R.E.M. - Monster



WHAT'S THE FREQUENCY, KENNETH?

(album version)

"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh

I was brain-dead, locked out, numb, not up to speed

I thought I'd pegged you an idiot's dream

Tunnel vision from the outsider's screen

I never understood the frequency, uh-huh

You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh

I'd studied your cartoons, radio, music, TV, movies, magazines

Richard said, "Withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy"

A smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth

You said that irony was the shackles of youth

You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh

I never understood the frequency, uh-huh

"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh

Butterfly decal, rearview mirror, dogging the scene

You smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth

You said that irony was the shackles of youth

You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh

I never understood the frequency, uh-huh

You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh

I couldn't understand

You said that irony was the shackles of youth, uh-huh

I couldn't understand

You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh

I couldn't understand

I never understood, don't fuck with me, uh-huh


 

CRUSH WITH EYELINER

 

I know you

I know you've seen her

She's a sad tomato

She's three miles of bad road

Walking down the street

Will I never meet her?

She's a real woman-child

Oh my kiss breath turpentine

I am smitten

I'm the real thing (I'm the real thing)

Have you seen her come around?

My crush with eyeliner

I'm in like.

I'm infatuated.

It's all too much-the pressure.

She's all that I can take

What position should I wear?

Cop an attitude? (you faker)

How can I convince her? (Faker)

That I'm invented too, yeah

I am smitten

I'm the real thing (I'm the real thing)

We all invent ourselves

and, uh, you know me

Yeah, she's a sad tomato

She's three miles of bad road

She's her own invention (She's her own invention)

That gets me in the throat

What can I make myself be?

Life is strange, yeah (Life is strange)

What can I make myself be (Fake her)

To make her mine?

I am smitten

I'll do anything (I'll do anything)

A kiss breath turpentine,

my crush with eyeliner

I am smitten

You know me (Yeah, you know me)

I could be your Frankenstein

my crush with eyeliner

I am smitten

I'm the real thing (I'm the real thing)

Won't you be my valentine?

My crush with eyeliner


 

KING OF COMEDY

 

Make your money with a suit and tie

Make your money with shrewd denial

Make your money expert advice,

If you can wing it

Make your money with a power ply

Make your money with a buyout bribe

Make it lie as long as you mean it

I'm not king of comedy,

Grease the pig, give a squeeze (squeeze me)

Make your money with exploitation

Make it holy illumination

Say a prayer at every station

Don't forget to ask for mercy

Make your money with a pretty face

Make it easy with product placement

Make it charged with controversy

I'm straight, I'm queer, I'm bi

I'm not king of comedy,

I'm not your magazine,

I'm not your television

Make your money, make it rich

make it young and make it quick

Make your money on the jukebox, baby,

it's pick up sticks,

Make your enemies make your moves

Make your critics fumble through

Make it smart and make it schmooze

Make it look easy

I'm not king of comedy,

I'm not your magazine,

I'm not your television,

I'm not your movie screen

I'm not commodity (all together now)

I'm not commodity

I'm not commodity


 

I DON'T SLEEP, I DREAM

 

I'm looking for an interruption,

do you believe?

You looking to dig my dreams

Be prepared for anything

You come into my little scene

Hooray hooray hip hip hooray

There's one thing I can guarantee:

You won't have to dig, dig too deep

Said leave me to lay, but touch me deep,

I don't sleep, I dream

I'll settle for a cup of coffee, but you know what I really need

Are you looking to drive my dreams?

You here to run my screens?

You come, deliver my demons

Hooray hooray hip hip hooray

Are you coming to ease my headache?

Do you give good head?

Am I good in bed?

I don't know, I guess so

I don't sleep, I dream

I'll settle for a cup of coffee, but you know what I really need

I'm looking for an interruption,

can you believe?

Some medicine for my headache

Hooray hooray hip hip hooray

I'm pitching for a new direction

Pinch me when I wake

Don't tell me my dreams are fake

you leave me to lay, you touch me deep,

I don't sleep, I dream

I'll settle for a cup of coffee, but you know what I really need

Leave me to lay, but touch me deep,

I don't sleep, I dream

I'll settle for a cup of coffee, but you know what I really need


STAR 69

 

you don't have to take the bar exam to see

what you've done is ignoramus 103

what've I got to hang my hat on

you don't have a pot to pee in

all this just to be your friend

I was there until the end.

extortion and arson, petty larceny

I know you called - I know you called - I know you called -

I know you called - I know you called - I know you hung up my line

star 69

I know all about the warehouse fire

I know squirrelys didn't chew the wires

3 people have my number

the other 2 were with me.

I don't like to tell-tell but I'm not your patsy.

this time you have gone too far with me.

I know you called - I know you called - I know you called -

I know you called - I know you called - I know you hung up my line

star 69

why'd you put your quarter down on me?

this reads like some dork inside edition hard copy.

I can't be your character witness

I can't be your alibi

doorbell rings it's the FBI

we learned spy vs. spy

you my friend, are guilty as can be.

I know you called - I know you called - I know you called -

I know you called - I know you called - I know you hung up my line

star 69


STRANGE CURRENCIES

 I don't know why you're mean to me

when I call on the telephone.

and I don't know what you mean to me

but I want to turn you on, turn you up, figure you out, I want to take you on

These words, "You will be mine."

These words, "You will be mine." all the time.

the fool might be my middle name

But I'd be foolish not to say

I'm going to make whatever it takes,

ring you up, call you down, sign your name, secret love,

make it rhyme, take you in, and make you mine.

These words, "You will be mine."

These words, "You will be mine." all the time. oh

I tripped and fell. did I fall.

What I want to feel, I want to feel it now

You know with love come strange currencies

and here is my appeal:

I need a chance, a second chance, a third chance, a fourth chance,

a word, a signal, a nod, a little breath

just to fool myself, to catch myself, to make it real, real

These words, "You will be mine"

These words, "You will be mine." all the time. oh

These words, "You will be mine."

These words, they haunt me, hunt me down, catch in my throat, make me pray,

say, love's confined, oh.


TONGUE

Call my name, here I come.

90 to nothing, watch me run.

you call.

I am ashamed to say.

ugly girls know their fate.

anybody can get laid.

you want a room with a fire escape.

I want to tell you how much I hate this.

don't leave that stuff all over me. it pains me.

please just leave it.

I should toss that vanity license plate.

toss that make-up painted face.

box those poems, chocolate cake.

scratch that name on the record player.

please just leave me be.

don't lay that stuff all over me.

it crawls all over. all over me.

call my name, here I come.

your last ditch lay, will I never learn?

caramel turn on a dusty apology.

it crawls all over me.

you turn all over.

it pains me.

please just leave it.


BANG AND BLAME

If you could see yourself now, baby

It's not my fault

You used to be so in control

You're going to roll right over this one

Just roll me over, let me go

You're laying blame

Take this as no, no, no

You bang, bang, bang, bang and bang,

blame, blame, blame

You bang, bang, bang, bang and bang,

It's not my thing so let it go.

If you could see yourself now baby,

the tables have turned

the whole world hinges on your swings

your secret life of indiscreet discretions

I'd turn the screw and leave the screen,

Don't point your finger,

You know that's not my thing

You came to bang, bang, bang, bang and bang,

blame, blame, blame

You bang, bang, bang, bang and bang,

It's not my thing so let it go.

You've got a little worry,

I know it all too well,

I've got your number,

but so does every kiss-and-tell

who dares to cross your threshold,

or happens on your way,

Stop laying blame.

You know that's not my thing.

You know that's not my thing,

You came to bang, bang, bang, bang and bang,

blame, blame, blame

You bang, bang, bang, bang and bang,

It's not my thing so let it go.

You bang, bang, bang, bang and bang,

blame, blame, blame

You bang, bang, bang, bang and bang,

It's not my thing so let it go.

You kiss on me, tug on me, rub on me, jump on me,

you bang on me, beat on me, hit on me, let go on me,

You let go on me.


I TOOK YOUR NAME

I wore the clothes you wanted

I took your name

If there is some confusion,

who's to blame?

I signed your living will

I smiled your face

I'm ready to close the book on

NASA and outer space

If there is some confusion

who's to blame?

who's to blame?

I sequenced your arrival

I sealed your fate

I pushed the button

and erased your master tape

I wrote the sales pitch

I threw the grey switch

I dragged your big-assed

dirty robbed car out of that ditch

If there is some confusion

who's to blame?

who's to blame?

I crossed your great divide

I stirred your ocean's tide

I called your bluff until

I blew your circuits wide

I'll be your albatross,

devil dog, Jesus Lord

I don't wanna be Iggy Pop

but if that's what it takes - me.

If there is some confusion

If there is some confusion

If there is some confusion

who's to blame?

who's to blame?


LET ME IN

Yeah, all the stars drip down like butter,

promises are sweet,

We hold out our pans, lift our hands to catch them.

We eat them up, drink them up, up, up, up

Heyyyyyy, let me in.

Heyyyyyy, let me in.

I only wish that I could hear you whisper down,

mister fisherman, to a less peculiar ground.

He gathered up his loved ones and he brought them all around

to say goodbye, nice try.

Heyyyyyy, let me in. yeah yeah yeah

Heyyyyyy, let me in. Let me in.

I had a mind to try to stop you. Let me in. Let me in.

I've got tar on my feet and I can't see.

All the birds look down and laugh at me.

Clumsy, crawling out of my skin.

Heyyyyyy, let me in. yeah yeah yeah

Heyyyyyy, let me in.

Heyyyyyy, let me in. yeah yeah yeah

Heyyyyyy, let me in.


CIRCUS ENVY

Here comes that awful feeling again

Welcome the ugly animal.

I hold my breath to what you sing,

My pyro acrobat ball and chain,

I'm not afraid, I messed it, messed it, messed it, messed it up

I've got my telescope head in the haystack

I'm getting tired of your dodgeball circus act

Put pepper in my coffee, I forgot to bark on command

Here comes that awful feeling again

Make way for monster jealousy

The strong man kicked sand into my breakfast cereal bowl

I'd spelled your name with Oatios,

he messed it, messed it, messed it, messed it up

I've got my telescope head in the haystack

I am tired of your dodgeball circus act

Put pepper in my coffee, I forgot to bark on command

(you're mean, mean, mean

you tease, tease, tease me)

If I were you I'd really run from me

I'd really really wish that I were you

When I get loose I'll climb a tree

and drop a load on your head

This monster in me makes me retch, you messed it, messed it up

I've got my telescope head in the haystack

I am jealous of your dodgeball circus act

Put pepper in my coffee, I forgot to bark

Put pepper in my coffee, I forgot to bark on command

(you're mean, mean, mean

you tease, tease, tease me)

Do you smell jealousy?

Do you smell jealousy, jealousy, jealousy?


YOU

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.

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.

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.

I can whisper in your ear.

I can write a calendar year

I can wing around your Saturn smile, shut out 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

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.