E Bow The Letter
R.E.M. & Thom Yorke Lyrics

Look up, what do you see?
Consider your surroundings

All of you and all of me
Everyone together

Fluorescent and starry
Bright and grand

Some of them, they surprise
Unexpected things happen

The bus ride, I went to write this, 4:00 AM
Late-night/early-morning idea

This letter
The written communication

Fields of poppies, little pearls
Beautiful but dangerous things

All the boys and all the girls sweet-toothed
Everyone has a hunger for something

Each and every one a little scary
Everyone has a dark side

I said your name
Thoughts of a particular person

I wore it like a badge of teenage film stars
Trying to be like someone else

Hash bars, cherry mash and tinfoil tiaras
Different forms of indulgence

Dreaming of Maria Callas
Dreaming of greatness

Whoever she is
Lack of knowledge

This fame thing, I don't get it
Unable to understand the allure of celebrity

I wrap my hand in plastic to try to look through it
Trying to understand something by mimicking it

Maybelline eyes and girl-as-boy moves
Playing with gender norms

I can take you far
Believing in one's own potential

This star thing, I don't get it
Unable to understand the allure of celebrity

[Chorus]
Refrain

Aluminum, tastes like fear, there
A cheap and unappetizing feeling

Adrenaline, it pulls us near
Excitement can be addictive

Will you live to 83?
Wondering about the future

Will you ever welcome me?
Wishing to be accepted

Will you show me something that nobody else has seen?
Seeking unique experiences

Smoke it, drink
Indulging in vices

Here comes the flood
An overwhelming feeling is coming

Anything to thin the blood
Trying to reduce intensity of emotions

These corrosives do their magic slowly and sweet
Bad habits have a gradual but seductive effect

Phone, eat it, drink
Distracting oneself from reality

Just another chink
A small flaw

Cuts and dents, they catch the light
Imperfections are visible

Aluminum, the weakest link
The least strong element

I don't want to disappoint you
Not wanting to let others down

I'm not here to anoint you
Not seeking to elevate others

I would lick your feet
A sarcastic or ironic statement

But is that the sickest move?
Questioning what is considered inappropriate

I wear my own crown and sadness and sorrow
Taking ownership of one's emotions

And who'd have thought tomorrow could be so strange?
Uncertainty about the future

My loss, and here we go again
Experiencing another setback

[Chorus]
Refrain

I can't look it in the eyes
Avoiding confrontation or difficulty

Seconal, spanish fly, absinthe, kerosene
Poisonous or dangerous substances

Cherry-flavored neck and collar
Sensual or seductive elements

I can smell the sorrow on your breath
Recognizing someone's sadness

The sweat, the victory and sorrow
The range of human experience

The smell of fear, I got it
Detecting tension or anxiety

It pulls us near
Attracted to what we fear

I'll take you over
Offering help or support

Over, let me
Asking for assistance

There, there, there, baby, yeah
Encouraging words