Released: September 1, 1987

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

Producer: Scott Litt R.E.M.

[Verse 1]
Hang your collar up inside
Hang your dollar on me
Listen to the water still
Listen to the cause where you are

[Chorus 1]
Fed and educated
Primitive and wild
Welcome to the occupation

[Verse 2]
Here we stand and here we fight
All your fallen heroes
Held and dyed and skinned alive
Listen to the Congress fire

[Chorus 2]
Offering the educated
Primitive and loyal
Welcome to the occupation

[Verse 3]
Hang your collar up inside
Hang your freedom higher
Listen to the buyer still
Listen to the Congress

[Chorus 3]
Where we propagate confusion
Primitive and wild
Fire on the hemisphere below

[Instrumental bridge]

[Verse 4]
Sugar cane and coffee cup
Copper, steel and cattle
An annotated history
The forest for the fire

[Chorus 4]
Where we open up the floodgates
Freedom reigns supreme
Fire on the hemisphere below

[Outro]
Listen to me
Listen to me
Listen to me
Listen to me
Listen to me
Listen to me
Listen to me

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.