The Great Beyond by R.E.M. Lyrics Meaning – Unlocking the Astral Poetry

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for R.E.M.'s The Great Beyond at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

I’ve watched the stars fall silent
From your eyes
All the sights that I have seen

I can’t believe that
I believed I wished
That you could see

There’s a new planet
In the solar system
There is nothing up my sleeve

I’m pushing an elephant up the stairs
I’m tossing out punchlines
That were never there
Over my shoulder a piano falls
Crashing to the ground

In all this talk of time
Talk is fine
But I don’t want to stay around

Why can’t we pantomime
Just close our eyes
And sleep sweet dreams
Me and you with wings on our feet

I’m pushing an elephant up the stairs
I’m tossing out punchlines
That were never there
Over my shoulder a piano falls
Crashing to the ground

I’m breaking through
I’m bending spoons
I’m keeping flowers in full bloom
I’m looking for answers
From the great beyond

I want the hummingbirds
The dancing bears
Sweetest dreams of you
I look into the stars
I look into the moon

I’m pushing an elephant up the stairs
I’m tossing out punchlines
That were never there
Over my shoulder a piano falls
Crashing to the ground

I’m breaking through
I’m bending spoons
I’m keeping flowers
In full bloom
I’m looking for answers
From the great beyond

I’m breaking through
I’m bending spoons
I’m keeping flowers
In full bloom
I’m looking for
Answers from the great
Answers from the great, answers

I’m breaking through
I’m bending spoons
I’m keeping flowers
In full bloom
I’m looking for answers
From the great beyond

I’m breaking through
I’m bending spoons
I’m keeping flowers
In full bloom
I’m looking for
Answers from the great
Answers from the great, answers

I’m breaking through
I’m bending spoons
I’m keeping flowers
In full bloom
I’m looking for
Answers from the great beyond

It’s as if R.E.M. has always held the sonic key to the universe’s most intricate locks, and with ‘The Great Beyond,’ they turn their introspective gaze outward to the stars. The track, brimming with cosmic imagery and existential wonder, soars beyond the confines of the typical rock ballad into something more otherworldly.

The philosophical depth of ‘The Great Beyond’ compels us to ponder the implications of our actions and the nature of our aspirations. Laden with lyrical paradoxes, the song invites listeners on a quixotic journey through the trials and tribulations inherent in the human condition and the search for meaning amidst the vastness of the cosmos.

A Celestial Odyssey: Interpreting R.E.M.’s Starlit Musings

R.E.M.’s verses in ‘The Great Beyond’ beckon us to witness a silenced celestial symphony, reflective of the loss of wonder or perhaps a personal pain mirrored in the heavenly bodies. The astral fall sets a backdrop for a quest fueled by a longing for understanding, both external and internal—the eyes of the observer being the windows not just to the soul, but to the universe itself.

This cosmic narrative is not just about the tangible phenomena but embodies a metaphorical journey within. The stars and the planets become allegorical stages on which the drama of life’s search for meaning is played out, an elaborate setting for the age-old human narrative of exploration and discovery.

The Kairos of Wit and Whimsy: R.E.M.’s Playful Allusion

The whimsical imagery of pushing an elephant up the stairs and tossing non-existent punchlines plays with the absurdity often found in the throes of striving. In its essence, these lines offer a surreal snapshot of the Sisyphean effort inherent in our pursuit of the intangible and the elusive brilliance of humanity’s stubborn persistence.

R.E.M. whispers to us of the artist’s plight: the pianos crashing to the ground could denote the failures and the creative obstacles that inevitably accompany one’s journey into the unknown. In these depictions, the song encapsulates the beautiful futility and determination that marks the human experience.

Between Reality and ‘The Great Beyond’: The Hidden Meaning Unveiled

What truly lies in ‘The Great Beyond’, as R.E.M. suggests in their haunting refrain, might be the keystone of human curiosity—the answers, the truths, the epiphanies beyond reach. It’s a poetic destination that amplifies the band’s yearning for a glimpse behind the veil that shrouds our existence.

While ostensibly seeking answers from some outer plane, the repetition of the phrase implies a deeper search—a realization that the answers may as well sit locked within us. This internal probing thus becomes the true ‘Great Beyond’, a place of both existential dread and boundless potential.

Lyricism that Lingers: The Memorable Lines That Define the Track

‘I’m looking for answers from the great beyond’—this line echoes like a prayer uttered into the void, a chorus that becomes an earworm not only for its melody but for the depth of inquiry it insinuates. R.E.M. has mastered the art of embedding soul-stirring inquiry beneath their lyrical beauty.

This recurring thematic appeal, sung with Michael Stipe’s unmistakable voice, manages to resonate on a personal level for many. In its exquisite simplicity, the line captures the essence of the song’s exploration of the unknown, etching itself into the listener’s psyche as a mantra for the metaphysical seeker.

A Requiem for the Mundane: R.E.M.’s Ode to the Supernatural

Conjuring hummingbirds and dancing bears, juxtaposed with breaking through and bending spoons—these are not just the words of a song. They become enchantments that lift us out of the ordinary and propel us toward a more profound analytical engagement with the world, pushing us to find magic in the mundane.

The delicate balance of reality and fancy that R.E.M. strikes in ‘The Great Beyond’ transcends the music, transforming what could be just another rock hit into a philosophical artifact. As the song fades out, it leaves an echoing question on the possibilities of existence and the realms yet unexplored, both within and beyond our own.