Released: October 5, 1992
Songwriter: Bill Berry Michael Stipe Mike Mills (R.E.M.) Peter Buck
Producer: Scott Litt R.E.M.
[Verse 1]
Monty, this seems strange to me
The movies had that movie thing
But nonsense has a welcome ring
And heroes don't come easily
Now, nonsense isn't new to me
I know my head, I know my feet
But mischief knocked me in the knees
So, just let go
Just let go
I saw the ocean meet the man
I saw you buried in the sand
A friend was there to hold your hand
Said, walk on by
So, I went walking through the street
I saw you strung up in a tree
A woman knelt there said to me
Said, hold your tongue
Hold your tongue
[Chorus]
You don't owe me anything
You don't want this sympathy (Waste your breath)
Don't you waste your breath (Waste your breath)
For the silver screen
[Verse 2]
That nonsense doesn't mean a thing
They tried to bust you in a sting
But virtue isn't everything
So, don't waste time
Now, here's a rhyme that you can steal
Put this on your reel to reel
Mischief threw a rotten deal
Monty's laying low
He is laying low
Just let go
Just let go
[Chorus]
You don't owe me anything
You don't want this sympathy (Waste your breath)
Don't you waste your breath (Waste your breath)
Monty, this seems strange to me
Monty, this seems strange to me
The movies had that movie thing
But nonsense has a welcome ring
And heroes don't come easily
Now, nonsense isn't new to me
I know my head, I know my feet
But mischief knocked me in the knees
So, just let go
Just let go
I saw the ocean meet the man
I saw you buried in the sand
A friend was there to hold your hand
Said, walk on by
So, I went walking through the street
I saw you strung up in a tree
A woman knelt there said to me
Said, hold your tongue
Hold your tongue
[Chorus]
You don't owe me anything
You don't want this sympathy (Waste your breath)
Don't you waste your breath (Waste your breath)
For the silver screen
[Verse 2]
That nonsense doesn't mean a thing
They tried to bust you in a sting
But virtue isn't everything
So, don't waste time
Now, here's a rhyme that you can steal
Put this on your reel to reel
Mischief threw a rotten deal
Monty's laying low
He is laying low
Just let go
Just let go
[Chorus]
You don't owe me anything
You don't want this sympathy (Waste your breath)
Don't you waste your breath (Waste your breath)
Monty, this seems strange to me
Complete Rarities: Warner Bros. 1988–2011
- Pretty Persuasion (Live at the Olympia)
- West of the Fields (Live from London)
- Fall On Me (Live from London)
- Supernatural Superserious (Live from London)
- Hollow Man (Live from London)
- Auctioneer (Live from London)
- Living Well is the Best Revenge (Live from London)
- Shiny Happy People (Hip Mix)
- Shiny Happy People (Pop Mix)
- You Are the Everything (Live in Greensboro, 1989)
- Turn You Inside-Out (Live from Orlando / 1989)
- Losing My Religion - Live in Dublin / 2005
- King of Comedy (Remix)
- Mandolin Strum
- Shiny Happy People (Dance to the Music Mix)
- Pop Song 89 (Acoustic Version)
- Horse to Water (Live from London)
- Man-Sized Wreath (Live from London)
- Man On the Moon (Live from London)
- Second Guessing (Live at the Olympia)
- Letter Never Sent (Live at the Olympia)
- Harborcoat (Live at the Olympia)
- Horse to Water (Live in Vancouver)
- Sweetness Follows (Live in Cincinnati, October 27, 2004)
- Wanderlust (Live in Santa Barbara, CA, 2004)
- (Don’t Go Back to) Rockville (Live in Oslo NRK P1 National Radio, October 25, 2003)
- These Days (Live in Toronto, September 30, 2003)
- Drive (Live, 1994)
- Love is All Around (Live)
- Losing My Religion (Acoustic Live at KFOG, San Francisco)
- The One I Love (Live in Sydney)
- That Someone Is You (Live at Hansa Studios)
- Houston (Live in London)
- Mr. Richards (Live in Vancouver)
- Star Me Kitten (Alternate Version)
- Funtime (Live in Athens, 1992)
- Orange Crush (Instrumental)
- Chance (Dub)
- Funtime
- Yellow River
- Redhead Walking
- Dark Globe
- Favorite Writer
- First We Take Manhattan
- The Lion Sleeps Tonight
- Ghost Rider
- Love Is All Around
- Sponge
- Wall of Death
- 2JN
- Arms of Love
- The Great Beyond
- The Lifting (Demo)
- Fretless
- It’s A Free World Baby
- Nola-4/26/10
- Indian Summer
- Adagio (Unused Tune)
- Out In The Country
- 165 Hillcrest
- Surfing The Ganges
- Emphysema
- Tricycle
- Rotary Eleven
- Skin Tight
- Memphis Train Blues
- Leave (Alt. Version)
- Winged Mammal Theme
- Revolution
- Wichita Lineman (Live)
- Monty Got a Raw Deal
- 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