Released: July 28, 1986
Songwriter: Mike Mills (R.E.M.) Peter Buck Michael Stipe Bill Berry
Producer: Don Gehman
Birdie in the hand for life's rich demand
The insurgency began and you missed it
I looked for it and I found it
Myles Standish proud, congratulate me
A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe
Life's rich demand creates supply in the hand
Of the powers, the only vote that matters
Silence means security, silence means approval
Watching zenith on the TV, tiger run around the tree
Follow the leader, run and turn into butter
Let's begin again, begin the begin
Let's begin again like Martin Luther, Zen
The mythology begins the begin
Answer me a question, I can't itemize, I can't think clearly
Look to me for reason, it's not there
I can't even rhyme in the begin
A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe
Example, the finest example is you
A birdie in the hand for life's rich demand
The insurgency began and you missed it
I looked for it and I found it
Miles Standish proud, congratulate me
A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe
Let's begin again, begin the begin
Let's begin again
The insurgency began and you missed it
I looked for it and I found it
Myles Standish proud, congratulate me
A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe
Life's rich demand creates supply in the hand
Of the powers, the only vote that matters
Silence means security, silence means approval
Watching zenith on the TV, tiger run around the tree
Follow the leader, run and turn into butter
Let's begin again, begin the begin
Let's begin again like Martin Luther, Zen
The mythology begins the begin
Answer me a question, I can't itemize, I can't think clearly
Look to me for reason, it's not there
I can't even rhyme in the begin
A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe
Example, the finest example is you
A birdie in the hand for life's rich demand
The insurgency began and you missed it
I looked for it and I found it
Miles Standish proud, congratulate me
A philanderer's tie, a murderer's shoe
Let's begin again, begin the begin
Let's begin again
And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982–1987
- It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
- Fall on Me
- Cuyahoga
- Finest Worksong
- Welcome to the Occupation
- Disturbance at the Heron House
- King of Birds
- I Believe
- (I Am) Superman
- Two Steps Onward (Athens Demo)
- Finest Worksong [Other Mix]
- Radio Free Europe (Original Hib-Tone Single)
- Bad Day (Outtake)
- Mystery to Me
- Hyena (Athens Demo)
- Sitting Still (Original Hib-Tone single B-side)
- Swan Swan H (Acoustic)
- These Days
- Begin the Begin
- The One I Love
- Radio Free Europe
- Pilgrimage
- Talk About the Passion
- Perfect Circle
- 7 Chinese Bros.
- So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)
- Pretty Persuasion
- Sitting Still
- Time After Time (Annelise)
- (Don’t Go Back to) Rockville
- Feeling Gravitys Pull
- Driver 8
- Life and How to Live It
- Cant Get There from Here
- Gardening at Night
- All The Right Friends (Studio Outtake)
- Losing My Religion
- It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
- Man on the Moon
- Everybody Hurts
- Orange Crush
- The One I Love
- Nightswimming
- The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite
- Shiny Happy People
- What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?
- Drive
- Imitation of Life
- Stand
- Find the River
- Radio Free Europe
- (Don’t Go Back to) Rockville
- E-Bow the Letter
- Country Feedback
- The Great Beyond
- Let Me In
- Fall on Me
- Try Not to Breathe
- So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)
- Ignoreland