R.E.M. World Leader Pretend

[markd325]

Goddamn it. I freakin' miss them so much already.

[gtdupree]

Wow, that is an outstanding  bridge....good song too. Very strong.

[jatojo]

Great song - nice performance (except for Mike who's a bit out of tune here...).

I thank R.E.M for three decades of fabulous music.

[Willburys]

i love here about more than 25 years

[sharonb314]

Thanks for this one, signed on to you, don't disappoint me. Ignore the snit pickers.

[MrRobin14669]

One of their best songs and deep lyrics.

[markyp1965]

Probably my fave REM song. Superb :-)

[Willburys]

ilove this Song, its beautyful.

[DoogeMeister]

One of their finest songs I reckon.

[aando99]

@stipey104

The Wrong Child

Hairshirt

Nightswimming

You Are Everything

[seboux69]

magique, rem forever...

[onetimer219]

i raised the wall and i will be the one to knock it down..

[thisischavez]

This is by far my favorite REM album. Every song has a deeper meaning than its first glance. This brings back great high school memories.

[dascotton]

@thisischavez

A fantastic album and totally under rated. This is one of my favourite songs of all time.

[sickpoola]

@dascotton my too,Green is ,in my opinion,their best album....

[cbeatty551]

@sickpoola Look into Chronic Town - the true REM in their raw, young, angry form. Even beter if you can find the live version of Gardening at Night with Stipe using his deeper tone. absolutely amazing.

[jemteek7]

best song from green,message:humanity will find a way past all political and religious bullshit....rem rule

[ammesp]

It's just that much better live!!

[clintxoxox]

omfg 5 star deluxe

[freedomsfart]

Maybe my favorite R.E.M. song. Thanks for uploading this.

[ffm20zaheri]

great song green is an awesome record

maybe their best

[bassmanjoe]

Hard to say what the best record is, Fables is one of them for sure!!

[crispset]

great song

[stipey104]

Well if you can't understand these lyrics which are as plain as can be either you have just learned how to understand english or you are going death. This song sounds nothing like other R.E.M. songs. So I take it you don't know many of their songs. Finally he doesn't look stupid. He looks cool and he wore the Stripe 6 years ago now.  So get over it.

[robbatkinson666]

Going "death"? Hope he's not!

[kaliyuta]

@stipey104 this is infact one of my favorite songs.I consider myself a long supporter

of R.E.M. and i will say i dnt get the stripe.But i love them you know.I will admit i lost interest after out of time and really since stipe stop singing in his signature southern drawl.

[anotherperson001]

We're all screwed......the most painful truth i must admit but our indulgance and curruption has doomed us, so fix it or make effective space travel mates

[PTheodore33]

I absolutely, positively agree with freshflower4!

[stipey104]

I also agree with freshflower4

[DSLRmusic]

Me too.

[realrevolutionify]

Thank you R.E.M. for telling the painful truth to world's inhabitants for all the inhabitants who need love and protection. Thank you R.E.M. for exposing humans' dark side. Humans need to change themselves within. All leaders need to change themselves to end the painful situations.

[bordercollieluv]

@realrevolutionify are you 'real'?Or, are you an 'inhabitant who does 'not' need 'love',or 'protection?Are you 'not' human?Have you 'never' caused any other 'inhabitant',pain?

I'm not trying to be confrontational.I have been ashamed of being 'human' since I was about 5 years old, and it's worse now.But, I hear a lot of 'humans' make comments like yours,and then I recall the entire idea of,'hypocrite',and reminded, again, how stupid I 'was' for believing,any other human 'like' me exists.

[stipey104]

@bordercollieluv You are too trying to be confrontational. You've been posting snarky remarks all over this site. Anyway this isn't about you, My profile is a dedication to R.E.M. It's all about the Stipe got it.

[dulli78]

@bordercollieluv lol you've been ashamed of being 'human' since you were 5?

Are you intentionally trying to sound like an idiot or does it just come naturally?

[darren767]

@bordercollieluv "i have been ashamed of being human since i was 5 yrs old"???........shut up you prat!...lol

[PigSooieAlumnus]

This my world...and I am and I am World Leader Pretend....love it!

[freshflower4]

My favorite argument song. He is able to say things that I completely understand but would never be able to put into words myself.

[Fin25]

A Band Called Bert have put their video for Summertime on Youtube. Please take a look, thanks.

[stipey104]

Wow that's cool. I've been in the front row a few times. Which is a very exciting place to be. He's very yummy that's for sure. His raspiness just makes him extra masculine.

[Nigelxman]

@stipey104 I love REM but "Michael Stipe" and "masculine" should not be used in the same sentence. lol

[stipey104]

@Nigelxman He's a man, he's extremely hairy and has a penis. So yes he is masculine. BTW I said that a year ago.

[StaryCats]

I saw this live from the front row and almost passed out, it was so beautiful. And how yummy is Michael in ths video..and I love when his voice is all full of gravel. Yum.

[crispset]

yes, yes Freedom

[npspec34]

any show YOU go to is THE BEST

[karmapolicemannn]

Very underrated song.

[TERMINATOR7869]

Really great song i like Mikes backing vocals here also...Freedom!

[stipey104]

Always kick ass, I have seen them 26x so far.

[Issicra]

26 times? Nice! I've seen them 3 times.. Twice on the Green tour, and then once on the Monster tour.

As much as I loved those shows, I think they have better and more energy now live. I would love to see them again.

[haddingtonbb41]

you are so correct. the 2005/7/8 shows are by far their best.

[mojowi]

Good !!!

[BigSwissT]

Had the priviledge of seeing them live in Hyde Park in 2005. amazing how they still had the energy at the end of such a massive world tour.

Fabulous concert and great memories.

[DRUMMERxGURU]

i would like to go see them live. :)

[tjelect7]

Great support Guys! This song does give me the shivers. Only Mike knows.

[rrao99]

I've rediscovered this song and feel moved. Saw them live only once Green World Tour 1989 in Sydney. Go-Betweens supported. Been a fan since Document and have all back catalog. Thank you for posting.

[Issicra]

Oh man... that Green tour was amazing, wasn't it?

*shivers at the memory*

[dastipe]

fcuking quality

[terra8net]

Pure Awesome... love it.. Thanks & best wishes

[KerreyTheBitterSugar]

this awesome song will never get old ^^

[TheMarsFactory]

Love REM!! <3

[Darknightdriver779]

I think this song is extraordinary

Thanks for posting this :)

[terminator982]

This song has so great lyrics

[Terminator7827]

O yeah REM rocks

[RAPIDEYEMOVEMENT358]

REM are the best band on the planet

Michael Stipe is an awesome singer

[KJRolling]

This outstanding song is featured on page 6 of 'The Song For Today' by Jimmie Oliver.

[Terminator7653]

Stipe is awesome here

and i like also Mills freeedom

[npspec34]

It seems like it's all for nothing.

[absonnet]

Las primeras y fabulosas noches a ritmo de la "quinta" de los REM, tiempos del "Naus" , gloriosos!!!

[Terminator7653]

Rieflin is Berry s equal

[Terminator7653]

Freeedom!

[stipey104]

It is a brilliant song. Some of Mr. Stipe's finest lyrics.

[dowling1981]

What about the portained ones in the background?

[tsungvarsky]

Freedom!

[tsungvarsky]

what is "the machine"?

[stipey104]

Let my machine talk to me. It's like your brain is your machine, you have to guide your own machine.

[tsungvarsky]

aka "the ghost in the machine"? I'm not sure I want to talk to that!

[meredumais]

Wow. I haven't been to an REM concert since the early nineties. Stipe's voice has held up beautifully, and everyone else still sounds great as well (although I couldn't tell if Bill Berry was on drums for this performance.)Anyway,it's rare and heartening to see bands/solo singers who simply never lose their vocal talent over time.

In contrast: anyone hear Joni Mitchell in concert lately? That's what happens to singers who smoke. Such a sad casualty of cigarettes/ waste of prodigious talent.

[Terminator958]

REM The best band ever

[tsourd]

couldnt agree more

[npspec34]

This is the best song from their (arguably) best album/tape/cd.

Always good/always REM.

"This is my mistake

Let me make it good

I will be the one

to knock it down."

[hullcityafc72]

Green was the album by which I discovered this magical group in 1990. One of the best ever albums although it never gets into peoples Top 10s or Top 25s it does mine. It doesn't contain one weak track IMO & I ditto npspec34 as stating WLP to be my fav REM song.

[mortenthoms]

they are great live better then on cd i think will se them again when i can...

[jpjames1]

good live

[terminator1111111]

REM is the greatest band on this planet!

There will never be a band like REM again

[stipey104]

I can only agree with you.

[rem857]

They were and still are revolutionary. None can come close

[TiagoREM]

you're right. Definitly. REM ARE SIMPLY THE BEST BAND EVER.

[sheluvsvideos]

REM's lyrics are so poetic! so deep...

[kuskis]

I ♥ Love R.E.M

[tsungvarsky]

freedom...

[yummyjo]

i have loved this man for years, im not gay, im not a man either, but i would, given half a chance. pure genius!

[mistresselyria]

what a great lyrics!

[sirpsycho80]

you're so right !

[ffm20zaheri]

incredible how good they are

this is one of their best songs ever

[beefmageditor]

Mike's voice is really fried in this. He must have had the flu or something.

[thn819]

im not gay but i would. i love micheal. a true musical genius.

[stipey104]

You would what? wink wink Yeah you know a lot of straight guys want him. Just something about him.

[scotsgirl1276]

This is one of my favoutite songs of theirs but I've never heard them do it live. Thanks for sharing it!

[BeginXtheXBegin]

This is one of my favorite songs by them.

[UncleAndy13]

Definetly. Green is a great album and this is one of the best songs off of it.

[ElephantRage]

probably one of their most underrated masterpieces

[whirlpoolzend]

@ElephantRage: Definitely.

[bbblahok]

aha, it's from Green, from 1988. so great song! just look at lyrics.

[thomasjwargo]

I believe it is from "Green".

[thepezdispenser]

where´s this song from? which album?

[Bloodyloner]

the blue paint over his eyes is really cool, but Marilyn Manson also did this. Who did the paint first?

[stipey104]

Peter Gabriel did it first when he was in Genesis from 1970-1976.And of course Kiss painted their entire faces. Michael most likely lifted it off of Gabriel because he mentioned how much of a fan of his he is. So Marilyn isn't the first.

[13orthanc13]

seriously...it was BOWIE...

[Chr0nict0wn]

Stipey does the blue paint because of his song "Electron Blue." It's a song about a drug made out of light, and it's off Around the Sun.

[jorgep138]

stripe did if first...obviously

[rmevers]

I wish they would use the steel guitar on the break as per the album. One of their last really melodic songs I liked so well.

[Patchkat]

I love this song, these guy are amazing.

Other that world Leader, I'm also nuts about Wolves Lower, but after about 1997 I stopped buy thier new work, it's not the same.

[sterlingsir]

Accelerate surely?

[theeponym]

There are some incredibly gems on their more recent albums.

I encourage you to check them out.

[soulcrusher1318]

ghost in the machine

[soulcrusher1318]

ghost in the machine

[sttlng1]

One of their best songs, although my favourite has to be "Leave". Hopefully it's here somewhere.

[MARCOKIKO65]

REM é demais! adoro essa banda!

[kraskam]

beautiful!

if you can explain me... why mike have this blue sweatband? what does it mean?

[kudzu808]

Beautiful! Thanks Stipey...

Add it to my favorites.

Does anyone know if there is a DVD for sale

from this concert?

[theeponym]

lol @ calling REM commercial. If they're striving to be "commercial" they're not very good at it. Because you certainly aren't hearing much of their stuff on mainstream hits stations.

Also, don't forget this is a 20+ year old song from an alternative music pioneer. If it sounds mainstream to you, you might want to consider that maybe, just maybe it's because new often imitates the old.

[tjp623]

Awesome song...Thanks stipey

[st6856]

a good song live would be the wrong child. i dunno if it's here or not.

[RabbiJochanan]

I love "the wrong child"! I think that song is pure art! Unfortunately, I have never heard a live performance of it... It is kind of hard to re-create live as the driving part of it is the dual vocal of Michael Stipe. Mike Mills has a good voice, but I am not sure that he wants to attempt that song live.

[bencrandel]

there is no pretending REM is the world leader of rockin music

[babeth83]

Merci REM pour tout ce que vous faîtes et vous êtes. Pour quand une tournée en France???

[Gusmagno]

commercial??

i don´t think so...but, I have to say that is a great song, and best lyrics. Im a keen admirer of >REM

[aje2103]

the best song on green ! There was a version on the b side of "find the river" i think from mountain stage that was acoustic and was fuckin brilliant ! the power when he goes into "reach out for me , hold me tight , hold that memory" is the Hairs on the back of the neck bit . i remember seeing them at newcastle city hall in 1989 when they played this with stipe wacking a metal chair with a stick at the start ( as witnessed on the tourfilm dvd)

[celticricky32]

thats the bit I like about this song, the reach out for me hold me tight bit and how they play the guitar also while stipey sings those lyrics!

[stipey104]

commercial sounding?  WHATEVER.

[mpluvsme]

LOL. right on.

[erikrex]

I hate to say this about REM, but this song

is way too commercial sounding as far as the music goes.

[remrule]

lol ohhhhhhhhhh please rem commercial dont make me laugh they couldnt be futher from bein commercial there way out there

[tacomanite]

Are you on meds?

Fuckhead.

[mallafets]

now thats what you call a fucking performance....great song.

[littlevolcano]

Stipe is one of the best vocalists ever. Even live he always sounds great..it's really impressive. (he's also really attractive, which never hurts)

[stoppre75]

thank you for posting...what a song!

[murdoch2555]

The best version I've ever heard of one of their best songs. You don't get music like this anymore. I need to find an mp3 of this.

[JoePublicFilms]

Great version!

[edgeindance]

"This is my mistake, Let me make it good"

this sounds like it should be about George BUSH.

[sonicwingnut]

It's actually describing a relationship in military terms. I had an interview somewhere where he explained it, it was inspired by another poet who did something based along a similar concept.

[msully74]

Best song on green album¬!!

[GilsMusic]

My favorite song from Green and a great video you have posted! I do a solo acoustic rendition that I posted as a video response to this. I hope you like it! 5*****

[alystyn]

I've always loved this song :) REM is only the best band ever.

[therockshow2007]

This track ROCKS!

Another one for our video vault...

Just the best rock videos, ever!

ViewYouTube.com__ The Rock Show!

[everythingafter]

this song is especially relevant today..

[WaluigiCubed]

An amazing performance of an amazing song. That's pretty much all that needs to be said there.

[whales]

One of my favorite REM songs but Mike Mills should chill out with those backups

[mitopersempre]

W R.E.M.

[danielsleigh]

can anyone send me this song mp3 format

[Raizing22]

One of the best songs ever written.

[theeponym]

@ BlackProteus

No, it doesn't. Military concepts != ripping off. The context and meanings are totally different. And lyrically, Stipe has already said this was him trying to write in the style of Leonard Cohen with lots of elegant phrases and metaphors. It's not coincidence this was the first song of theirs to have the lyrics printed with the album.

[stipey104]

Just a note if a user is not going to post about the videos I have uploaded than don't post. I do not want any people advertising their sleazy porn sites or I'll just remove them.

I agree Elpantalla1.

[Elpantalla1]

Nothing can beat the tourfilm version.

Ever.

[JoyDivisionChris]

That's one of the best Stipe songs ever

[stipey104]

The songs seem related in terms of personal politics but nothing more. I like Fortress but never really new the lyrics so just looked them up.

In my opinion World Leader Pretend's lyrics are written better.

[BlackProteus]

The lyrics rip off Sting's "Fortress Around Your Heart".

[LordYaoi]

Fuck Sting.

[Reveal32]

2 things;

1/ Ken Stringfellow's organ playing really adds to this version, making it feel quite slinky and giving it the insistent nature of the original studio effort.

2/ I wish JMS would bring in his castanets in the bridge just like ion the studio version.

[isawacat]

Hold that memory...

[dastipe]

100%pure brilliance.

[stipelover]

This is one of my absolute favourite REM songs. LOVE IT.

[stipey104]

I love it too.

[aduares]

the best!!!

[demetrios4voto]

I RECOGNIZE REM

[gpeddino]

AMAZING version.

[mancheddu]

beautiful version.