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This DVD reminded me why I was an REM fan in the first place. Recorded in Germany in 2003, the concert features plenty of hits (Man on the Moon, One I Love), some obscurities (Begin the Begin, Maps & Legends) and some recent songs I hadn’t paid enough attention to (Electrolite and Imitation of Life, which sounds like a lost classic)
All three band members look like they’re enjoying themselves, but the real focus is of course Michael Stipe. Stipe’s in good spirits , interacting warmly with the crowd, and making you wonder why you stopped listening to this band. REM is a band that has been nothing but themselves for over 20 years, and this DVD shows they’re still capable of rocking hard and making great new music. The disc also includes a charming documentary about REM’s concerts at Stirling Castle in Scotland in 1999. Recommended.

Follow me, don’t follow me
I’ve got my spine, I’ve got my orange crush
Collar me, don’t collar me
I’ve got my spine, I’ve got my orange crush
We are agents of the free
I’ve had my fun and now its time to
Serve your conscience overseas (over me, not over me)
Coming in fast, over me

[repeat verse]

High on the roof,
Thin the blood,
Another one on the waves tonight,
Comin’ in, you’re home

We’d circle and we’d circle and we’d circle to stop and consider and
Centered on the pavement stacked up all the trucks jacked up and
Our wheels in slush and orange crush in pocket and all this here county
Hell any county it’s just like heaven here and I was remembering and I
Was just in a different county and all then this whirlybird that I
Headed for I had my goggles pulled off I knew it all I knew every back
Road and every truck stop

[repeat verse and chorus]

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Its The End Of The World As We Know It(And I Feel Fine)

That’s great, it starts with an earthquake,
birds and snakes, an aeroplane - Lenny Bruce is not afraid.
Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn -
world serves its own needs,
Don’t misserve your own needs.
Feed it off an aux speak, grunt no, strength no.
Latter starts to clatter with fear fight, down height.
Wire in a fire, representing seven games in a government for hire and a combat site.
Left of west, was a coming in a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck.
Team by team reporters baffled, trumped, tethered, cropped.
Look at that low playing! Fine then.
Uh oh, overflow, population, common food, but it’ll do.
Save yourself, serve yourself.
World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed.
Tell me with the rapture and the reverent in the right - right.
You vitriolic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright light, feeling pretty psyched.

It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.

Six o’clock - TV hour. Don’t get caught in Foreign towers.
Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn.
Lock him in uniform and book burning, blood running.
Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate.
Light a candle, light a votive. Step down, step down.
Watch a heel crush, crush.
Uh oh, this means no fear - cavalier. Renegade and steer clear!
A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies.
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I decline.

It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
(It’s Time I had some time alone)

It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
(It’s Time I had some time alone)

The other night I tripped the lights continental drift divide.
Mount St. Edelite. Leonard Bernstein.
Leonid Breshnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Banks.
Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom!
You symbiotic, patriotic, slam, book,neck, right? Right.

It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine…fine…

Mott the hoople and the game of life. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Andy kaufman in the wrestling match. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Monopoly, twenty one, checkers, and chess. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mister fred blassie in a breakfast mess. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Lets play twister, lets play risk. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
See you heaven if you make the list. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, andy did you hear about this one? tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Hey andy are you goofing on elvis? hey, baby. are we losing touch?
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe theres nothing up my sleeve, then nothing is cool.

Moses went walking with the staff of wood. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Newton got beaned by the apple good. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Egypt was troubled by the horrible asp. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mister charles darwin had the gall to ask. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey andy did you hear about this one? tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Hey, andy are you goofing on elvis? hey, baby. are you having fun?
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe theres nothing up my sleeve, then nothing is cool.

Heres a little agit for the never-believer. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Heres a little ghost for the offering. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Heres a truck stop instead of saint peters. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mister andy kaufmans gone wrestling [wrestling bears]. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey andy did you hear about this one? tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Hey andy are you goofing on elvis, hey baby, are we losing touch?
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe theres nothing up my sleeve, then nothing is cool.

A Public service announcement followed me home the other day
I paid it nevermind. Go away.
Shits so thick you could stir it with a stick- free Teflon whitewashed presidency
We’re sick of being jerked around
Wear that on your sleeve

Broadcast me a joyful noise unto the times, lord,
Count your blessings.
We’re sick of being jerked around
We all fall down.

Have you ever seen the televised St. vitus subcommittee prize
Investigation dance? Those-ants-in- pants glances.
Well, look behind the eyes
It’s a hallowed, hollow anesthesized
“save my own ass, screw these guys”
smoke and mirror lock down

Broadcast me a joyful noise unto the times, lord,
Count your blessings.
the papers wouldn’t lie!
I sigh. Not one more

Its been a bad day.
Please dont take a picture
Its been a bad day.
Please

We’re dug in the deep the price is steep.
The auctioneer is such a creep.
The lights went out, the oil ran dry
We blamed it on the other guy
Sure, all men are created equal.
Heres the church, heres the steeple
Please stay tuned–we cut to sequel
ashes, ashes, we all fall down.

Broadcast me a joyful noise unto the times, lord, Count your blessings.
Ebrace the lowest fear/Ignore the lower fears
Ugh, this means war.

Its been a bad day.
Br.

Broadcast me a joyful noise unto the times, lord,
Count your blessings.
We’re sick of being jerked around
We all fall down.

Its been a bad day…
Pleaase…

Life is bigger
Its bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no Ive said too much
I set it up

Thats me in the corner
Thats me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I dont know if I can do it
Oh no Ive said too much
I havent said enough
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

Every whisper
Of every waking hour im
Choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool
Oh no Ive said too much
I set it up

Consider this
The hint of the century
Consider this
The slip that brought me
To my knees failed
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around
Now Ive said too much
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream