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Half a World Away
R.E.M. Lyrics


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This could be the saddest dusk I've ever seen
Turn to a miracle
High alive
My mind is racing
As it always will
My hand's tired, my heart aches
I'm half a world away here
My head sworn
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
Go it alone
Hold it along and hold, hold

Oh, lonely deep sit hollow
I'm half a world
Half the world away
My shoes are gone
My life spent
I had too much to drink
I didn't think
And I didn't think of you
I guess that's all I needed
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
Blackbirds, backwards, forwards and fall and hold, hold

Oh, this lonely world is wasted
Pathetic eyes high alive
Blind to the tide that turns the sea
This storm it came up strong
It shook the trees
And blew away our fear
I couldn't even hear

To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
Blackbirds, backwards, forwards, and fall and hold hold

This could be the saddest dusk
I've ever seen
Turn to a miracle
High alive
My mind is racing
As it always will
My hands tired, my heart aches
I'm half a world away and go

Overall Meaning

The song "Half a World Away" by R.E.M. talks about loneliness and the feeling of being lost. The lyrics express the emotions of someone who is far away from home and has lost touch with the people they care about. The song starts by describing a sad dusk, but it quickly turns to a miracle, which could indicate a feeling of hopefulness despite the sadness. The lyrics also mention the singer's racing mind and tired hands, which could suggest that they are struggling to cope with their situation.


The second verse talks about the loss of shoes and a wasted life spent on drinking. However, the singer realizes that they did not think of the people they care about, which may be the reason why they are feeling lonely and lost. The chorus repeats the phrase "go it alone," which could mean that the singer has resigned themselves to be independent and not rely on anyone for help.


Line by Line Meaning

This could be the saddest dusk I've ever seen
The sunset is exceptionally mournful.


Turn to a miracle, High alive
Despite the sadness of the moment, there is hope and life to be found.


My mind is racing, As it always will
Thoughts are frantically bouncing around, as they always do.


My hand's tired, my heart aches
Physically and emotionally exhausted.


I'm half a world away here
Physically distant from the person or place being thought about.


My head sworn, To go it alone
Determined to handle things independently, without help or support.


And hold it along, Haul it along, And hold it
To carry or manage something, potentially difficult or heavy, on one's own.


Go it alone, Hold it along and hold, hold
Repeating the determination to manage things independently.


Oh, lonely deep sit hollow
Feeling isolated and empty inside.


I'm half a world, Half the world away
Physically and emotionally distant from home, familiar surroundings, or loved ones.


My shoes are gone, My life spent
Having lost what one relies on to move forward and having expended resources, possibly foolishly.


I had too much to drink, I didn't think
Making poor decisions as a result of being under the influence and not using sound judgment.


And I didn't think of you
Regretful for not considering someone important.


I guess that's all I needed, To go it alone
Reflecting on the choices made that led to independence and isolation.


Blackbirds, backwards, forwards and fall and hold, hold
An enigmatic refrain that could suggest flight and freedom, or repetition and stagnation.


Oh, this lonely world is wasted
The world may be a lonely place, but it contains so much untapped potential.


Pathetic eyes high alive
Observing the beauty and vitality of life with a sense of longing or sadness.


Blind to the tide that turns the sea
Unaware of the larger forces at work that shape the world and its events.


This storm it came up strong, It shook the trees
A sudden and powerful event that caused upheaval and change.


And blew away our fear, I couldn't even hear
The fear was dispelled so quickly that it was barely felt or realized.


To go it alone, And hold it along, Haul it along, And hold it
Repeating the determination to handle things independently.


To go it alone, And hold it along, Haul
Continuing the theme of independence and self-reliance.


This could be the saddest dusk I've ever seen
A sad and poignant moment in time.


Turn to a miracle, High alive
Despite the sadness, there is hope and vitality to be found.


My mind is racing, As it always will
The constant buzz of thoughts and ideas.


My hands tired, my heart aches
Physical exhaustion and emotional pain.


I'm half a world away and go
Reiterating the distance and separation between the singer and the person or place being thought about.




Lyrics Š Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Michael Mills, Michael Stipe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@amendez1970

This could be the saddest dusk I’ve ever seen , turn into a miracle.

And my mind is racing, as it always will…

I had too much to drink , I didn’t think , I didn’t think of you

The storm that came up strong, that shook the trees and blew away our fear….

Really every single word of these lyrics masterpieces of poetry.

Thank you R.E.M.



@playa3214

This could be the saddest dusk
I've ever seen
Turn to a miracle
High alive
My mind is racing
As it always will
My hand is tired, my heart aches
I'm half a world away here
My head sworn
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
Go it alone
Hold it along and hold, hold
Oh, lonely deep sit hollow
I'm half a world
Half the world away
My shoes are gone
My life spent
I had too much to drink
I didn't think
And I didn't think of you
I guess that's all I needed
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
Blackbirds, backwards, forwards and fall and hold, hold
Oh, this lonely world is wasted
Pathetic eyes high alive
Blind to the tide that turns the sea
This storm it came up strong
It shook the trees
And blew away our fear
I couldn't even hear
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
Blackbirds, backwards, forwards, and fall and hold hold
This could be the saddest dusk
I've ever seen
Turn to a miracle
High alive
My mind is racing
As it always will
My hands tired, my heart aches
I'm half a world away and go



All comments from YouTube:

@lesteriosi6136

Coming from the finale of The bear and this song perfectly captured all the emotions in those last scenes. Beautiful song !!

@jessicaamberfreeman426

Bittersweet ending and his mom.... That was a lot right there too

@JaySpotTx

Probably my favorite use of a song as part of an ending since Fight Club's use of "Where is My Mind?". This just fit the entire mood perfectly.

@charlespiefer4244

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

@raymondhaden9982

I completely agree! It fit in perfectly with The Bear. First time hearing, amazing

@theoutlaw5806

​@@JaySpotTx
You read my mind 😂
Yep .. How music can be evoked through film is such a wonderful thing. It's inspirational ✨

24 More Replies...

@hinkel1980

R.E.M. thanks for being in my youth! i am 46 now and still feeling young when I listen to your music,thanks for it!

@d.a.thorndike8772

47 and still a listening fan!

@anitaray7383

@@d.a.thorndike8772 48 and still loving REM

@Macsimus75

You're not alone

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