Much of the song was written by drummer Bill Berry, although as R.E.M. shares songwriting credits among its members, it is unknown how much he actually wrote. Berry did not drum on the song — a Univox drum machine took his place — but he was responsible for the sampling of the drum pattern on the track. The string arrangement was written by Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.
In the liner notes of the album In Time - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003, Peter Buck writes that "the reason the lyrics are so atypically straightforward is because it was aimed at teenagers", and "I've never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but the idea that high school is a portal to hell seems pretty realistic to me." Incidentally, the song was used in the 1992 film of the same name that preceded the show.
In the video for the song, directed by Jake Scott and filmed along I-10 in San Antonio, Texas, the band is stuck in a traffic jam. It shows the people in other cars and subtitles of their thoughts appear on screen. At the end, all the people leave their cars and walk instead; they then vanish.
In 1995, British emotional support listening service The Samaritans, in response to the high suicide rate but low crisis service take-up amongst young men, launched a UK press advertising campaign consisting solely of the lyrics to "Everybody Hurts" and the charity's hotline number.
The song was placed on R.E.M.'s Warner Brothers "best of" album In Time - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 in 2003. It was one of four songs from Automatic for the People to make the compilation, more than from any other album.
In a 2006 poll for a Five program "Britain's Favourite Break-up Songs", "Everybody Hurts" was voted 4th.
In October 2007, MuchMoreMusic placed "Everybody Hurts" as number 5 of the Top 40 Most Memorable Music Videos on "Listed".
The song is included on R.E.M. Live.
Everybody Hurts
R.E.M. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the night
The night is yours alone
When you're sure you've had enough
Of this life
Well, hang on
Don't let yourself go
And everybody hurts sometimes
Sometimes everything is wrong
Now it's time to sing along
When your day is night alone (hold on)
(Hold on) if you feel like letting go (hold on)
If you think you've had too much
Of this life
Well, hang on
'Cause everybody hurts
Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts
Don't throw your hand
Oh, no
Don't throw your hand
If you feel like you're alone
No, no, no, you're not alone
If you're on your own
In this life
The days and nights are long
When you think you've had too much
Of this life
To hang on
Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody cries
And everybody hurts sometimes
And everybody hurts sometimes
So hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Everybody hurts
No, no, no, no, no
You are not alone
The opening lines of R.E.M.’s song, “Everybody Hurts” convey the idea that life can be overwhelming and you might want to give up when things are at their worst. But the key message of the song is “hold on”. The singer urges the listener to remember that everybody hurts and feels pain at some point in life; it's a universal experience. In the chorus, he reassures the listener that they are not alone in their struggle, everyone gets knocked down at some point. The song encourages people to stay strong and find strength in their friends and loved ones, instead of giving up and letting go.
The lyrics of “Everybody Hurts” resonate with many people because they are true to life. The song has a healing quality that speaks to listeners in a way that feels empathetic and comforting. The repetition of the line “hold on” in the chorus provides a simple mantra that can help people to stay hopeful in difficult times. The song is a powerful reminder that it is perfectly normal to experience pain and hurt, and it's important to remember that sometimes it's okay to simply be vulnerable and ask for help.
Line by Line Meaning
When your day is long
When you are having a difficult and tiring day
And the night
And when the night comes
The night is yours alone
You feel alone during the night
When you're sure you've had enough
When you feel like you cannot handle any more
Of this life
Of your current situation and life circumstances
Well hang on
Take a moment and hold on
Don't let yourself go
Do not give up
'Cause everybody cries
Because everyone experiences sadness and crying
And everybody hurts sometimes
Everyone has moments of pain and hardship
Sometimes everything is wrong
At times, life feels entirely wrong and unfair
Now it's time to sing along
But there is comfort in the music and singing along
When your day is night alone (hold on)
When you feel isolated and sad at night (hold on)
(Hold on) if you feel like letting go (hold on)
If you feel like giving up or losing hope (hold on)
If you think you've had too much
If you feel overwhelmed
Don't throw your hand
Do not give up or surrender
Oh, no
It's not worth it
If you feel like you're alone
If you feel lonely
No, no, no, you're not alone
Remember that you are not alone
If you're on your own
If you are alone and without support
In this life
In this life you are living
The days and nights are long
The days and nights feel never-ending
To hang on
Hold on, even when it seems impossible
Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Everyone experiences pain and hardship
And everybody hurts sometimes
Repeated to reinforce that everyone experiences pain and hardship
So, hold on, hold on
So hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Repeated to reinforce to hold on
Hold on, hold on
Repeated to reinforce to hold on
Hold on, hold on
Repeated to reinforce to hold on
Everybody hurts
Everyone has moments of pain and hardship
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: William Thomas Berry, Peter Lawrence Buck, Michael E. Mills, John Michael Stipe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@theharshtruthoutthere
@@silvermoondrops
lets analyse the nonsense /lies many amongst you believe in:
lie: schools are of use (fact. schools keep slavery alive and stands for dumbing down the population of mankind)
lie: moon and mars landings, (fact: even masons know they cannot leave)
lie: news channels share truth (fact: these are for politic propaganda)
lie: money has a value of its own (fact: it is just a tool of this world, which value has been agreed upon world wide)
lie: NASA lies (globe and all....) (fact: NASA stands for to deceive) - you havn´t searched - have you?
lie: the lgbtq++++ propaganda (fact: it is a part of masonry depopulation agenda, 500 000 000 souls, thats their goal.)
lie: Evolution and the dinosaurs. (fact: mankind is not hybrid kind)
to keep stating that there was an evolution, then we ain´t humans, we aint then mankind, we are then hybrids.
Lie: holidays (xmas, halloween, new year eve and so on) (fact: PAGAN HOLIDAYS, to praise BAAL, the god of this world)
lie: U.F.Os (fact: they are demons/evil spirits in high places, against whom we fight daily = spiritual warfare)
lie: rules and laws rule the world (fact: signs and symbols of masonry do)
10 lies, should i go on?
@stormseun
When your day is long
And the night, the night is yours alone
When you're sure you've had enough
Of this life, well hang on
Don't let yourself go
'Cause everybody cries
Everybody hurts sometimes
Sometimes everything is wrong
Now it's time to sing along
When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)
If you feel like letting go (hold on)
If you think you've had too much
Of this life, well hang on
'Cause everybody hurts
Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts
Don't throw your hand, oh no
Don't throw your hand
If you feel like you're alone
No, no, no, you are not alone
If you're on your own in this life
The days and nights are long
When you think you've had too much
Of this life to hang on
Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody cries
Everybody hurts, sometimes
And everybody hurts sometimes
So hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on, hold on
Everybody hurts
@YouTubeWatcher-ip4cm
I'm disabled and have anxiety and depression. I have no friends and no romantic partner, and I am struggling to find a job. Frankly, I'm finding it very difficult to keep hanging on and still have hope that things will get better. Sending my love to anyone who might feel the same way ❤
@AstridVanderwal-ds6yn
Yeaaaa
@greatexpectations6577
I am sorry dear. Life can be so difficult. I have been there and the solution is to find strength in yourself.
@joycememory
I’m sorry friend, how old are you and do you have any customer service background?
@iTzGrunge
I'll be your friend. Please find the light and stay bright for me Friend
@Boardonthekeyboard
I’m sorry you’re going through this. I’m in a similar situation, I’m disabled and struggling to find work. Every day feels like I’m living the same nightmare and I wish I could just fall asleep and never wake up. They say that everything in life is temporary and that’s where I keep finding the strength to hang on. I hope things get better for you. ❤
@michaelholtzman1463
I’m reading the comments with tears running down my face. So much pain and loss. Sending you all positive thoughts and I’m so sorry for your suffering! I’m glad you have each other here!
@edwardkaminsky8142
Same here Michael. 61 and I hurt but nothing like what I read. I am blessed.
@michaelholtzman1463
@@edwardkaminsky8142 I’m 60! lol and I feel the same way. Especially after reading the pain of others here.
@ekhimari
REM saved so many lives with this song including mine. People think it's a song of sadness but it's a song of strength and seeing the next sunrise. ♡