Leave
R.E.M. with Thom Yorke Lyrics


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Nothing could be bring me closer
Nothing could be bring me near
Where is the road I follow
To leave, leave?

It's under, under, under my feet
The sea spread out there before me
Where do I go when the land touches sea?
There is my trust in what I believe

That's what keeps me
That's what keeps me
That's what keeps me down
To leave, believe it
Leave it all behind

Shifting the dream
Nothing could bring me further
From my old friend time

Shifting the dream
It's charging the scene
I know where I marked the signs

I suffer the dreams of a world gone mad
I like it like that and I know it
I know it well, ugly and sweet
That temper madness with an even extreme

That's what keeps me
That's what keeps me
That's what keeps me down

I say that I'm a bantam lightweight
I say that I'm a phantom airplane
That never left the ground

Lift my hands, my eyes are still
I'll walk into the sea
Lift myself a different place
Just leave it

I've longed for this to take me
I've longed for my release
I've waited for the callin'
To leave

That's what keeps me
That's what keeps me
That's what keeps me down
To leave, believe it
Leave it all behind

That's what keeps me
That's what keeps me
That's what keeps me down
To leave, believe it
Leave it all behind

Leave, leavin'
Leave, leave, leave




Leave, leave, leavin'
Leave, leave, leave

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Leave" by Thom Yorke can be interpreted as a reflection on the struggle to let go of something or someone in the pursuit of personal growth and artistic expression. The opening lines express a desire to be free from whatever is holding the singer back, as they search for a path to follow. The repetition of "Leave" throughout the song suggests a fear of holding onto the past and a need to move forward.


The second verse continues this theme of leaving behind the past and embracing change, with the singer declaring their willingness to shift their dreams and move away from familiarity. The line "Suffer the dreams of a world gone mad" suggests that the singer is aware of the chaos of the world around them, but is willing to embrace it in order to achieve their goals.


The chorus, with its emphasis on what keeps the singer down and the need to leave it behind, suggests a struggle with personal demons or limitations, and a desire to triumph over them. The repeated mantra of "That's what keeps me down, to leave it, believe it, leave it all behind" highlights the importance of letting go in order to move forward.


Overall, "Leave" is a song that touches on themes of personal growth and artistic expression, and the struggle to let go of the past in order to move forward. Its repetition of the central idea of leaving things behind makes it a powerful statement on the importance of embracing change and taking risks in order to achieve one's goals.


Line by Line Meaning

Nothing could be bring me closer
There is nothing in this world that could bring me closer to where I am meant to be


Nothing could be bring me near
Similarly, nothing can bring me closer to a place where I belong with more certainty than I feel now


Where is the road I follow?
I seek direction, looking towards the future and wishing to find the path that will lead me where I am supposed to go


Believing, leave
I trust that a better future awaits me, and I am ready to leave the past behind to achieve that future


It's under, under, under my feet
The direction I need to take is right beneath me


The scene spread out there before me
I see the world as a vast array of possibilities


Better I go where the land touches the sea
The ocean is a symbol of endless possibility, and I believe that going towards it will lead me to a better future


There is my trust in what I believe
I have faith in my own beliefs and trust that they will guide me to where I need to go


That's what keeps me,
My beliefs are what keeps me grounded


To leave it, believe it,
In order to believe in something new, I must leave behind the old


Leave it all behind
To move forward, I must let go of the past


Shifting the dream
I am changing my perspective and expectations for the future


Nothing could bring me further from my old friend time
I no longer feel constrained by the limitations of time and embrace the idea that anything is possible


Charging the scene
I am entering new territory with excitement and determination


I know where I marked the signs
I have a clear idea of where I need to go and what signs to look for


Suffer the dreams of a world gone mad
I acknowledge the insanity of the world but am willing to endure in order to achieve what I desire


I like it like that and I know it
I may face hardships but I am ready to embrace them


I know it well, ugly and sweet
I have experienced the ups and downs of life and recognize them for what they are


A temperament who said believe in his dream
I have a fiery, determined spirit that refuses to give up on what I believe in


I set it on there lightly
I have put my beliefs and dreams out into the world with a sense of lightness and determination


I sent it off in an airplane
I have given my dreams wings, allowing them to soar and take flight


That never left the ground
In reality, my dreams have not yet come to fruition, but I remain steadfast in my belief that they will


Lift me, lift me,
I seek to be lifted up and propelled towards my dreams


I attain my dream
I know that my dreams are within reach and I am working towards achieving them


I lost myself, I lost them
I have faced losses in pursuit of my dreams, including losing parts of myself and others along the way


Heartache calling me
I have experienced heartache but won't let it keep me from pursuing my dreams


I lost myself in sorrow
I have hit lows along the way, falling into sorrow and despair


I lost myself in pain
I have experienced physical and emotional pain while pursuing my dreams


I lost myself in gravity
I have felt weighed down and held back by the realities of life


Memory, leave, leave, leave
I am leaving the past behind and moving forward


Longed for this to take me,
I have longed for the moment when everything would fall into place and lead me towards my dreams


Longed for my release
I have desired a release from the pain and struggles along the way


Waited for the coming
Despite the struggles, I have remained patient and waited for my moment to arrive


Leave, leave
I am continuing to move forward and leave the past behind as I chase my dreams


Leavin', leavin'
I am in the process of leaving behind the past and embracing a new future




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Michael Mills, Michael Stipe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@DocFrobnitz

"When I was in college, the Pixies and R.E.M. changed my life." - Thom Yorke, at Coachella 2004

@petejones879

Rem changed everyone's lives... And for the better

@juderichards6588

@Pete Jones after ten years me and you are the first to reply to this comment

@simonandme9397

Pixies rule, I love Thom Yorke

@MakeupNeverSleeps

This is one of the most underrated songs of life. 

@chaplinfan4538

I agree 150%!

@transp0rter1

Rachel Haytsidt Seriously. I just saw it today and thought: Why the EFF did I not see this BEFORE??? Thom was amazing!

@TheDerekclarkmep

Amazing - my funeral song

@soundstation8343

XD

@djanallightbulb

It’s my favorite song that has ever been written

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