Songwriter: Bill Berry Mike Mills (R.E.M.) Peter Buck Michael Stipe

[Intro]

[Verse 1]
Oh, life is 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

[Pre-Chorus]
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

[Chorus]
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

[Verse 2]
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

[Pre-Chorus]
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

[Chorus]
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

[Bridge]
But that was just a dream
That was just a dream

[Pre-Chorus]
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

[Chorus]
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

[Outro]
But that was just a dream
Try, cry, why try?
That was just a dream, just a dream
Just a dream, dream

R.E.M.

R.E.M. were an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry.

Berry quit the band in April 1997, as they were getting together to record demos for the album Up. He was not replaced on a permanent basis, but the band used an assortment of drummers in his place.

more tracks from the album

Complete Rarities: Warner Bros. 1988–2011

From the albums