These Days
R.E.M. [IRS] Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm not feeding off you, I will rearrange your scales
If I can, and I can
March into the ocean, march into the sea, had a hat
I put it down and it sunk, reached down
Yanked it up, slapped it on my head

All the people gather
Fly to carry each his burden, we are young despite the years

We are concerned, we are hope despite the times
All of a sudden, these days, happy throngs, take this joy
Wherever, wherever

I wish to eat each one of you, and you, me, you
If I can, and I can
We have many things in common, name three (three, three, three)
I had a hat and it sunk, reached down
Yanked it up, slapped it on my head

All the people gather
Fly to carry each his burden, we are young despite the years
We are concerned, we are hope despite the times
All of a sudden, these days, happy throngs, take this joy
Wherever, wherever you go

And I'm not feeding off you, I will rearrange your scales
If I can, and I can
I wish to eat each one of you, and you, me, you
I had a hat and it sunk, reached down
Yanked it up, slapped it on my head

All the people gather
Fly to carry each his burden, we are young despite the years
We are concerned, we are hope despite the times
All of a sudden, these days, happy throngs, take this joy
Wherever, wherever you
Carry each his burden, we are young despite the years
We are concerned, we are hope despite the times

All of a sudden, these days, happy throngs, take this joy
Wherever, wherever you go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "These Days" by R.E.M. are open to interpretation, but some possible explanations are that the song is about the power of individual agency, the search for happiness, and the need to come together as a community.

The first verse suggests a rejection of dependence on others and a desire to change the status quo. The imagery of rearranging someone's scales suggests a desire to alter their perspective or challenge their assumptions. The second half of the verse presents a strange sequence of events - marching into the ocean, losing and retrieving a hat - that could be interpreted as both nonsensical and liberating. The chorus embraces the idea of community, suggesting that we can all support each other and find joy in difficult times. The repetition of the phrase "all the people gather" reinforces the idea of collective action, while the line "fly to carry each his burden" suggests the strength that can be found in partnership. The final verse repeats the same ideas about individual agency and the desire for connection, with the additional line "I wish to eat each one of you, and you, me, you" that could be interpreted as a provocative metaphor or simply a statement of reciprocity.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm not feeding off you, I will rearrange your scales
I'm not trying to take advantage of you, but I might try to change your perspective or way of thinking

If I can, and I can
I have the ability and intention to make changes

March into the ocean, march into the sea, had a hat
I went for a walk by the water and had a hat with me

I put it down and it sunk, reached down
I accidentally dropped my hat and had to reach down to retrieve it

Yanked it up, slapped it on my head
I quickly pulled the hat up and put it back on my head

All the people gather
Everyone comes together

Fly to carry each his burden, we are young despite the years
We work together to support and help each other, even though we may be inexperienced or naive

We are concerned, we are hope despite the times
Despite difficult circumstances, we still care and have optimism

All of a sudden, these days, happy throngs, take this joy
Recently, everyone is suddenly happy and excited, spreading joy everywhere

Wherever, wherever you go
No matter where you go

I wish to eat each one of you, and you, me, you
I have a deep desire to connect with and understand others, even if it means exchanging roles

We have many things in common, name three (three, three, three)
We share many similarities and could easily list three examples

Carry each his burden, we are young despite the years
We help each other and don't let age become a barrier to support

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group
Written by: John Michael Stipe, Michael E. Mills, Peter Lawrence Buck, William Thomas Berry

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Roiy Benkel

5y↑16

Now I'm not feeding off you, I will rearrange your scales
If I can, and I can
March into the ocean, march into the sea

I had a hat I put it down and it sunk, reached down,
yanked it up, slapped it on my head
All the people gather
Fly to carry each his burden
We are young despite the years we are concern
We are hope despite the times
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever....

I wish to meet each one of you
And you, me, you, if I can and I can
We have many things in common, name three (three, three, three)

I had a hat and it sunk, reached down,
yanked it up, slapped it on my head
All the people gather
Fly to carry each his burden
We are young despite the years we are concern
We are hope despite the times
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever you go.

Now I'm not feeding off you I will rearrange your scales
If I can and I can
I wish to eat each one of you and you, me, you

I had a hat and it sunk, reached down,
yanked it up, slapped it on my head
All the people gather
Fly to carry each his burden
We are young despite the years we are concern
We are hope despite the times
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever you...
carry each his burden
We are young despite the years we are concern
We are hope despite the times
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever you go.
(Take away the scattered bones of my meal)

zzGRENDELzz

7y↑1

Now I'm not feeding off you I will rearrange your scales
If I can and I can
March into the ocean march into the sea

I had a hat I put it down and it sunk reached down
Yanked it up slapped it on my head
All the people gather
Fly to carry each his burden
We are young despite the years we are concern
We are hope despite the times
All of the sudden these days
Happy throngs take this joy wherever wherever

I wish to meet each one of you
And you, me, you, if I can and I can
We have many things in common, name three (three, three, three)

I had a hat and it sunk, reached down,
Yanked it up, slapped it on my head
All the people gather
Fly to carry each his burden
We are young despite the years we are concern
We are hope despite the times
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever you go.

Now I'm not feeding off you I will rearrange your scales
If I can and I can
I wish to eat each one of you and you, me, you

I had a hat and it sunk, reached down,
Yanked it up, slapped it on my head
All the people gather
Fly to carry each his burden
We are young despite the years we are concern
We are hope despite the times
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever you

Carry each his burden
We are young despite the years we are concern
We are hope despite the times
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever you go.
(Take away the scattered bones of my meal)

All comments from YouTube:

brad mccrorey

4y↑13

This music makes me feel young in a way nothing else can. I love this band so much.

Robert Darling

8y↑110

This song and Begin the Begin are the best one-two punch in rock history!

Dick Flinghammer

@Marc Domicello WHY YES...😜

sandi bergen

Marc Domicello agreed 🔥

sandi bergen

usmcfutball i agree 🤘🔥💯

sandi bergen

Absolutely 💯 agreed!!! Love them🔥🔥🔥

Mark C

5y↑8

1,2,3,4 - because Cuyahoga rocks as well.

4 More Replies...

Antonio Gramsci

8y↑46

Probably the best rock song ever written, if you examine it structurally, the way they use the bridge to lull you into a kind sleep and then just blow doors for the rest of the thing. And the lyric "If I can, AND I CAN" is so badass

Edward Bury

8y↑9

Decades after this song came out, I'm still moved by the emotion. Not sure what happened to my LP version of "Lifes Rich Pagent." These guys made it cool for a lot of bands to follow.

William Harker

Yeah, fuckin tears..... Deep thoughts.

stoneage1971

4y↑5

Best REM album, no contest..love this song 🎤🥁🎸

John Smith

11y↑13

Lifes Rich Pageant is one of the best albums of the 80s!! Such an excellent album.

Joel Shields

6y↑1

I think it was the fullest realization of their original sound. Document was the point at which they started tinkering with the original formula, and deliberately worked against "sounding like R.E.M." in the records through Automatic for the People. I love Automatic and LRP equally well, but for very different reasons. They became a new band, particularly after going to Warner Brothers, but equally fantastic. They knew they didn't have 30 years of jangly guitar/bass/drums pop songs in them, so they evolved. And I'm thankful they did.

caballo sin nombre

Yeh- their best rocker for sure.

Barry Sullivan

Loved the uni brow BB

Barry Sullivan

6y↑1

Their are 3 main points to the upcoming song,u will be quizzed on the way out of the auditorium!¡!

trfesok

7y↑2

I think that it's their BEST album, although I guess that's a minority opinion. They had so many great ones.

Roiy Benkel

5y↑16

William Harker

Thanks fuck yes!!!

georgeharrison70

11y↑8

Lifes Rich Pageant is underrated, in some ways. After all, this album was left out of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums list TWICE. Additionally, Lifes Rich Pageant doesn't show up in many "best albums ever" lists. Also, Acclaimed Music(which has the most recommended singles and albums ever) lists the overall rank of Lifes Rich Pageant at #703 out of 3,000.

Barry Sullivan

6y↑9

Pageant takes you on a 45 minute dream sequence where Michael's lyrics are just beginning to flourish and Bucks guitar is just warming up for what's to come!!⏰

Gordon Grant

Huh?

oldwindsorblues

7y↑21

1986 I was serving in the army... Me and my "shipmate & Radio Centofiori DJ" Marcello loved this song and of course the whole album with passion... R.E.M. one of the best groups ever!!!

Riley Mcintosh

6y↑1

oldwindsorblues true that

Tom Steinert

7y↑49

Best American band of all time.

Jacob Floyd

Just my opinion, but I think they're the greatest band of all time. I love all their work. They always stayed fresh, never sold out, and ended it with grace. My favorite band.

James Menzies

@Tom Steinert Like you they are still one of my top 5 favourite bands for their 80s work alone and am reacquainting myself with their past work after an absence. I will gave their later albums a listen as I may begin to like them!

Tom Steinert

3y↑1

@James Menzies that’s all very fair. I still consider them one of the best 80s bands at least and I also have Murmur and Fables in my Top 5 from the band.

James Menzies

3y↑1

@Tom Steinert Not a big fan of Out of Time to be honest though Automatic is a great record. Top 3 for me are Murmur, Fables and Reckoning in that order and not much between Life's Rich, Document and Green which I also think are really good. I was a massive fan of REM in the 80s but in the 90s onwards found their work disappointing to put it mildly compared to previous works with the exception of Automatic. Just my opinion.

Tom Steinert

@James Menzies they definitely trailed off in the mid to late 90s but I still think Out of Time and Automatic for the People are upper tier for the band.

4 More Replies...

BettinaBalser

8y↑18

My favorite track from my favorite REM album.

KhanadaDragon

It was all downhill after this. They had a few moments but nothing like this

Matt Naylor

You can hear the enthusiasm in his voice, it’s awesome.

Mark Daniels

6y↑1

Favorite track on this album, and one of my faves from their whole catalog.

magsyboy63

Pure passion! My motto for life is "Passion not Fashion". This song sums that up. Not just the lyrics but the whole vibe. Love it!

lyonslaforet

13y↑2

An exciting song and one of the many highlights on the Lifes Rich Pageant album!

Ben Park

13y↑1

one of my very favorite REM songs!!

prospero

5y↑1

One of the best albums....all time.....period

TheEamoB

5y↑9

Begin the Begin/These Days/Fall On Me/Cuyuhoga - best four song opening to an album ever!

Steve Ford

Hard to argue with that! Fall On Me in particular.

Super serial

6y↑8

No more music like this these days :(

amgk11

13y↑1

esta cancion es la cancion que mas me ha gustado en mi vida.

Mark Senior

4y↑2

The song that got me into REM. Miss them

yocornucopio

Another level production on this album

Joel Shields

6y↑2

I got a 4 track cassette recorder about 20 years ago because I wanted to make songs where I played/programmed everything. The first thing I recorded was a long-lost (maybe for the best) cover of this song, using a Casio pre-programmed beat that shared a track with the bass. That moment made clear just how critical Mike Mills was to their sound, and gave me a then-newfound respect for bass (I was primarily a guitarist; now I play both, depending on the band). To this day, he remains one of my biggest influences. So melodic, yet solid and his instincts are impeccible. It's busy, but it doesn't distract from the songs - in fact, it pretty much defines them - particularly the I.R.S. ones.

Frank Marsh

You can't forget Bill Berry. They are probably the most underrated rhythm section in history. They started playing together in high school. I used to see them at Tyrone's O.C. in Athens, Ga. and it was obvious that they were going places. The energy of Bill and Mike was right there from the get go.

Gordon Grant

Those who know alot about music (and Mike himself has suggested) that his musical training and natural ear pulled and crafted the genius instincts of Peter and Michael into what REM became.

WILLIAM TELL

9y↑47

We are hope despite the times.

Jason Barbush

we are concern!

curebdc

SO GOOD! That line and "I'll rearrange your scales"

Gordon Grant

5y↑1

My favorite line of the whole album.

zzGRENDELzz

7y↑1

Joel Shields

It's funny. Those old R.E.M. songs' lyrics were often indecipherable, yet the ones I was able to figure out were far more poetic and elegant than the sometimes embarrassingly ham-fisted stuff Stipe wrote in the 90s and 2000s. This one isn't all that cryptic and is pretty direct for him relative to his other 80s songs, but it still seems to be assembled with care and leaves a bit of room for interpretation. A lot of his post-Automatic lyrics just seem kind of lazy. I cringe every time I hear "New Test Leper."

Dave Reed

Thanks.

Darin Lewandowski

7y↑1

📻🎶 🙄 My favorite R.E.M. song!

Nat Kimble

This song is especially potent today. Fly to carry each his burden! We are young despite the years, we are concern. We are hope, despite the times.

trev moffatt

7y↑7

Stipe has a voice that exudes moral authority and inteligence in that uniquely American way. Eddie Vedder has the same quality.

Jason Keith

Not sure either one is a moral authority that's a bit of a stretch. Neither is all that moral.

Robert Darling

12y↑7

This song=Revolution.

MsMiguel70

4y↑2

This song has always rocked. And COVID19? These days.

Cockatoo Magnet

6y↑10

Alternative Rock pioneers

PARENTS

4y↑1

Best R.E.M. song

isabel

4y↑1

🎶🎵🎼💯😘😍

Andrew Galloway

6y↑8

We are hope despite the times ...........

Abstrem

86 really picked up the pace with R.E.M.

Scott Hall

4y↑1

This was used by the BBC on the 1990 F1 highlights after the race from Adelaide ! The only song I liked by R.E.M

Ant the rubbish drummer.

I spent years searching for this song after seeing it on that clip of F1. So glad I found it. Not a huge REM fan but love this tune.

Andrew David Boyle

12y↑11

I much prefer R.E.M. in the eighties, LRP is probably my favourite album...

yocornucopio

4y↑1

LRP my fav too

Age and Treachery

6y↑2

This was their high water mark.

Giles Evans

10y↑9

We are hope despite the times...

Lisa Dunham

7y↑16

Never more prescient than now.

Gordon Grant

5y↑1

Hey Mike Yerian -
Cynical much?

Brian Morrison

7y↑5

INCREDIBLE, ISN'T IT?

Steve Lane

6y↑1

Their best album, but facing strong competition from Monster and Green

AFBrat77

You mean Murmer and Reckoning?

Odins Wolf

4y↑1

I'm having Rapid Eye Movements every time I listen to this

ExiledStardust

11y↑10

I had a hat, and it sank. Reached down, yanked it up, slapped it on my head.

PrivateSchemers1

9y↑2

Back when they still "had it".
In my opinion "Up" is their last album worth caring about.

Gordon Grant

Hey George- As we are both huge REM fans, it doesn't really matter. And it is good that we like different things! IMO, Around the Sun is their weakest record ( and I think the band feel the same). but I really like Accelerate.

George Clancy

@Gordon Grant Up, Reveal and Collapse into Now are the best post-Berry albums in my opinion. Accelerate and Around the Sun are pretty poor to be honest.

Gordon Grant

You don't like Reveal or Accelerate? And many say that New Adventures is their favorite.

Harry Younge

We have many things in common . name three ? We are hope despite the times ! Are they describing what was 2020 and what could be 2021?

luigi b

12y↑3

best

Arnie McGraw

Not sure if you include "Document" to this album there were ever better back to back albums?

Age and Treachery

Fables of the Reconstruction and this are better back to back albums. Document sucks.

British Spaghetti

Ostias !

swclarkil

12y↑1

We have many things in common, name three (three, three, three!)

hstickhstick

6y↑3

Massive

Ray Mccue

7y↑2

Vintage RETRO REM on WHFS from the TWIN towers in Radio Park with Weasel in the afternoon!

lrlimits

Carry each his burden

wildmercuryfilms

You (you) Me (me) You (you)

Tsnore

10y↑7

This song gave a lot of hope when it counted!

Jeremiah Wilson

8y↑7

ok ....i didnt say it...but feel the Bern.

Jason Barbush

This SOB is getting braver even braver. name this tune in four notes.

christian monturano II

This and begin the begin are there best songs

Scott Jennings

name 3

George Kaplan

11y↑1

ridic song.

Alessandro Venturi

5y↑1

Trolllllllll

Scott Hauss

8y↑1

Too bad you can't understand most of what he's saying lol

Gordon Grant

@diogenesagogo Love your analysis of this! REM is the dream stage of sleep.

William Harker

Wow, your super cool. i mean it. wow.
LOVE REM seen multi times in the 80's. i was lucky. @diogenesagogo

diogenesagogo

6y↑3

REM are the absolute proof that words are of secondary importance in music. As in poetry, it's what they suggest that matters, & that comes as much from the intonation & delivery as from any conventional meaning.
Music goes in at a much deeper level than language - it's akin to machine code - & interacts directly with our brain patterns. That's why it's so powerful.