Released: October 16, 1984
Songwriter: Mike Mills (R.E.M.) Bill Berry Michael Stipe Peter Buck
Producer: Mitch Easter Don Dixon
[Verse 1]
Looking at your watch a third time
Waiting in the station for the bus
Going to a place that's far
So far away and if that's not enough
Going where nobody says hello
They don't talk to anybody they don't know
[Verse 2]
You'll wind up in some factory
That's full-time filth and nowhere left to go
Walk home to an empty house
Sit around all by yourself
I know it might sound strange but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long
[Chorus]
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
And waste another year
[Verse 3]
At night, I drink myself to sleep
And pretend I don't care that you're not here with me
'Cause it's so much easier to handle
All my problems if I'm too far out to sea
But something better happen soon
Or it's gonna be too late to bring you back
[Chorus]
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
And waste another year
[Verse 4]
It's not as though I really need you
If you were here, I'd only bleed you
But everybody else in town only wants to bring you down
And that's not how it ought to be
I know it might sound strange but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long
[Chorus]
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
And waste another year
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
And waste another year
Looking at your watch a third time
Waiting in the station for the bus
Going to a place that's far
So far away and if that's not enough
Going where nobody says hello
They don't talk to anybody they don't know
[Verse 2]
You'll wind up in some factory
That's full-time filth and nowhere left to go
Walk home to an empty house
Sit around all by yourself
I know it might sound strange but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long
[Chorus]
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
And waste another year
[Verse 3]
At night, I drink myself to sleep
And pretend I don't care that you're not here with me
'Cause it's so much easier to handle
All my problems if I'm too far out to sea
But something better happen soon
Or it's gonna be too late to bring you back
[Chorus]
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
And waste another year
[Verse 4]
It's not as though I really need you
If you were here, I'd only bleed you
But everybody else in town only wants to bring you down
And that's not how it ought to be
I know it might sound strange but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long
[Chorus]
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
And waste another year
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
Don't go back to Rockville
And waste another year
more tracks from the album
Eponymous
- It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
- Finest Worksong (Mutual Drum Horn Mix)
- Radio Free Europe (Hib-Tone Single Version)
- Romance
- Fall on Me
- Cant Get There from Here
- Driver 8
- (Don’t Go Back to) Rockville
- So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)
- Talk About the Passion
- The One I Love
- Gardening at night - different vocal mix
From the albums
- Reckoning (1984)
- Eponymous (1988)
- The Best of R.E.M. (1991)
- And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982–1987 (2006)
- Reckoning (Deluxe Edition) (2009)
- Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982-2011 (2011)
R.E.M. popular songs
- 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