM songs and I would love it if RP would mix it up . For example, murmur and reckoning we're great, too. | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: May 15, 2012 - 17:26 We be wantonly dancing... love this song... | |
| terrapin52 (Terrapin Station, TX) | Posted: Apr 30, 2012 - 00:03 This is one of the greatest songs on one of my favorite albums of all time. I've never heard this song played anywhere else other than my car, living room, and my job. RP rules!!! | |
| Egrey (WASH, DC) | Posted: Mar 29, 2012 - 06:38 auburntigerrich wrote: Hey, I was just in Rockville yesterday! But I want to go back... my rock climbing gym is up there...
It a beautiful day in Rockville today. Come on by! | |
| gandalfbmg (Thankfully now a little more than 3 mi from Paradise (Missouri)) | Posted: Mar 13, 2012 - 08:26 dollar for dollar, one of my favorite albums of all time... | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Mar 13, 2012 - 08:24 love this song soooo much... | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Feb 26, 2012 - 14:02 olivertwist wrote: Perfect song. I agree... this song puts a spring in my step this winter day... | |
| olivertwist (Atlanta GA) | Posted: Feb 10, 2012 - 14:15 Perfect song. | |
| shemp (orange, california) | Posted: Feb 10, 2012 - 14:13 Sweeeet! | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Feb 10, 2012 - 14:11 love it love it love it love it!!!! | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Jan 25, 2012 - 21:04 marvelous... love it... | |
| Tony0600 (Hampshire, UK) | Posted: Dec 25, 2011 - 03:15 the epitomy of Ho Hum | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Nov 23, 2011 - 09:28 EVERYBODY in my hotel room loves this song... | |
| cyesp (Denver) | Posted: Nov 16, 2011 - 08:04 nance wrote: michael stipe does not sing on this song.....I saw them in concert last year and think it was the bass player.... Mike Mills sings the high harmony on the studio version, Mike Stipe sings lead. In the last concert I saw, you are right, it was reversed with Mike Mills singing lead and Mike Stipe singing harmony. | |
| david927 | Posted: Nov 07, 2011 - 07:59 It was 1990, Chico, California and I was in college. I knew would have to go soon and I wanted to go, and yet I was slowly realizing I didn't ever want to leave. Like a doomed relationship I knew it wasn't going to last but somewhere along the line I had been uncareful, looked once maybe too long into her eyes and now found I was in love. And I listened to this song and it called me to not waste another year there after graduation, and at the same time, begged me not to go. | |
| nance | Posted: Oct 22, 2011 - 21:41 Cynaera wrote: Maybe it's my imagination, but does Stipe's "twanginess" come out stronger than usual on this song? No matter - I love it more every time I hear it!  michael stipe does not sing on this song.....I saw them in concert last year and think it was the bass player.... | |
| SheRidesABeemer (Nashua, NH) | Posted: Oct 22, 2011 - 19:08 Would love to hear Natalie Merchants version too. | |
| ofanansky | Posted: Sep 21, 2011 - 03:17 I grew up in Rockville and left in 1987! | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Aug 20, 2011 - 19:06 absolutably awesome... love it... | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Jul 20, 2011 - 10:18 mjcunningham59 wrote: Love it! Add piano to any REM song and it is heavenly. Has me bouncing and twirling around the house I hear ya! We are dancing here right now... love this song... | |
| mjcunningham59 (Toronto, Canada) | Posted: Jul 04, 2011 - 14:04 Love it! Add piano to any REM song and it is heavenly. Has me bouncing and twirling around the house | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: May 02, 2011 - 09:06 This is such a great song... I remember when this song first appeared like it was last year... love it... | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Apr 16, 2011 - 14:00 Cynaera wrote: Maybe it's my imagination, but does Stipe's "twanginess" come out stronger than usual on this song? No matter - I love it more every time I hear it! I don't know the answer to that— just heed his warning and don't go back to Rockville, Georgia... love this song... | |
| Cynaera (South of Neanderthal) | Posted: Apr 16, 2011 - 13:53 Maybe it's my imagination, but does Stipe's "twanginess" come out stronger than usual on this song? No matter - I love it more every time I hear it! | |
| Cyclehawk (Athens GA) | Posted: Mar 31, 2011 - 17:48 Early spring 1985... headed for Dallas from South Fl with all my stuff packed in a tiny u-haul. A cassette with Reckoning on one side and Murmur on the other playing over and over. Crazy days. | |
| Ntropy (Cleveland, OH) | Posted: Mar 31, 2011 - 17:43 My personal favorite all-time R.E.M song. Just so you know. | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Jan 12, 2011 - 11:40 Stingray wrote: Tell me about the magic of VEGAS Hotel-rooms! You are sooo funny! Really (no irony)! Thanks! Hope you are having a great new year... this song rocks... love it... | |
| Stingray (EUROPE) | Posted: Dec 27, 2010 - 15:49 romeotuma wrote: Thank you... you are marvelous... life is grand here— hope the same is true for you... and yes, I love this song soooo much... Tell me about the magic of VEGAS Hotel-rooms! You are sooo funny! Really (no irony)! | |
| sirdroseph (Yes) | Posted: Dec 27, 2010 - 15:48 Businessgypsy wrote: The best REM song? It may be so... I don't know if it is my favorite of theirs when they were good or not, but I cannot think of any other at the moment, so it's pretty damned good, how bout that?  | |
| Stingray (EUROPE) | Posted: Dec 27, 2010 - 15:48 ANYTHING BUT ROCKVILLE! Just a tiny-little boring Nothing! | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Oct 09, 2010 - 18:09 Cynaera wrote: Scrolling through the comments, I'd assume that romeotuma loves this song. I agree. I've never heard it before, but I love R.E.M., and this song is very good for the ears. Hi, romeotuma!  Miss you here. Hope you're okay.Thank you... you are marvelous... life is grand here— hope the same is true for you... and yes, I love this song soooo much... | |
| Cynaera (South of Neanderthal) | Posted: Oct 09, 2010 - 18:07 Scrolling through the comments, I'd assume that romeotuma loves this song. I agree. I've never heard it before, but I love R.E.M., and this song is very good for the ears. Hi, romeotuma! Miss you here. Hope you're okay, after dancing like a bow-legged gypsy mule-skinner. Oh, crap - I was trying to be so compassionate and concerned, and then you come up with that... I'm laughing my assets off. Bow-legged gypsy mule-skinner??????I might have to sorta love you after that one....  | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Oct 09, 2010 - 18:06 We be dancing like bow-legged gypsy mule-skinners... love this song... | |
| auburntigerrich (Edge of the 'Verse) | Posted: Sep 23, 2010 - 14:39 Hey, I was just in Rockville yesterday! But I want to go back... my rock climbing gym is up there... | |
| jagdriver (Just a nod and a wink south of Paradise) | Posted: Sep 23, 2010 - 14:36 Channeling Fat Mattress. | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Sep 07, 2010 - 17:40 This song is still soooo gooood for the ears... | |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Aug 22, 2010 - 14:20 love it... | |
| eddief (Los Angeles) | Posted: Jul 21, 2010 - 15:30 romeotuma wrote: Great song... love it... Rockville is about 80 miles south of Athens, in the middle of nowhere... don't go back to Rockville... stay in Athens, like R.E.M. did... romeotuna wrote:
So I see now you're repeating your previous comments in addition to the ever-inspiring "This is so good for the ears" line. Plus, you don't even have the right Rockville. Geez man. | |
| lmic (Harmless Little Bunny) | Posted: Jul 21, 2010 - 15:22 Even at their poppiest, early R.E.M. is one of the few bands that can credibly follow the Beatles!  |