OVERVIEW

LYRICS

Featured In

Listen to Automatic For The People by R.E.M.
ALBUMAutomatic For The PeopleR.E.M.
Listen to ’90s Alternative Essentials featuring R.E.M.
PLAYLIST’90s Alternative EssentialsApple Music ’90s
Listen to R.E.M. Essentials featuring R.E.M.
PLAYLISTR.E.M. EssentialsApple Music Alternative
Listen to Guitar Throwback featuring R.E.M.
PLAYLISTGuitar ThrowbackApple Music Alternative
Listen to Golf featuring R.E.M.
PLAYLISTGolfApple Music Sports
Listen to Sunrise featuring R.E.M.
PLAYLISTSunriseApple Music Morning
Listen to Summer Road Trip featuring R.E.M.
PLAYLISTSummer Road TripApple Music Vacation
Listen to Unplug featuring R.E.M.
PLAYLISTUnplugApple Music
Listen to Pop Hits: 1993 featuring R.E.M.
PLAYLISTPop Hits: 1993Apple Music Pop
Listen to Ted’s Breakup Mix featuring R.E.M.
PLAYLISTTed’s Breakup MixApple Music
Listen to Grief featuring R.E.M.
PLAYLISTGriefApple Music Feeling Blue

Top Songs By R.E.M.

Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Mike Mills
Mike Mills
Bass Guitar
Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe
Lead Vocals
Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Electric Guitar
Bill Berry
Bill Berry
Drums
Scott Litt
Scott Litt
Harmonica
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe
Songwriter
Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Songwriter
William Berry
William Berry
Songwriter
Michael Edward Mills
Michael Edward Mills
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
R.E.M.
R.E.M.
Producer
Scott Litt
Scott Litt
Producer
Andrew Roshberg
Andrew Roshberg
Recording Engineer
Clif Norrell
Clif Norrell
Mixing Engineer
Ed Brooks
Ed Brooks
Mixing Engineer
George Cowan
George Cowan
Recording Engineer
John Keane
John Keane
Recording Engineer
Mark Howard
Mark Howard
Recording Engineer
Stephen Marcussen
Stephen Marcussen
Mastering Engineer
Ted Malia
Ted Malia
Recording Engineer
Tod Lemkuhl
Tod Lemkuhl
Assistant Mixing Engineer

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
These bastards stole their power
From the victims of the Us v. Them years
Wrecking all things virtuous and true
The undermining social-democratic
Downhill slide into abysmal
Lost lamb off the precipice into
The trickle-down runoff pool
[Verse 2]
They hypnotized the summer
1979
Marched into the capital, brooding, duplicitous
Wicked and able, media-ready, heartless and labeled
Super US citizen, super achiever, mega-ultra power-dosing, relax
Defense, defense, defense, defense
[Chorus]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, huh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Ignoreland
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Ignoreland
Yeah, yeah, yeah
[Verse 3]
The information nation took
Their clues from all the sound-bite gluttons
1980, '84, '88
'92, too, too
How to be what you can be
Jump jam junking your energies
How to walk in dignity with
Throw-up on your shoes
[Verse 4]
They amplified the autumn
1979
Calculate the capital
Up the republic, my skinny ass
TV tells a million lies
The papers terrified to report
Anything that isn't handed on a presidential spoon
I'm just profoundly frustrated by all this
So, fuck you, man (Fuck 'em)
[Chorus]
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Ignoreland
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Ignoreland
[Bridge]
If it wasn't there, we would have created them
Maybe it's true
But I'm resentful all the same
Someone's got to take the blame
[Verse 5]
I know that this is vitriol
No solution, spleen-venting
But I feel better having screamed, don't you?
[Verse 6]
They desecrate the winter
1979
Capital collateral
Brooding, duplicitous, wicked and able, media-ready
Heartless and labeled
Super US citizen, super achiever, mega-ultra power-dosing, relax
Defense, defense, defense, defense
[Chorus]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, huh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Ignoreland
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Ignoreland
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Ignoreland
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Written by: Michael Edward Mills, Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, William Berry

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