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R.E.M. — I Believe
Album: Life's Rich Pageant
Avg rating:
7.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 418









Released: 1986
Length: 3:44
Plays (last 30 days): 1
When I was young and full of grace, and spirited a rattlesnake
When I was young and fever fell, my spirit I will not tell
You're on your honor not to tell

I believe in coyotes and time as an abstract
Explain the change, the difference between
What you want and what you need, there's the key
Your adventure for today, what do you do
Between the horns of the day

I believe
My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe in

When I was young and give and take, and foolish said my fool awake
When I was young and fever fell, my spirit I will not tell
You're on your honor, on your honor

Trust in your calling, make sure your calling's true
Think of others, the others think of you
Silly rule, golden words make practice, practice makes perfect
Perfect is a fault, and fault lines change

I believe
My humor's wearing thin and change is what I believe in
I believe
My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe in

When I was young and full of grace, and spirited a rattlesnake
When I was young and fever fell, my spirit I will not tell
You're on your honor, on your honor

I believe in example, I believe my throat hurts
Example is the checker to the key

I believe
My humor's wearing thin and I believe the poles are shifting
I believe
My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe in
Comments (34)add comment
lord, haven't heard this in a while.
Even if this song was 20 minutes long I would listen to it over and over again....
This should be my theme song.  William, you need a “replay” button so I can put this on repeat!
Great album! I am, I am Superman…
 ScottFromWyoming wrote:

I see I've rated it but didn't recall ever hearing it. So I'm going to have to agree with this.

 
A year later and the song still gives me goose bumps.  More spots on the rotation please!
 phlattop wrote:
Clearly, this isn't played enough.
 
I see I've rated it but didn't recall ever hearing it. So I'm going to have to agree with this.
27 comments only?! Clearly, this isn't played enough.

Agree about the banjo intro. Amazing song.
 Steely_D wrote:
I miss the good version (pre-Warner Bros) of REM. They were so amazing.

 
Yep.
This was so great on Vinyl.  
That banjo intro. IS STELLAR!!
Definitely their finest period right around here... Saw them on this tour when they played on CU campus here in Boulder; I was down around 5th Row or so, and it was a spirited, frenetic performance, but Stipe was so edgy that he somehow mistook a fan's enthusiastic bellows for heckling, and started screaming, "Shut the fuck up!" and it almost derailed an otherwise amazing showcase of their talents.
 treatment_bound wrote:

I hope you drove extra-fast on that bridge, just in case the Cuyahoga spontaneously combusted again...

 
Hilarious!
My throat HURTS!
I don't think I've ever heard this on RP before. Great song, great album.
 Steely_D wrote:
I miss the good version (pre-Warner Bros) of REM. They were so amazing.

 

{#Yes}
 agd3 wrote:
I LOVE this song...always a favorite on road trip drives when I was in college.  I used to try to time the playing of this album in Ohio while driving over the Cuyohoga River.

 
I hope you drove extra-fast on that bridge, just in case the Cuyahoga spontaneously combusted again...
I miss the good version (pre-Warner Bros) of REM. They were so amazing.
I LOVE this song...always a favorite on road trip drives when I was in college.  I used to try to time the playing of this album in Ohio while driving over the Cuyohoga River.
"Silly rule, golden words make practice, practice makes perfect
Perfect is a fault, and fault lines change."

hard to argue with logic like that! 
Forgot about that intro! So good...
 
Everybody in my homeless camp loves this song...  believe me...
This album really was R.E.M. at their peak, but it was also the first one to contain a bunch of filler songs (Underneath the Bunker, Flowers of Guatemala, etc.) This was right around when CDs first came out, so thankfully we were able to program around them. The first three songs and the last two songs are all classics, and I Believe is nearly in the same league.
...pretty early for a boogie round the breakfast table - but oh well (with toes tappin)
Fantastic.  An obvious "10", I agree - this album was REM at their best
This album was REM at their best.
I just can't get enough of R.E.M. - miss those guys!

{#Dance} 
Man, this is such a great song....
yeeeeehaaaaw!!!!!!!!!!!!!
favorite song from my favorite album   {#Cowboy}

Everybody in my multitude of churches loves this song, and this entire album...

in my churches, we simultaneously believe in nothing and everything...  we definitely believe in this song and this album...

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!

This song is soooo good for the ears...
 
One of my faves....
I can't believe "I Believe" has never been played here.  It's worth a listen just to here the banjo intro...

I believe my throat hurts.