Loosing my religion
147. Rem Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, life is bigger
It's bigger
Than you and you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I've said too much
I set it up

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no, I've said too much
I haven't said enough

I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

Every whisper
Of every waking hour
I'm choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool, fool
Oh no, I've said too much
I set it up

Consider this
Consider this
The hint of the century
Consider this
The slip that brought me
To my knees, failed
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around?
Now I've said too much

I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no, I've said too much
I haven't said enough

I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream
Try, cry
Why try?

That was just a dream, just a dream, just a dream
Dream

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to R.E.M's song "Losing My Religion" are full of vivid imagery and rich metaphorical language, but can be a bit confusing when taken at face value. The song is essentially about unrequited love or infatuation that is causing the singer to feel like he is losing his grip on reality. The opening lines, "Oh, life is bigger, it's bigger than you and you are not me," suggest a sense of overwhelming scope, and the lengths he will go to and the distance he perceives in the other person's eyes bely his desperation to make a connection.

The chorus - "That's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight, losing my religion" - is a reference to an expression in the American South meaning to be at the end of one's rope or feeling desperate, but the phrase "losing my religion" is meant more in the sense of "losing my cool" or "losing control" rather than literally losing faith. The lines "Trying to keep up with you, and I don't know if I can do it. Oh no, I've said too much, I haven't said enough" suggest his frustration and anxiety about winning someone's affection or attention, and the need to hide his true feelings.

The bridge of the song is a bit abstract, but the lines "Consider this the hint of the century" and "Consider this the slip that brought me to my knees" suggest that the infatuation or unrequited love he is experiencing is something that has been building up for a long time and is now at a tipping point. The closing lines, "That was just a dream, just a dream, just a dream" underscore the idea that the singer is struggling to come to terms with the reality of the situation and may be in denial.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, life is bigger
Life is vast and infinite.

It's bigger
It goes beyond what our minds can comprehend.

Than you and you are not me
Each person has their own unique experiences and perspectives.

The lengths that I will go to
I am willing to go to great lengths for someone or something.

The distance in your eyes
I sense a disconnect or emotional distance in our relationship.

Oh no, I've said too much
I fear I have revealed too much about myself or our situation.

I set it up
I created this situation or dynamic.

That's me in the corner
I feel isolated or alone.

That's me in the spotlight
I am under a lot of scrutiny or pressure.

Losing my religion
I am losing my grip on what I once believed.

Trying to keep up with you
I am struggling to meet your expectations or keep pace with you.

And I don't know if I can do it
I am unsure if I am capable of meeting those expectations.

I haven't said enough
I am still holding back or not fully expressing myself.

I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that you were happy or satisfied.

I thought that I heard you sing
I thought that you were content with how things were.

I think I thought I saw you try
I believed that you were making an effort to understand me.

Every whisper
Every thought or feeling.

Of every waking hour
All the time that I am conscious and alert.

I'm choosing my confessions
I am carefully deciding what to reveal about myself.

Like a hurt lost and blinded fool, fool
I am feeling vulnerable and foolish for being so open and exposed.

Consider this
Think about this.

The hint of the century
This is a very important clue or insight.

Consider this
Think about this.

The slip that brought me
The mistake that caused my downfall.

To my knees, failed
I am feeling defeated and helpless.

What if all these fantasies
What if all my hopes and dreams.

Come flailing around?
End up being pointless or misguided?

Now I've said too much
I am regretting revealing so much about myself.

But that was just a dream
The way I thought things were was not reality.

That was just a dream
It was a figment of my imagination.