Lifes Rich Pageant by R.E.M - Album Lyrics & Tracks

[Verse 1]

A birdie and a hand for life's rich demand

The insurgency began and you missed it

I looked for it and I found it

Myles Standish proud, congratulate me

 

[Refrain]

A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe

 

[Verse 2]

Life's rich demand creates supply in the hand

Of the powers, the only vote that matters

Silence means security, silence means approval

Walton Zenith on the TV, tiger run around the tree

Follow the leader, run and turn into butter

 

[Chorus]

Let's begin again, begin the begin

Let's begin again like Martin Luther, Zen

The mythology begins the begin

 

[Verse 3]

Answer me a question, I can't itemize, I can't think clear

You look to me for reason, it's not there

I can't even rhyme in the begin

 

 

[Refrain]

A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe

Example, the finest example is you

 

[Verse 4]

A birdie and a hand for life's rich demand

The insurgency began and you missed it

I looked for it and I found it

Myles Standish proud, congratulate me

 

[Outro]

A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe

Let's begin again, begin the begin

Let's begin again

[Verse 1]

Let's put our heads together

And start a new country up

Our father's father's father tried

Erased the parts he didn't like

Let's try to fill it in

Bank the quarry river, swim

We knee-skinned it you and me

We knee-skinned that river red

 

[Chorus]

This is where we walked

This is where we swam

Take a picture here

Take a souvenir

 

[Verse 2]

This land is the land of ours

This river runs red over it

We knee-skinned it you and me

We knee-skinned that river red

And we gathered up our friends

Bank the quarry river, swim

We knee-skinned it you and me

Up underneath the river bed

 

 

[Chorus]

This is where we walked

This is where we swam

Take a picture here

Take a souvenir

Cuyahoga

Cuyahoga, gone

 

[Verse 3]

Let's put our heads together

And start a new country up

Up underneath the river bed

We'll burn the river down

 

[Chorus]

This is where they walked, swam

Hunted, danced and sang

Take a picture here

Take a souvenir

Cuyahoga

Cuyahoga, gone

 

[Bridge]

Rewrite the book and rule the pages

Saving face, secured in faith

Bury, burn the waste behind you

 

 

[Verse 4]

This land is the land of ours

This river runs red over it

We are not your allies

We cannot defend

 

[Chorus]

This is where they walked

This is where they swam

Take a picture here

Take a souvenir

Cuyahoga

Cuyahoga, gone

Cuyahoga

Cuyahoga, gone

[Verse 1]

Night time fell like the opening

In the final act at the beginning of time

Hyena, take your role, the stage is set

The town is safe again tonight

 

[Chorus]

Hyena (I see the day ahead)

Hyena (And all that I've cried through)

Hyena (God knows you're doing that, don't you?)

 

[Verse 2]

Hyena, sister, look to your hand

Man, you serve communal interest

She'll tell you when and where and how and why you're gonna go

You beautiful young lady

 

[Chorus]

Hyena (I see the day ahead)

Hyena (And all that I've cried through)

Hyena (God knows you're doing that, don't you?)

Oh

 

[Verse 3]

The only thing to fear is fearlessness

The bigger the weapon, the greater the fear

Hyena is ambassador to fear

Night time fell like the closing

Meager pay, but recognition

Hyena crawls on his belly out

The town is safe again tonight, oh

 

 

[Chorus]

Hyena (I see the changes, man)

Hyena (Going on across the way)

Hyena (I see my road ahead)

Hyena (Don't know if I should stay)

 

[Outro]

Hyena (I see you holding him)

Hyena (And all that I've cried through)

Hyena (God knows you're doing that, don't you?)

Oh

[Verse 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?

 

[Chorus]

I believe my shirt is wearing thin

And change is what I believe

 

[Verse 2]

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

 

 

[Chorus]

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

 

[Verse 3]

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 you're honor

I believe in example, I believe my throat hurts

Example is the checker to the key

 

[Chorus]

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

[Verse 1]

Oh well, what in the world? Women in black

Don't you remember? Sonny's was packed

A day in the life, well, nobody laughed

Look to the days, how long can this last?

Uh oh

 

[Chorus]

Kevin heard it on the radio, Hugh informed word of mouth

Carla read it in the news, caught it all, just a touch

 

[Verse 2]

You set the pace of what was to come

We'll have to carry on now that you're gone

A day in the life, nobody laughed

Look to the days, how long can this last?

 

[Chorus]

Kevin heard it on the radio, Hugh informed word of mouth

Oh, Carla, carla, read it, read it in the news, caught it all, just a touch

 

[Bridge]

There's someone in our dream, in our pre-assembled scene

Lord, Dave, William

 

[Verse 3]

Well, what in the world? Women in black

Don't you remember? Sonny's, Tyrone's, packed, packed

A day in the life, well, nobody laughed

Look to the days, how long can this last?

 

 

[Chorus]

Kevin heard it on the radio, Hugh informed word of mouth

Carla read it in the news, caught it all, just a touch

Just a touch, just a touch, just a touch

 

[Outro]

Can't see where to worship Popeye, love Al Green

I can't see

I'm so young, I'm so goddamn young

15 ContributorsSwan Swan H LyricsTechnically the Second to last song (though it is listed as the last) on R.E.M.’s fourth studio album.Swan, swan, hummingbird, hurrah

We are all free now

What noisy cats are we

Girl and dog, he bore his cross

Swan, swan, hummingbird, hurrah

We are all free now

A long, low time ago

People talk to me

 

Johnny Reb, what's the price of fans

Forty apiece or three for one dollar?

Hey, Captain, don't you want to buy

Some bone chains and toothpicks

Night wings, or hair chains?

Here's your wooden greenback, sing

Wooden beams and dovetail sweep

I struck that picture ninety times

 

I walked that path a hundred ninety

Long, low time ago, people talk to me

A pistol hot, cup of rhyme

The whiskey is water, the water is wine

Marching feet, Johnny Reb

What's the price of heroes?

 

Six of one, half dozen the other

Tell that to the captain's mother

Hey, captain, don't you want to buy

Some bone chains and toothpicks?

Night wings, or hair chains?

Swan, swan, hummingbird, hurrah

We're all free now

What noisy cats are we

 

 

Long, low time ago, people talk to me

A pistol hot cup of rhyme

The whiskey is water, the water is wine