Released: September 5, 1994
Songwriter: Peter Buck Bill Berry Mike Mills (R.E.M.) Michael Stipe
Producer: R.E.M. Scott Litt
[Verse 1]
"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh
I was brain-dead, locked out, numb, not up to speed
I thought I'd pegged you an idiot's dream
Tunnel vision from the outsider's screen
[Chorus]
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh
[Verse 2]
I'd studied your cartoons, radio, music, TV, movies, magazines
Richard said, "Withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy"
A smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth
You said that irony was the shackles of youth
[Chorus]
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 3]
"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh
Butterfly decal, rear-view mirror, dogging the scene
You smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth
You said that irony was the shackles of youth
[Chorus]
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh
I couldn't understand
You said that irony was the shackles of youth, uh-huh
I couldn't understand
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I couldn't understand
I never understood, don't fuck with me, uh-huh
"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh
I was brain-dead, locked out, numb, not up to speed
I thought I'd pegged you an idiot's dream
Tunnel vision from the outsider's screen
[Chorus]
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh
[Verse 2]
I'd studied your cartoons, radio, music, TV, movies, magazines
Richard said, "Withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy"
A smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth
You said that irony was the shackles of youth
[Chorus]
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 3]
"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh
Butterfly decal, rear-view mirror, dogging the scene
You smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth
You said that irony was the shackles of youth
[Chorus]
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh
I couldn't understand
You said that irony was the shackles of youth, uh-huh
I couldn't understand
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I couldn't understand
I never understood, don't fuck with me, uh-huh
Monster [25th Anniversary Edition]
- Circus Envy - Live in Chicago / 1995
- Star 69 (Remix)
- I Don’t Sleep, I Dream (Remix)
- King of Comedy (Remix)
- Crush With Eyeliner (Remix)
- Cranky 4-29
- Highland Fling 4-29
- Experiment 4-28 No Vocal
- Time is on Mike’s Side
- Rocker with vocal
- Strange Currencies (Remix)
- Tongue (Remix)
- Undertow - Live in Chicago / 1995
- Welcome to the Occupation - Live in Chicago / 1995
- What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? - Live in Chicago / 1995
- Losing My Religion - Live in Chicago / 1995
- You (Remix)
- Circus Envy (Remix)
- Let Me In (Remix)
- I Took Your Name (Remix)
- Bang and Blame (Remix)
- Revolution 4-21
- Black Sky 4-14
- Let Me In
- I Took Your Name
- Bang and Blame
- Tongue
- Strange Currencies
- Star 69
- I Don’t Sleep, I Dream
- King of Comedy
- Crush with Eyeliner
- Circus Envy
- You
- Sputnik 1 Remix
- Mike’s Gtr
- AM Boo
- Lost Song
- Harlan County with Whistling
- Uptempo Ricky
- Uptempo Mo Distortion
- Pete’s Hit
- What’s the Frequency, Kenneth (Remix)
- What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?
- Absolute Music 12 [NOR] (1994)
- Monster (1994)
- Bringing Out the Dead (Music From the Motion Picture) (1999)
- Big Shiny 90's (2002)
- In Time - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 (2003)
- Whatever: The ’90s Pop & Culture Box (2005)
- Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982-2011 (2011)
- Monster [25th Anniversary Edition] (2019)
- 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