REM: Losing My Religion Meaning
Song Released: 1991
Losing My Religion Lyrics
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I've said too much
I set it up
That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to...
-
1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:Here’s my interpretation of what it is about, and an explanation of what it is about for me. The song for me is about the efforts of conveying your love to someone, trying to get them to understand how much you love them, without saying it straight out because of the fear of losing them all together.
“Life is bigger, it’s bigger than you” is a statement, logically true. It shouldn’t be the end of the world that she doesn’t love you.
“And you are not me” is the sad truth, she’s not on the same page, you are not a part of each other.
“The lenghts that I will go to” shows the power of the love, that you will go to the end of the world for her. “The distance in your eyes” is her lack of interest in you, she’s not there with you with the same emotions. “I set it up” means that you’re trying to create situations where the truth will come out, where you will get what you want.
“That’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spotlight”, you are everywhere, in the background and right in front of her. “losing my religion”, losing your faith that she loves you, losing your faith in love all together. Losing your belief that soulmates would be together no matter what.
“Trying to keep up with you, and I don’t know if I can do it”, trying to stop her from walking away from you, trying to keep moving on together, not sure that it’s working.
“Oh no I’ve said too much, I haven’t said enough”, the fear that you hinted too strongly, that it has become too obvious that you love her. Wanting to tell her more, to let it all out, thinking that maybe she didn’t get your hints, that they weren’t obvious enough.
“I thought that I heard you laughing, I thought that I heard you sing”, You thought you were going in the right direction, you thought she was there with you. “I think I thought I saw you try”, you thought she was hinting back, but you are so unsure.
“Every whisper, of every waking hour, I’m choosing my confessions”, every second of your time you’re thinking about what to reveal and what not to, planning what to say to her. “Trying to keep an eye on you”, trying to see how she reacts, what she feels and thinks about what you’re saying. “like a hurt lost and blinded fool”, you’re hurt that she doesn’t respond to your hints, you’re lost in what to do, you feel blind because you thought that you saw that she felt something for you and you feel like a fool because you allowed yourself to think that she would love you back.
“consider this, consider this, the hint of the century”, you give her the most obvious hint of your love that you can think of. “The slip that brought me to my knees failed”, you gave her the hint of a lifetime, so huge it was basically a slip and the emotional impact it had on you to tell her brought you to your knees, beat you down. But still she did not respond to you.
“What if all these fantasies come flailing around”, express the fear you have that your fantasies about you two together will never become a reality. “Now I’ve said too much”, there it was, you want to be with her and you just let yourself think it. There’s no way back, you can’t take that thought back.
“That was just a dream”, all your hinting was for nothing, it turns out she doesn’t love you back and you had just created what you wanted to be there, but what was not really. -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:First let me explain that this post is NOT intended as a sermon. The Biblical references are meant to support my arguments and not to proselytize. I include them with easy to web-search citations so that you can decide for yourself whether I make sense.
I saw a LOT of the interpretations that say this song is about religion getting seriously panned, but I agree with "some" of them and I hope you readers agree that my arguments are at least supported. I ALSO believe it is about relationships and love. When I read the postings arguing that he was trying to reconcile coming to grips with his homosexuality, that sealed it for me. I just disagree with one point, he's not simply dropping hints about love, he's dropping hints to God that he needs approval for his lifestyle and he's afraid to ask out-loud for God to approve of his homosexual romantic interest in another man. On one hand, he feels there is no point because the Good Book says "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." Leviticus 18:22 On the other hand, Jesus was about love and that edict doesn't seem to ring so loudly out of Jesus' mouth, so he's comtemplating whether the "edits" of the Old Testament law which is the New Testament (emphasis on the first four books which tell the gospel (or "good news") according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) means that his interest in another man may too be acceptable. However, if I were to point to one specific reference, I would argue that this song seems to be argued on the grounds of I Corinthians Ch 13 in his defense.
Some slight background on the Christians in Corinth would be helpful, so bear with me. It suffices to say that the Church of Corinth had a myriad of issues. They were educated, seemingly spirit-filled, expressed many of the holy gifts which were at the time identified as a group of people with God's favor. At the same time, they were a hot-mess of in-fighters who were quietly at war with each other. Paul's first letter to the Church at Corinth is that of a father to a rebelling son to clean up his act. It is quite the reprimand. See I Cor 1:10-17. Even so, again and again he emphasizes that to be Christ-like means to love. "...the greatest of these is love." I Cor 13:13.
(ok, finally on to the song...)
Michael Stripe appears to be attempting to express his frustration at his inability to reconcile his homosexuality and his upbringing values which clearly mirror many Christian beliefs.
In support of this theory, I argue the video's intentional desecration of various Christian symbols show that he's pissed off with God, feels that he should not have the right to be, and is having a very difficult time reconciling the morality that his heart tells him to be correct versus the morality which he was taught to be correct. In short, if he is expressing "love", and Jesus more than anything else was about expressing love for our fellow man, how can his love for another man be wrong?!
Ok - and now my line by line interpretation.
Losing My Religion Lyrics
my guide to help you follow"
"" - quoted song lyrics
-- - my interpretation
** - video imagery supporting my position
"Oh, life is bigger / It's bigger than you" -- the Bible doesn't seem to give me the answer to everything I have encountered in this life.
** in the video, it is raining which congers up the imagery that he's waiting on the storm and lightening that will strike him down. Also, there is the image of spilled milk which is rather a direct reference. Then there's a man showing comforting affection to Stripe which is considerably affectionate considering the normal boundaries of male behavior. From this I conclude that yes, this is a song about homosexuality and fear of being stricken down by God. Stripe wears Angel wings to show he thinks he is a comparatively a good person who should not be judged for this desire.
"And you are not me" -- you should not hold me to your standards.
"The lengths that I will go to" -- I am doing the absolute best that I can
"The distance in your eyes" -- yet I feel judged severely
** Stripe is shown in various contemplative poses showing that he is constantly lost in thought over this delimma.
"Oh no, I've said too much" -- Have I condemned myself by arguing with God?!
"I set it up" -- I have challenged God (will he be merciful?)
"That's me in the corner" -- I feel punished even though I know I have done so much good and right by your teachings!
**Image of the tan/black angel in wings in the chair of punishment.
"That's me in the spotlight" -- I feel that I am being watched and Judged only for my faults. I feel I am being only seen for what I am doing 'wrong.'
** - the nymph tied to the tree is a reference to the death of someone innocent -- like Jesus on the cross. The nymph is also free of clear sexuality. Is it unclear whether we are looking at a very feminine boy or an equally androgynous girl! This is an analogy to Stripe's confusion over his sexuality and a clear declaration that he is otherwise as innocent as the man killed on the cross. Also not the arrows. One just above the heart which likely signifies love. The other arrow, the one in the side, congers the suggestion that Stripe identifies the innocence of this nymph with Jesus who was stabbed in the side to prove he was dead. See John 19:34 This image will be repeated later in the video which further supports this theory. From the multiple references to 'the death on the cross', 'the Spear of Destiny', and the repeated use of wings in the video, I cannot conclude that this video and song are anything other than an argument to God.
"Losing my religion" -- I cannot reconcile it all, and I can't accept that this part of me makes me unacceptable
"Trying to keep up with you" -- I am doing everything I can to live up to your standards.
"And I don't know if I can do it" -- Not that I have ever seen anyone else do it, I am still trying.
"Oh no, I've said too much" -- ... (Have I condemned myself by arguing with God?!)
"I haven't said enough" -- God, I don't know if you understand me.
"I thought that I heard you laughing / I thought that I heard you sing" -- and if I did, then I know that you still love me "just the way that I am."
** Pay particular attention to the men with other men and women with other women. Then, a man apparently meant to envision his Adonis male whom he desires followed shortly by a decorated woman whom he feels that he "should" desire even though her decorations really only serve to make the otherwise attractive woman look silly.
"I think I thought I saw you try" -- I have felt a presence, and I think you are reaching out to me the way that I am trying to reach out to you.
"Every whisper / Of every waking hour / I'm
Choosing my confessions" -- Not only do I struggle with what I believe, I worry about what I should say 'out loud.'
** The men who had the donkey's mouth near their crothes have their heads close together signifying a whispered conversation. The donkey is not seen, but we know its head would be there between them serving as a proxy between them. The donkey represents man sleeping with animalsn which the Bible calls 'perversion.' Leviticus 18:23. The men suddenly look up as if realizing they can be striken down at any second. Next, the angel is the chair is humping someone beneath him. This is a clear reference to Stripe's internal belief that his homosexuality does not make him less that 'angelic.' Finally, watch Stripe's hands as he 'discreetly' signals the 'four corners of the cross', a Catholic symbol of holiness and a reference to the crucifixion of the Christ on the cross. This is a slightly hidden reference to Catholic priest and some divisions of Protestant priests who maintain using the symbols of the four corners during certain prayers. It is not an accident. Stripe clearly was raised with heavy Catholic influence and intends by the reference to maintain that his homosexuality does not make him any less holy. This is why the gesture is made while he says the words 'I'm choosing my confessions.'
"Trying to keep an eye on you" -- I am looking for a sign to tell me if you approve or if you are asking me to change.
** - Here in the video, we learn that it is the old man who was under the angel in the earlier scene.
"Like a hurt lost and blinded fool, fool" -- I don't understand why you won't just send me a 'burning bush'-like sign (Exodus 3:1-15) You are forcing me to agonize and traumatize myself over this love for another man.
"Oh no, I've said too much / I set it up" -- ... (Have I condemned myself by arguing with God?! I feel the fear that you are about to strike me down for even asking you about this.)
** - One 'angel' trying to reach down to help another 'fallen angel' likely signifies that he thinks his desired partner is also an angelic person who is pure with exception of these romantic homosexual desires.
"Consider this, consider this / The hint of the century" -- Isn't my behavior just emblematic of how so many others are around me??? Isn't my developed homosexuality just a 'sign of the times?'
** - in the video, the analogy is made to the body of Christ bruised by the Spear to the side. This is a follow-up to the nymph with the wound in the same location.
"Consider this / the slip / that brought me to my knees / Failed" -- This is my only flaw! It is really that wrong?!
** - Behind Stripe is a set of wings behind an open Bible. I can't imagine any way this is not a reference to some crisis of conscience related to to Bible if he makes so many references to it.
"What if all these fantasies / Come flailing around" -- I keep dreaming of happiness with him. What if it can be true? Is is wrong?
"Now I've said too much" -- And if I am wrong, will you forgive me for even asking.
"I thought that I heard you laughing / I thought that I heard you sing / I think I thought I saw you try" -- ... (see above)
"But that was just a dream / That was just a dream" -- I keep wondering if all of these dreams of happiness with him is a vision from you or just a dream from my heart. I dare not 'assume' your approval until you tell me otherwise, so please accept my confession to you that 'my dream of a happy life with this other man is just a dream' and that I really want to follow your will. (i.e. don't strike me down!) cites: 'I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!' Mark 9:24; “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:3;“but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:20b-23
** - In the video, Stripe and his tanned angel have given up on the natural wings and decide they are going to try to build their own. This is a reference to people inventing their own religion when their personal values no longer match the belief system they were raised with. For emphasis on what Stripe is thinking, he keeps blurring out of focus to match his blurred mind as he tries to come to peace with the fact that he is indeed walking away from his religious belief and trying to form his own. To emphasize this point, there is a new milk container, one with a cap so that Stripe can control whether or not it gets spilled again. He has replaced his 'spilled milk' with milk from a new source. He is 'reborn.' He dances his happiness with his new direction. He no longer looks up except to the 'spotlight' instead of to the sky as he did earlier in the video. So does his Adonis. The Adonis checks to verify that it was the spotlight and not a sign from the sky - which would represent the burning-bush signal from God.
"That's me in the corner / That's me in the spotlight / Losing my religion / Trying to keep up with you / And I don't know if I can do it / Oh no, I've said too much / I haven't said enough / I thought that I heard you laughing / I thought that I heard you sing / I think I thought I saw you try / But that was just a dream" -- ... (same as explained above
** - Now there the contrast between the religious images and the 'man-made' wings symbolizing his transition and acceptance of the God he creates for himself as the substitute for the God that he had believed.
"Try, Cry, Why, Try" -- I want to be what you want me to be. I 'Try' but I love him. I 'Cry' because I believe you do not approve. I ask 'Why' because I know my love is genuine and I can't understand how it could possibly be wrong, and I 'Try' to reconcile what I have been taught and what I feel.
** Nevertheless, he still sits contemplating this idea. He's not fully comfortable with his decision. T
"That was just a dream" -- ... (same as above)
"Just a dream, just a dream, dream" -- I don't mean to challenge you. Forgive me for asking. I don't mean to rebel like Jonah, but please don't treat me like Job. I don't mean it. But, if I am right, please send a clearer sign that this love is correct and right.
** - As he sits in contemplation the person wearing the wings has his back to Stripe and the Bible is attached seemingly to the back of the Bible. Not only is he, in his effort to reconcile h is paradox turning his back on the God, he too believes that God is turning his back on him as well.
(end of lyric translation)
I reality, there are a lot of Christians who absolutely love this song. Most of us have struggled with something in our lives that have caused us to want to question God and demand a clear explanation and feel that we do not have the right to ask for an answer. In the singer's case, he feels that he is under the microscope for his homosexuality even though he feels he has done (just about) everything else the right way and he can't understand how this can possibly be wrong when it feels like the right and loving thing to do.
In Stripe's case, he still has not 'worked out' the contradictions, so the video ends with the answers right behind him in an open book. -
3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation:'Losing My Religion' is actually a southern term that means "I don't think I still have faith in this turning out the way I want it to."
The song is about letting someone know you have a crush on them and the emotions that go along with that. "Oh no I've said too much, I haven't said enough" is a reference to the point when you have indirectly let someone how you feel about them -- but then you rethink it and you don't know if they caught "the hint of the century"
"Losing my religion" is about worrying that the other person is not going to be interested in you.
"What if all these fantasies, Come flailing around" -- is the fear that your day dreams about this person will never become a reality. -
I think it's about a divorce. Two people unite on faith that it will b till death do they part. Only he did something that wasn't part of the plan or said something that wasn't in line with their shared values and now their partner isn't seeing them on the same team. He feels regret like he "set it up" the relationship's demise. She's seeing him like he's under a spotlight, clearly for the first time and not liking it. He's in the corner like he's been bad. And what he's placed his faith in is crumbling - he's losing his religion.
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I relate with it about being the victim of a narcissist.
"Losing My religeon". Is synonymous with Losing faith and confidence in yourself.
As someone who has repeatedly allowed people to abuse me. I really like that this song makes me not feel so alone, and helps to keep me hopeful I will find someone who will take good care of my emotions when I allow them in. -
The song for me hits at mid life crisis. Reconnected with someone from your past and both parties were with someone else unable to leave one for the other, we live in the south and are of Christian faith and lost our religion over each other after we cheated… that’s me in the corner.. having to hide out until the other lover comes to find them and it’s never soon enough.. always trying to keep up with what the other lover is doing and unable to. I lost my religion over you.
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it about a battle to try to save a relionship that too broken kind of moment im in im married but we though a bad patch so even though a sad song it help me as also batting depession thanks REM to understand me
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Religion breakup. Good song I played this over and over again when I broke my ex sad but very meaningful.
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There are a lot of good posts,but when I watch the video, it makes me think of sin and not over coming it. I see what looks like priests or some type of clergy mocking him.
Thanks
David -
About losing your identity in a relationship. Not just love could even refer to fame. We all have chased something in life that during our pursuit we have altered our thinking or did things that we would not normally of done to have it. With REM I think the song references his fame and what he's done to get it.
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I just got to thinking about REM's "Losing My Religion", and wow, the lyrics are so creepy! Breaking it down:
"Oh life, it's bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I've said too much
I set it up"
(There is more to life than what we see and know, he is talking to the devil--he knows there is something bigger than the devil, and the devil isn't in the same place as him--he does anything the devil asks, and feels detached from him, that the devil doesn't care about all he does...HE DOESN'T, but ok! He is afraid of exposing himself to the world, how he is suffering spiritually--and then realizes someone has heard it all, and blames himself.)
"That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no, I've said too much
I haven't said enough"
(He is backed into a corner spiritually, he feels he has no choice in which path to go on. He is in the spotlight of fame, losing his religion, trying to keep up with the devil. He doesn't know if he can keep up with the devil, and then realizes someone is hearing all of this, but now he has come to terms with his suffering, and wants people to hear about it.)
"I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try"
(He heard the devil laughing, trying to sing--through him, or someone else? His body was taken over by something outside of him.)
"Every whisper
Of every waking hour
I'm choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt, lost and blinded fool, fool
Oh no, I've said too much
I set it up"
(He is remorseful of his actions and behavior, to the point of being paranoid of those around him. He tries to think of ways to confess his sins, and is worried about the devil--he feels that by doubting the devil, he is being made a hurt, lost, and blinded fool--probably due to the company he keeps that loves the devil, making him doubt himself.)
Consider this
Consider this, the hint of the century
Consider this, the slip
That brought me to my knees, failed
What if all these fantasies come
Flailing around
Now I've said too much
(Think of this as a hint that there is good and evil, think of his failiure and slip up in writing a song about it--what if all of his perversions return? Now he said too much, he embarassed himself by being too open again in this song.)
"I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try
But that was just a dream
That was just a dream"
(Now he is convincing himself that he was dreaming, that the devil wasn't really laughing or trying to sing--he seems to have lost touch with reality, or wants to believe it is a dream so he can stay on his current path with the devil.)
"That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no, I've said too much
I haven't said enough"
(He doesn't know if he can stay on his current path with the devil, he doubts that he can do it--and now wants to hide everything he's said in this song, he doesn't want people to make the connections in his lyrics, but then changes his mind and wants to say more. He is struggling spiritually, is in a spiritual dilemma.)
"I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try
But that was just a dream
Try, cry, why try
That was just a dream
Just a dream
Just a dream, dream"
(He is in denial that the devil could have spoken or sung through him or someone else, and tries yo dismiss it as being a dream, despite his suffering, and feeling like it is pointless to try and fight it or cry about it--he is happier in denial, thinking it was all a dream. By thinking it was all a dream, his life becomes bearable.) -
Relevant today as it ever was about losing one's individual freedom or religion in the set-up, when one was or is pushed to far to the edge or into a corner. By compromising His principles and values in ''need'' to be accepted by the one he fell in love with an obsession. That's in doubtful hope if he could keep up with her to love him back. While at the same time being afraid that he's also losing his identity of himself in the big life of God. In ''losing my religion'' doesn't have to necessarily be about a religious person's religion. But could be about ''falling'' and being fooled ''symbollicaly'' by the angelic beauty of a Female[satan] that raises your doubt to be and stay in a union with her. All in the gamble when ''falling in love''. Especially nowadays when one is hijacked or transplanted to be raised to live within the liberal western ideology that was or is spread too far with The Leftist Cabal. Where to too many people developed their own Religion-isms,while one was or is losing his in the so called Progressive process. Even when trying to assimilate to the ever changing culture by ''falling in love'' with her that is shaking him and doubting his own identity that's in danger of being lost and ''out of time'' when living and loving her throughout the years when being trapped by ''programmed cultural marx-isms''- Death Drive ideas that has also been spreading evermore east. Where one was or is always in fear and concern of losing one's self-identity or anotherwords his religion.
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An argument with himself, god, and the world around his choices made. Maybe not popular ones.sort of a mix of an argument with himself, god, redemption, absolution, love and fear.as going through life trying to be who one is.acceptable or not yet trying to be oneself. On all planes of life with all people, yet being torn in all directions while gaining strength. Again to just be who you are-in love,in life,in fame-in life itself.aware their will always be judgements wanting absolution anyway for who you are..
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This is the story of my life and the love-of-my-life overlapping...we met at 16, but we did not hit it off straight away and then a friend of mine went out with her and I went out with a friend of hers and we all ended up not seeing each other ever again...now, 25 years after and married (not with each other) and with children and living 15.000 kilometres away from each other, we have told each other we love one another and we always have and our partners know and they are not happy about it and she is ready to leave it all behind for me and I half ready but not all together, and goes on this way...until one day...at present, it all seems like being just a dream...
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Watch the official video with the sound muted. Note that all-male cast and the angel wings aplenty. Consider how HIV/AIDS was thought about in 1991 by the non-gay general public.
Since Michael Stipe has identified himself as actively bisexual, there is the very real possibility that he himself was experiencing a deeply-felt personal loss of a loved one to AIDS at the time the song was being written. Consider the lyrics in that possible context.
Coincidentally, Tony Kushner's award-winning play "Angels in America" (gays coping with the hopelessness of an AIDS death sentence) also debuted on Broadway in 1991. -
Did not understand this song - until I read the Top Rated reply. Thank you.
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The number one interpretation is correct, i think, but the girl is not a girl or a partner. It's god. It's about life in general and people being pressured by religion and "faith", "haven't said enough" means he hasn't prayed enough. "Said too much", means he has said something to offend someone religiously. And that pretty much sums up everyone's current life in the world.
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