Friday, October 10, 2008

The End of the World as We Know It

I'm not a very apocalyptic kind of gal, but as the world economy crumbles, it's hard not to wonder how it's gonna end. I'm also not a huge REM fan but I've always liked this song, and when I heard it on the radio last night I thought it was an anthem for these times.



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 up a knock, speed, grunt no, strength no. Ladder structure clatter with fear of height, down height. Wire in a fire, represent the seven games in a government for hire and a combat site. Left her, wasn’t coming in a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck. Team by team reporters baffled, trump, tethered crop. Look at that low plane! Fine then. Uh oh, overflow, population, common group, but it’ll do. Save yourself, serve yourself. World serves it's 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 tower. Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn. Lock him in uniform and book burning, blood letting. Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate. Light a candle, light a motive. 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.

The other night I tripped a nice continental drift divide. Mountains sit in a line. Leonard Bernstein. Leonid Breshnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs. Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom! You symbiotic, patriotic, slam, but 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...

(It’s time I had some time alone)
(Lyrics found here.)

3 comments:

Carla said...

I am particularly susceptible to "earworms," or what I've heard called "cognitive itch." Musicians appear to be more vulnerable to the phenomenon, I've read. So I should've known better than to click on the song! Especially having already read the sing-songy lyrics. So it will be all my fault when it is in the background of my brain for the rest of the day! Nonetheless, cute song. In fact, adorable. Good thing, since it'll be in heavy rotation

Carla said...

Duh, I put this in the wrong place. Should've been under chickety poop song--not REM. Wouldn't call that a "cute" song. Too frenetic for earworm material.

Sungold said...

Yeah, I was wondering how this qualified as cute. It might still go into heavy rotation, though. :-)