Leave
REM and 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 song "Leave" by REM and Thom Yorke is a contemplative track about the journey of finding oneself and moving forward from the past. The opening lines "Nothing could be bring me closer, Nothing could be bring me near, Where is the road I follow? Believing, leave" sets the tone of the song. The singer is searching for a path, a direction, and is ready to leave everything behind to achieve it.


The lyrics "Shifting the dream, Charging the scene, I know where I marked the signs, Suffer the dreams of a world gone mad, I like it like that and I know it" reflect the singer's understanding of the chaos and turmoil in the world. They refuse to be bogged down by it and instead embrace it. The line "I lost myself in gravity, Memory, leave, leave, leave" can be seen as an analogy for letting go of past memories that weigh the singer down.


The use of repeated phrases such as "That's what keeps me down, To leave it, believe it, Leave it all behind" emphasizes the importance of letting go, moving on, and chasing one's dreams. The song ends with the repeated phrase "Leavin', leavin', leavin'" indicating that the singer is ready to leave the past behind and move forward with newfound hope and determination.


Line by Line Meaning

Nothing could be bring me closer
Despite my efforts, I cannot get any closer to my goal or the person I seek


Nothing could be bring me near
No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get any closer to my objective


Where is the road I follow?
I question the path I have chosen for myself and wonder if it's leading me to my desired destination


Believing, leave
I have faith in my dreams and aspirations, and must leave behind any doubts that may hinder my progress


It's under, under, under my feet
My destination is within reach, and I must only look down to see it


The scene spread out there before me
The situation is unfolding before me, and it's up to me to determine the outcome


Better I go where the land touches the sea
I must seek out a place where my dreams can become a reality, where the impossible can become possible


There is my trust in what I believe
I have faith in my own convictions and believe that I can achieve anything I set my mind to


That's what keeps me,
My convictions and beliefs are what keep me going


To leave it, believe it,
In order to move forward, I must let go of my doubts and simply believe in myself


Leave it all behind
I must leave behind any negative energy or influences that may prevent me from reaching my goal


Shifting the dream
I must adjust my expectations and approach my goal from a new perspective


Nothing could bring me further from my old friend time
The passage of time cannot change or erase my desire to achieve my dreams


Charging the scene
I must be proactive and take charge of the situation to achieve my goals


I know where I marked the signs
I know which path to take to realize my desires


Suffer the dreams of a world gone mad
I am willing to endure the pain and suffering that comes with pursuing my dreams


I like it like that and I know it
I am unapologetically pursuing my dreams despite the challenges I face


I know it well, ugly and sweet
I am familiar with the bittersweet journey that comes with achieving your dreams


A temperament who said believe in his dream
I have the same attitude and determination as those who achieved their dreams before me


I set it on there lightly
I approach my dreams with a sense of levity, but also with unyielding focus and determination


I sent it off in an airplane
I am sending my hopes and dreams out into the world and trusting that they will come back to me


That never left the ground
Despite the setbacks and disappointments, I have not given up on my dreams


Lift me, lift me
I am seeking guidance and support to help me achieve my goals


I attain my dream
I am inching closer to my goal and my dream is within reach


I lost myself, I lost them
I have sacrificed other parts of my life to pursue my dreams


Heartache calling me
I am reminded of the pain and heartache that comes with pursuing your dreams


I lost myself in sorrow
I have experienced deep sadness and disappointment along the way


I lost myself in pain
I have to cope with the pain and difficulties that I encounter in my pursuit of my dream


I lost myself in gravity,
I have been weighed down by the challenges and hardships of pursuing my dream


Memory, leave, leave, leave
I must let go of past failures and disappointments in order to move forward and achieve my dreams


Midnight hands, my eyes are still
I am working tirelessly to achieve my dreams, often staying up late into the night to make progress


I walk into the scene
I am taking an active role in my life and pursuing my dreams head-on


Shoot myself in a different place
I am taking a new approach and seeking to break free from previous patterns to achieve my dreams


Leavin'
I am leaving behind any negative energy or people that may hold me back


Longed for this to take me,
I have hoped and dreamed of achieving my goals for a long time


Longed for my release
I yearn for the freedom and sense of satisfaction that will come with achieving my goals


Waited for the coming
I have been eagerly anticipating the day when I will finally achieve my dreams


Leavin', leave
I am leaving behind any negative energy or influences that may prevent me from reaching my goal




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:

@driver8M3

One of my favorite songs in their entire catalog.

@generaseven

This is my favorite song by a group...ever.

@seanfoxhall6761

Same 👌

@aristidescordeiro7198

agree with u freaks! love 🧡

@raphaelarbogast6699

all the same ^^ especially the version of the movie "A Life Less Ordinary" i love !!!

@saraht903

Same

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@roygav

You knows you've spent a great deal of time with this wonderful album when the opening chords for "Departure" immediately starts playing in your head after this...

@hiraldosternflyer7112

I have that feeling with all their albums. :)

@alestipe

well said

@generaseven

So true. I've gone through five cds of this since 96. No joke.

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