All The Best
R.E.M. Lyrics
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So pie in my face
So talk to me
Tell me where to place these
In my Quasimodo heart
That's where I slipped and fell
I rang the church bell
Till my ears bled red blood cells
I think I'll sing it and rhyme
I'll give it one more time
I'll show the kids how to do it fine, fine, fine, fine
I hold the mirror off
You tell me what is what
You tell me which part of my story baby stuck, stuck, stuck
I'm in a part of your dreams
That you don't even understand
It's just like me to overstay my welcome men
Let's sing it and rhyme
Let's give it one more time
Let's show the kids how to do it fine, fine, fine, fine
Oh
I just have to get that off my chest
Now it's time to give with the best
All the best
All the best
All the best
All the best, best, best
It's just like me to overstay my welcome bless
Let's sing it and rhyme
Let's give it one more time
Let's show the kids how to do it fine, fine, fine, fine
Let's sing it and rhyme
Let's give it one more time
Let's show the kids how to do it fine, fine, fine, fine
The lyrics to R.E.M.'s "All The Best" suggest a feeling of self-reflection and a desire to show one's best effort. The singer is admitting to making mistakes and feeling foolish, as represented by the reference to a pie in the face. He's asking for guidance, wanting to know where to place his feelings in his heart.
The line "I'm in a part of your dreams that you don't even understand" is especially poignant, suggesting that the singer is hiding a part of himself that he doesn't fully understand or know how to express. The repetition of "fine, fine, fine" at the end of each verse feels both hopeful and desperate, as if attempting to convince himself that if he just tries harder, everything will work out.
The song as a whole seems to be about accepting one's own flaws but still striving to do better. The singer acknowledges his tendency to overstay his welcome, but also wants to give "all the best" and show others how to do the same.
Line by Line Meaning
So over me
I feel defeated or overwhelmed by something
So pie in my face
I feel embarrassed or humiliated
So talk to me
I need someone to talk to or confide in
Tell me where to place these
I need guidance or direction
In my Quasimodo heart
In my deformed or ugly heart
That's where I slipped and fell
That's where I made a mistake or failed
I rang the church bell
I tried to get people's attention or make a statement
Till my ears bled red blood cells
Until I suffered physically or emotionally from my efforts
I think I'll sing it and rhyme
I'll express myself creatively to make sense of my feelings
I'll give it one more time
I'll keep trying despite my past failures
I'll show the kids how to do it fine, fine, fine, fine
I'll set a good example for the next generation
I hold the mirror off
I'm taking a closer look at myself
You tell me what is what
You help me understand myself and my situation
You tell me which part of my story baby stuck, stuck, stuck
You help me see where I'm getting stuck or repeating the same mistakes
I'm in a part of your dreams
I'm part of your imagination or subconscious
That you don't even understand
That you're not aware of or don't fully comprehend
It's just like me to overstay my welcome men
I tend to stay too long and wear out my welcome
Let's give it one more time
Let's try again
Oh
Exclamation of emotion or emphasis
I just have to get that off my chest
I need to express how I'm feeling
Now it's time to give with the best
Now I want to do my best and be generous
All the best
Wishing someone the best of luck or success
Let's sing it and rhyme
Let's express ourselves creatively
Let's show the kids how to do it fine, fine, fine, fine
Let's set a good example for the next generation
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL MILLS, MICHAEL STIPE, MICHAEL E. MILLS, MICHAEL J. STIPE, PETER BUCK, PETER LAWRENCE BUCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ryuhza
For those that don't know, when making this album, REM got a bunch of directors to make videos for each song (Stipe directed one himself. Low budget sorts of things, but without any limitations or requirements. They didn't even need to be related to the song. So if the video to you seems weird, bad, or ill-fitting, there's your answer.
Mickey Lee Bukowski
Best song on the album
Mihailo Dragojevic
This is great! Love this coincidence, remember the red room! Great video Jim, didn't realise that many people never understood his work too bad for them they could enjoy more other than ordinary squares.
Antonio Torres
This is definitely a great video! KIt reminds me a lot to the "low" video way back in 1991. Very bizarre. R.E.M. is trying to capture that mood on some of this videos I mean, from the "out of time" era.
Antonio Torres
This is definitely a great video! It reminds me a lot to the "low" video way back in 1991. Very bizarre. R.E.M. is trying to capture that mood on some of this videos I mean, from the "out of time" era.
Derek Pogreba-Moore
Digging the creativity :-)
chris soldatos
R.E.M. ...RIP..31 years is a long time.
pansatyrson
@nueve08 Yeah, James Herbert directed "Low" and several others for them. If you grab up any of REM's early video collections on VHS (Succumbs, Parellel, etc.), his name comes up time and again. Glad to see he's still kickin' around!
Will McConnell
You see that's why I loved this band. What a fuckin bonkers video.
Philocognition
absolute creative freedom dig!