Blue
R.E.M. Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sometimes I feel so happy
Sometimes I feel so sad
Sometimes I feel just about everything
Lately I'm just feeling bad
Lately I'm just feeling bad

Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes

I thought of you as my mountain top
I thought of you as my peak
I thought of you as just about everything
I had, but couldn't keep
I had, but couldn't keep

Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes

Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes




Linger on your pale blue eyes
Linger on your pale blue eyes

Overall Meaning

R.E.M. is known for their masterful lyricism, and "Pale Blue Eyes" is a perfect example of that. The song begins with a contemplative note about the ups and downs of life, and how feelings can swing wildly from joy to sadness. The singer seems to be in a lull in the present time, feeling lost and downcast. The repetition of the line "Lately I'm just feeling bad" only emphasizes this point.


However, the true meaning of the song comes in during the chorus, with the line "Linger on your pale blue eyes." While it is unclear who's pale blue eyes are being referred to, it's likely that the singer is referring to a past love. The next stanza confirms this, as the singer thinks back on this person as a "mountain top" and "peak," someone who was once everything to them. However, they also couldn't keep this person, and are left with only memories.


The chorus repeats once again, indicating that the singer is stuck in the past, obsessing over their lost love. The overall mood of the song is one of melancholy, with the slow, almost haunting melody contributing to the somber feelings expressed in the lyrics.


Line by Line Meaning

Sometimes I feel so happy
Occasionally, I experience joy


Sometimes I feel so sad
Occasionally, I experience sadness


Sometimes I feel just about everything
Occasionally, I am overwhelmed with emotions


Lately I'm just feeling bad
Recently, I have been feeling distressed


Linger on your pale blue eyes
Take time to reminisce about your blue-colored eyes


I thought of you as my mountain top
I viewed you as my pinnacle


I thought of you as my peak
I regarded you as my highest point


I thought of you as just about everything
I saw you as almost everything


I had, but couldn't keep
Although I possessed you for a while, I couldn't hold onto you


Linger on your pale blue eyes
Spend some time reminiscing about your pale blue eyes




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lou Reed

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

Marianna Lester

Eu amo essa música 👉 20:23 hermosa elección 4.fo/AVALYNN687

15:55 Setacy:
''Hyper''
11:12 Sun:
''Hotter''
11:12 Hopi:
''Sweeter''
00:18 Joonie:
''Cooler''
18:00 Yoongi:
''Butter''
15:55 Amoy:
''Monks''
Son unos
delos mejores conciertos
Я обожаю этот ремейк. Такой красивый клип,танец,аутфиты и мои любимые девочки



caninemessiah

What a fun song, and challenging decision to not reveal the lyrics.  It's been fun trying to make sense of the lyrics, and reading the various interpretations on the web.  So here is my take on the lyrics - honestly the lines that Patti sings are some of the most challenging for me...  :*)

BLUE

 I got a circus life; the stakes broken amongst useless mud
The ties that bind, ha ha
I can be bad poet, street poet, shiv poet, kind poet too

Subway, Almost 4AM Halloween…
I’ve had enough to drink to make my own party
All my fellow riders in half costume, half asleep, half silly, gone to seed

I… don't mark my time with dates, holidays, fate or some… luck, karma or whatever’s... convenient

I am made by my times.  I am a creation of Now shaken with the cracks and crevices.
I'm not giving up easy.  I will not fold.  I don't have much but what I have is gold.

{I saw your face...}

I sing in platinum.  I dress in brass.  I eat in zinc.  Let it pass.

Campari toast?  I like that.
I understand courage
I so roil with the shout of a cab driver’s attitude today
I try to see outside myself
I understand the eyes
Excuse all the highs.  Sorry.  I am sorry.  Ha ha

I like you, love you, every coast of you.
I've seen your eddies and tides and hurricanes and cyclones.
Low ebb tide and high full moon.  Up close and distant. 
I read you like the sky, the sea, the ocean, the sun, the moon.
Blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue blue, blue, blue, blue, blue.
Naked and blue.

Breathing with you. Touch. Change. Shift. Allow air.
Window open. Drift. Drift away. Into now.

I want Whitman proud. Patti Lee proud. My mother is proud. My sister is proud.
I want me. I want it all. I want sensational. Irresistible.

This is my time and I am thrilled to be alive. Living. And Blessed. I understand.
Twentieth century: Collapse Into Now

{Cinderella boy: You've lost your shoe
Cinderella boy: your coach a waste

A sun made shadows all over your face
As you sit…  naked and blue
Into you.}



Fernando Aguilera

I am made by my times
I am a creation of now
Shaken with the cracks and crevices
I'm not giving up easy
I will not fold
I don't have much
But what I have is gold

Songwriters: Peter Buck / Michael Mills / Michael Stipe / Patti Smith



Janet Watson

16:15 Hermosa elección 😘 likeex.Uno de los mejores conciertos ❤
❤Asi con toy y sus mañas no se la




20:22 Amor: "Momentos"
40:24 Alfiora: "Preety"
10:21 Yoongi: "Butter"
10:20 Senada: "Hermoso"
​30:20 Megan: "Hotter"
40:30 Hopi: "Sweeter"
50:26 Alana: "Awesome"
21:22 Belleza doops
20:20 Joonie: "Cooler" uc72🌹♀💯








25:20 Son unos de los mejores conciertos, no puede ir pero de tan solo verlos desde pantalla, se que estuvo sorprendente 🖤
17:50 Son unos de los mejores conciertos 🖤



Dimitra Palikuća

Yellow circus left the stakes a broken ropes world's useless mug
The ties that bind, ha ha
I can be bad poet
Street poet
Shit poet
Kind poet too

Subway
Almost 4AM
Halloween night
Had enough to drink to make my own party
All my fellow writers in half costume, half asleep
Half silly, gone to seed

I don't mark my time with dates, holidays, faded wisdom, locked karma holders
Convenient

I am made by my times
I am a creation of now
Shaken with the cracks and crevices
I'm not giving up easy
I will not fold
I don't have much
But what I have is gold

I saw your face...

I sing in platinum
I dress in brass
I eat in zinc
Let it pass

Compare a toast
I like that
I understand courage
I still roll with the shout of a character I was married to today
I try to see outside myself
I understand the eyes
Excuse all the highs
Sorry
I am sorry
Ha ha

I like you, love you, every coast of you.
I've seen your eddies and tides and hurricanes and cyclones.
Low ebb tide and high, full moon.
Up close and distant.
I read you.
Look, the sky, the sea, the ocean, the sun, the moon.
Blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue blue, blue, blue, blue, blue.
Naked and blue.

Breathing with you. Touch. Change. Shift. Allow air. Window open. Drift. Drift away. Into now.

I want Whitman proud. Patti Lee proud. My brothers proud. My sisters proud. I want me. I want it all. I want sensational. Irresistible.

This is my time and I am thrilled to be alive.

Living. Blessed. I understand.

Twentieth century:
Collapse Into Now

Cinderella boy
You've lost your shoe

Cinderella boy
Your coach awaits

A sun makes shadows
All over your face
As you sit
Naked and blue
Into me



Ignácius Dvorský

Yellow circus left the stakes of broken ropes, useless mud
The ties that bind, ha ha
I can be bad poet
Street poet, shit poet
Kind poet too
Subway, almost 4AM
Halloween night
Had enough to drink to make my own party
All my fellow riders in half costume, half asleep
Half silly, gone to seed
I don't mark my time with dates, holidays, fate, wisdom, luck, karma, or whatever's
Convenient. I am made by my times
I am a creation of now
Shaken with the cracks and crevices
I'm not giving up easy
I will not fold
I don't have much
But what I have is gold

(I saw your face)
I sing in platinum, I dress in brass (Good, lifting snow)
I eat a zinc. Let it pass
Compare a toast. I like that
I understand courage (Ever lifting smoke)
I still roll with the shout of a cab driver's attitude today
I try to see outside myself
I understand the eyes
Excuse all the highs
Sorry, I am sorry. Ha ha
(Boy of the moon)

I like you, love you, every coast of you (I'm not your face)
I've seen your eddies and tides and hurricanes and cyclones
Low ebb tide and high, full moon
Up close and distant, I read you
Like the sky, the sea, the ocean, the sun, the moon
Blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue
Naked and blue (Naked and blue)
Breathing with you. Touch. Change. Shift. Allow air. Window open. Drift. Drift away. Into now (Revenge you)
I want Whitman proud. Patti Lee proud. My brothers proud
My sisters proud. I want me. I want it all. I want sensational. Irresistible
This is my time and I am thrilled to be alive
Living. Blessed. I understand
Twentieth century, collapse, into now

Cinderella boy, you've lost your shoe
Cinderella boy, your coach awaits
A sun makes shadows all over your face
As you sit naked and blue into me



Cris

Yellow circus left the stakes a broken ropes world’s useless mug
The ties that bind, ha ha
I can be bad poet
Street poet
Shit poet
Kind poet too

Subway
Almost 4AM
Halloween night
Had enough to drink to make my own party
All my fellow writers in half costume, half asleep
Half silly, gone to seed

I don’t mark my time with dates, holidays, faded wisdom, locked karma holders
Convenient

I am made by my times
I am a creation of now
Shaken with the cracks and crevices
I’m not giving up easy
I will not fold
I don’t have much
But what I have is gold

I saw your face…

I sing in platinum
I dress in brass
I eat in zinc
Let it pass

Compare a toast
I like that
I understand courage
I still roll with the shout of a character I was married to today
I try to see outside myself
I understand the eyes
Excuse all the highs
Sorry
I am sorry
Ha ha

I like you, love you, every coast of you.
I’ve seen your eddies and tides and hurricanes and cyclones.
Low ebb tide and high, full moon.
Up close and distant.
I read you.
Look, the sky, the sea, the ocean, the sun, the moon.
Blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue, blue blue, blue, blue, blue, blue.
Naked and blue.

Breathing with you. Touch. Change. Shift. Allow air. Window open. Drift. Drift away. Into now.

I want Whitman proud. Patti Lee proud. My brothers proud. My sisters proud. I want me. I want it all. I want sensational. Irresistible.

This is my time and I am thrilled to be alive.

Living. Blessed. I understand.

Twentieth century:
Collapse Into Now

Cinderella boy
You’ve lost your shoe

Cinderella boy
Your coach awaits

A sun makes shadows
All over your face
As you sit
Naked and blue
Into me



All comments from YouTube:

Marianna Lester

Eu amo essa música 👉 20:23 hermosa elección 4.fo/AVALYNN687

15:55 Setacy:
''Hyper''
11:12 Sun:
''Hotter''
11:12 Hopi:
''Sweeter''
00:18 Joonie:
''Cooler''
18:00 Yoongi:
''Butter''
15:55 Amoy:
''Monks''
Son unos
delos mejores conciertos
Я обожаю этот ремейк. Такой красивый клип,танец,аутфиты и мои любимые девочки

Mark C.

Love Stipe's spoken lyrics. Awesome!

JohnnieA

What a great job REM did with this album, amazing all the way through. This song is a great footnote to the whole thing, as many of their album closers are and to their career.

Tinku Nishad

So

Tinku Nishad

Tv

mohd Rashid

@Rohit 8488 .

Rohit 8488

B
B

Viviane Silveira Paiva

Amo essa banda!!!!

UglyPrimadonna

The last track on their last studio album. Gives me goosebumps every time Patti Smith joins with her vocals. Such a fitting end to to REMs great career! I will always love your music guys

Gumna Raikwar.maatol

पू

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