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...
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This is what I think. The term, "Losing my Religion" apparently means losing your temper as in losing your mind and going insane. When he's singing, "That's me in the corner", and "That's me in the spotlight losing my religion", he's telling you that's no matter where he is he'll always be losing his religion. But this is only what I think.
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HATE THE SIN BUT LOVE THE SINNER stick that where the sun don't shine.
I was never aware of that second part of the verse.
Actually that quote is from Mahatma Ghandi, not the Bible.
The closest Biblical verse to what you speak of is: Romans 5:8.....But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (no mention of him asking that to be stuck where the sun don't shine in any of the 6 versions of the Bible that I have, maybe its on the dead sea scrolls.)
Regardless of it being Ghandi's quote, it comes from the same feeling, and it is a very good quote that more should apply in life, up until he finishes with "stick that where the sun don't shine". I think that kills the whole spirit of what he was trying to say, but hey, it gets hot in India, and even a pacifist can be pissy from time to time.
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m320753, you know, I owe an apology as well, cuz reading back, I don't think I was the first Anonymous you were responding to. It came to me at last with the "Michael, not Micheal" phrase....I had only referred to him as I always do, as JMS since I know a lot of Michaels.
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i'm secure enough with myself in what i have accomplished and what i didn't i love my surroundings, where i live and who my friends are. so i am not too smug that i will be the first to extend my right hand and let this matter drop, because it's not about religion but spirituality that really matters
I could not agree more, on every point. We try to break these things down to their essence out of love for the Art. Love of the Art brings passion to discussions, and they can heat up. I am as guilty as any human alive of getting swept up and carried away in something I care about, while in the end we all care about it, and that's what matters most. I am also very sorry to hear that you're in about the same mobility boat as I. Im going to the Netherlands in April, and thankfully I have a friend who takes me around in a push wheelchair, since Europe pretty much isnt handicapped accessible for powerchairs.
I only based my theory on the song based on conversations we had over a few years previous to the move to Warner Bros., and back then he had a love/fear/sometimes hate relationship with fame, especially as it grew (initially).
In those days, he still spent his off time in Athens, riding his bike, or borrowing his moms car....I know it sounds nutty maybe, but he was a genuine guy, and us both being from Texas originally, perhaps we had some kinship in the landscapes we grew in. Him being a military brat, he moved often...and oddly it was always within 150 miles of where I was living...until he went to college.
As to his then shyness, often when he felt he may have said something he shouldn't, he would smile shyly and put the back of his hand in front of his face to hide...This is why, when I first heard the song (and I should mention, once Mr. Burroughs died, I never saw any of the guys personally again), it sounded like bits and pieces of many things he had discussed with me. It was a nice time. They were a small band, as was ours but much smaller...but we were peers and equals then, so I didn't have an "Oh Michael, you're just the greatest" fan trip going on. It was just as common for us to talk about Jimmy Webb, Patsy Cline or Patti Smith, as it was to talk about ourselves. AND I WAS STILL YOUNG, DANG IT....
One time, my band was playing at a club called the Bottleneck, and he and Mike showed up, so we launched into Wolves, Lower, then they started making faces at us to try to make us laugh. I wish I had a pic of it. If Anyone has ANY pics from Sin City Disciples at Bottleneck, let me know. When JMS had the mountain of curly hair, he did that Harpo Marx "crosseyed with his cheeks filled with air like balloons" face. If you.ve ever seen Harpo, that should make sense. I turned the micstand toward the bassist to avoid eye contact, cuz I was about to lose it.
OK, so I know many people are thinking "Name Dropper!", and that's ok. Im not sure I'd believe the story either if it weren't me and a bandmate it happened to...all because, at their first Lawrence show, we were asked by a DJ friend to help them unload, setup, breakdown, and pack. Im only mentioning this much now because I had alluded to it earlier :)
In any event, m320753, I guess one can only take comfort in their own salvation, and pray that others find that comfort too. I don't prescribe to a religion because they are the creation of man, and Ive seen backbiting and corruption in some of the sweetest looking churches you'd hope to find. I either say I am a person of spirituality or faith, I think that covers it well. I do know JMS has a very deep spiritual center. Very traditional in a lot of ways. I never had any idea back then that he was Bi. I think with his upbringing, and personally held beliefs being at odds with who he was tortured him a lot when younger, but that's just observational opinion. Thanks for the gesture, and heck, the heated debate too, Cheers! -
It's about a dream. Could be a dream while sleeping or daydreaming.
"life is bigger than you, and you are not me"
The struggles of life are bigger than dreams coming true. He is speaking to himself, another version of himself who is free.
"The lengths that I will go to, the distance in your eyes" The lengths the dreamer will go to, and how far away it seems to the realistic self.
"Oh no I've said too much. I set it up"
He considers the dream attainable, but then is embarrassed for believing..a self esteem issue.
He's in a corner as punishment, and there is a spot light and everyone knows what (in his mind) a fool he has been for thinking himself worthy.
His "Religion" is his dream. "me in a corner,me in a spotlight losing my religion" he risks losing his dream if shame leads to neglect.
"Trying to keep up with you (you being himself) and I don't know if I can do it." He wants to succeed yet fears success.
"Every whisper of every waking hour I'm choosing my confession, trying to keep and eye on you, like a hurt lost and blinded fool"
In him moments of doubt or "whisper..waking hour" he chooses what he'll admit to, but these are thing he cant hide forever, sub/unconsciously they are in his head- so theres no point
"Thought I heard you laughing,sing,saw u try"
The lines- "consider THIS. consider THIS the HINT OF THE CENTURY (the chance to make it, once in a lifetime)
"Consider this; the slip; *of the tongue* that brought me to my knees (his set up that helped him to hide in his corner)FAILED!
"What if all these fantasies come flailing around" as in dreams start coming true!
"That was just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream. Dream.do it -
I DONT CARE WHAT IT MEANS! This song is sung with so much emotion it could mean anything
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Does anyone think this great song is about addiction, rehab and so on?
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I agree with a couple of other Interpretations on here. Its about a guy in the closet. Religion is also known as a way of life. He says thats me in the corner, thats me in the spotlight, losing my religion. More lyrics add to the idea like, Ive said too much, Ive set it up. Consider this, the hint of the century... get it??? Keep this idea in your head and go listen to the song again, closely. I bet you will agree. Thanks for reading!
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(I am not the same "Anonymous", I didn't feel like registering...) I agree with "m320753" on the interpretation. I saw a lot of other interpretations from people who may have never seen the music video (like it is about one man's love for a woman, etc, don't make much sense), please goto YouTube and watch the music video and then decide... I saw the music video 20 years ago and it was pretty clear to me at that time that it's about God (my interpretation at the time is that people have somehow learned that these angels may just be people with fake wings, and that is causing him/them to lose their faith)... although I did not know that he is gay, but what "m320753" suggested makes a lot of sense too, although it is of course not required for an artist to write songs about themselves directly.
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May not necessarily be "the" interpretation but my daughter and granddaughters were victims of family abuse. This songs almost describes the abuser to a T. He would laugh and smirk at everyone, no one was right but him, my daughter had faith that he would change, but thought she heard him try. It was all fantasy. He did not try, he did not change, he was evil. He abused both and now is in jail awaiting trial. This song fits a lot of situations. It fits this one. Sometimes we have faith that things or someone will change for the sake of love. For God, For us. Change does not always happen and it changes the way we think, our religion, our belief.
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anonymous it doesn't matter at all to me why you don't use a user name. i don't care what your name is or where you live your family background , if any,or what your job was or if you go to church or don't if you eat caviar or cat food or if you wear a suit and tie every or if you wear pajamas. in other i don't give a rat's ass about you. so let's just stop this useless waste of what time i got left. i feel for yor having to use a mobile chair because i too have a disease that if i'm lucky i can walk 500 feet. i have a name and many many people know it and i worked very hard to keep it esteemed. some people like summer and others like winter doesn't make either wrong does it? i'm secure enough with myself in what i have accomplished and what i didn't i love my surroundings, where i live and who my friends are. so i am not too smug that i will be the first to extend my right hand and let this matter drop, because it's not about religion but spirituality that really matters
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I prefer a more literal interpretation...it's about a guy who has a crush on a girl...or the other way around... and he's basically making a fool of himself to win her over. Yes, he wants to get laid: lose his religion... pick her up at the club...in the spotlight in the corner: impress her..said too much/didn't say enough: He's a fool for her... can't seem to get it right. Haven't we all done this? I know I have. She's in his every thought and he hears her and he sees her...he's obsessed it's not real.
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M320753 Just what the hell does it matter to you if I sign in anonymously or not. I truly do not see it being any concern or business of yours. Plainly, I use Anon as often as I can for security purposes..Why?..You seem indignant enough to want to seek someone out, and if not you...another lamebrain would know all facts about myself and family very simply should they choose to do so.Why would an arbitrary screen name be anymore anonymous?
Im exposed enough on facebook and other areas. The other thing, quite honestly is, why would anyone get so worked up over lyrics? I mean really. In the department store of life, this is the toy dept. Why fight here? It's beyond inane.
As far as running from the law goes...I can imagine an OJ style situation where Im in my powerchair, cooking along at 8mph with a formation of cops behind me.....Why Im explaining this I'll never know. I used to know JMS in a little more than passing for quite sometime....mostly the William S. Burroughs after-party days, and I learned from him a way broader take on his music than one would expect.
He explained the first few albums as being similar to Impresionist Art...not meant to be scrutinized close up, or by its component parts, but as you step away, it becomes the full, beautiful picture, and rather than purely lyrical, early on he regarded his voice as another accent instrument in the mix, which is why he is low in the mix in a bunch of early songs....I thought it to be a beautiful, concise rationale for all that he had done. It was a fortunate time for me that I was blessed enough to stumble into. Yes this really went on for about 5 yrs 81-86, or 82-87.... disability meds and age have left me a tad foggy on some numbers.
No one need agree with me, but a lot of what he shared when we talked really point to this song being about his love/fear relationship with his audience. He had a strong stagefright that he hasn't had in a very long time...now he loves the glitz, glamour and lights.... a LOT. He told me, as he's said to many now, that the more nervous he was back in the day, te more eyeliner he wore...something to hide behind, I guess.
Anywaysish, you may feel free to strip my carcass clean with any return posts, but those are the facts I have (with many omissions)....Im still not going to make up a screenname to make it sound as if Im not as anonymous as anyone else here. Were I to register, it would not have pertinent info about me either....and another hint....those wanting to get to know me usually follow a more polite path into acquaintance. If you have something to add to the conversation...kickass!, but ripping me isn't really a productive means of that, and out of the million ways there are to communicate with someone, you picked one of the poorer ones....maybe try again? But Im too old to play internet pissing contest.
Regards -d -
It's about a love obsession. That stupid Biblical law against gays was written about 3,000 years ago. Times change and Christianity better catch up or religion will disappear from the face of the planet.
Anyhow, the song's video uses religious references (e.g. Hinduism, The Bible, that short story "The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings') as a metaphor for love obsession. Just like most American Christians who are obsessed with Jesus and their particular sects stupid Dogma. In the beginning, the stories of Jesus were passed on orally. It was based upon hearing, listening, and that specular quality of 'inspiration'. Then those stupid second century Christians perverted it into their own creed and dogma. The Bible works in metaphor and allegory NOT DOGMA OR CREED!!! -
Anonymous I don't eat shrimp or any type of fish because they eat shit off the ocean floor including dead bodies, house hold garbage when towns and cities near the water used a barge to take dirty pampers etc. out about 12 miles from shore and dump it. I'm not afraid to admit I'm wrong , if I'm ever wrong. as far as his faith I don't doubt he has one, almost everyone on the planet has a faith, and even myself break one of the 10 commandments every now or then. as far as a man having sex with another man, God doesn't like it read your old testament. as far back as I can remember and I think it may have been Paul who said HATE THE SIN BUT LOVE THE SINNER stick that where the sun don't shine. Truth be told in many countries consider gay sex as being a crime that could lead to one's demise. oh, by the way why do you not use your user name are you running from the law or just afraid that someone will know it's you. anonymous was used back in the day for a person making a large donation to a charity or fund raiser. not something to hid who you are. Have a great day
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