Let the sun beat through the clouds,
Let me kiss you on the mouth
All my childhood toys with chew marks in your smile
Let me hold your syrup close to mine
Let me watch you, Hollywood and Vine
And I want you like the movies, touch me now

[Chorus]
I love you crazy, just keep on
I love you madly, just keep watch
You wipe my lips,
You turn me on
My attentions are turned to you

Did I dream you were a tourist
In the Arizona sun?
I can see you there with luna moths
And watermelon gum
I woke up in the sleeping bag,
With nowhere else to run
You're standing in the bathroom
Telling me its all in fun

[Chorus]

I can whisper in your ear
I can write a calendar year
I can wing around your Saturn smile, shout at the moon
I walked the tension wire line
And I learned to disrespect the signs
And I want you like a Pisces rising, even though

[Chorus]

You, you, you



Lyrics submitted by ojms

Track duration: 04:17

"You" as written by William/stipe Berry

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


You song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:My reaction to this song when I first listened to it was, "*WOW* this is sexual, and it's definitely about a man." I respect a lot about Stipe that he can write lyrics that have some subtlety to them but are that much more *charged* than ones you hear in other popular music, that don't leave much to the imagination.

    I don't agree that it's completely loveless lust, though. I think the narrator in this song has some pretty powerful unrequited feelings for the guy who's wiping his lips, indicated especially in the last stanza. "I learned to disrespect the signs" - I learned to quit picking up on hints that you might care for me, because I just get hurt that way; "I want you like a Pisces rising" - Pisces are supposed to be deeply emotional, intuitive, and romantic, so wanting someone like a Pisces rising is like wanting to be deeply emotionally connected to him.
    Flag revolution724on February 27, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Fantastic song. Totally seething with lust. My favorite R.E.M. album
    Flag Faghazardlyon February 11, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I both agree and disagree with charlieray's and Marquez's interpretations of this song, above:

    Yes, Monster is filled with songs that can be described as "mean and creepy", but I DON'T necessarily think "You" is one of them. It *could* be about River Phoenix; guess we'll never know, but in any case Stipe confirmed he wrote it to a man. (No big surprise there)

    To me, this song is like a lust-drenched dream from which the singer wakes up yearning for the person he was dreaming of - someone who seems to be unavailable to him in real life for whatever reason.

    Maybe the object of the singer's love/lust has died or changed dramatically somehow. Or maybe it's an unrequieted love situation or a relationship that's already broken up. Regardless, the singer stills wants this person desperately and is feeding his fantasies with past memories.

    Flag Lantaon August 21, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Monster is one of their best albums, and the best they did in the 90s (along with Automatic For The People)
    Flag Wild Wolfon December 20, 2008   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:I think these lyrics are very poetic, very well done. The song is very mean and creepy, and I think there's very little "true" love in this album, mostly it's sex and voyeurism, it reeks with luxury and desire. The ending gets very disturbing indeed.
    Flag Marquezon May 15, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This song is about Stipe's relationship with River Phoenix apparently. "Did I dream you were a tourist, in the Arizona sun?" is a typically oblique reference from Stipe. The album (Monster) is dedicated to him as well.
    Flag charliereayon April 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think its a song about lust, only one thats drenched in dirty guitar. maybe thats symbolic - that sort of relationship. one of monsters high points in my opinion. i love the line 'i learned to disrespect the signs' - makes me think that he no longer trusts his instinct
    Flag ramshotelon June 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:no, murmur, Reckoning, document, automatic, & Hi-Fi are the best they've ever done. but regardless this album is still quite solid, just requires a few more spins than most of their albums to grasp its depth.
    Flag ralph2869on February 28, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I don't see how anyone could not like this album even in the least bit. Automatic, Monster, and Hi-Fi are their best works.
    Flag charliethemanon December 14, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is so hot.

    i think i am one of very few people who love this album.
    Flag starbrightgirrlon November 13, 2005   Link

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