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Letter Never Sent
R.E.M. Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's been pretty simple so far
Vacation in Athens is calling me
And knock, knock, knock on wood
I thought I'd left you behind

Heaven is yours
Heaven is yours
Heaven is yours, where I live

The thought of the catacombs
Left my soul at home
This letter never sent

And it's so far, it's so dark, I'm so lost

Heaven is yours
(Another story)
Heaven is yours
(Another story for a while)
Heaven is yours, where I live
(Someone show me)

When I'm moving too fast
Where's my new address?
The water is evening now
The catacombs are filling in
If my soul was made of stone
No, not, not so dark, dark

And it's so far, it's so dark, I'm so lost
And it's so far, it's so far, it's so far

Heaven is yours
(Another story)
Heaven is yours
(Another story for a while)
Heaven is yours, where I live
(Someone show me)
Heaven is yours
(Another story)
Heaven is yours
(Another story for a while)
Heaven is yours, where I live
(Someone show me)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of R.E.M.'s "Letter Never Sent" are a bit cryptic, but they describe a person who is feeling lost and unsure of their place in the world. They start out by talking about how they've been on vacation in Athens, and how they thought they had left something behind, but they're not sure what. Then they mention the idea of heaven and how it belongs to someone else. They feel like they're missing something and can't find their way.


The line "the thought of the catacombs left my soul at home" is especially interesting because it creates a sense of unease and mystery. The catacombs might represent death or the unknown, or they might just be a metaphor for feeling lost and disoriented. The singer of the song never sent the letter that they're writing, which only adds to the feeling of uncertainty.


The repeated line "heaven is yours, where I live" is both haunting and confusing. It's not clear who the "you" is who owns heaven, or what it means to live there. The singer seems to be asking for someone to show them where they belong, or what they should be doing. The song ends with a repetition of the same lines, as if the singer is still searching for answers.


Overall, "Letter Never Sent" is a song about feeling lost and alienated from the world. The lyrics and the music combine to create a sense of unease and confusion, and the repeated phrases and cryptic images only add to the mystery.


Line by Line Meaning

It's been pretty simple so far
Things have been uncomplicated up until this point


Vacation in Athens is calling me
I have a strong desire to take a vacation in Athens


And knock, knock, knock on wood
Expressing a hope that something will happen successfully


I thought I'd left you behind
I believed that I had moved on from you


Heaven is yours
You have everything you could ever want


The thought of the catacombs
Reflecting on the idea of going to the underground tombs


Left my soul at home
The thought made me feel uneasy


This letter never sent
I never sent this letter


And it's so far, it's so dark, I'm so lost
Feeling distant and uncertain about the future


Heaven is yours
You have everything you could ever want


(Another story)
A completely different narrative


(Another story for a while)
A different narrative for a short period of time


Heaven is yours, where I live
You live in a place where you have everything you could ever want


(Someone show me)
Asking for guidance or help


When I'm moving too fast
When I'm progressing too quickly


Where's my new address?
Where am I heading next?


The water is evening now
The water is becoming calm now


The catacombs are filling in
The underground tombs are becoming blocked off


If my soul was made of stone
If I was unfeeling


No, not, not so dark, dark
It's not that dark




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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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