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R.E.M. — Welcome to the Occupation
Album: Document
Avg rating:
7.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 423









Released: 1987
Length: 2:43
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Hang your collar up inside
Hang your dollar on me
Listen to the water still
Listen to the cause where you are
Fed and educated,
Primitive and wild
Welcome to the occupation

Here we stand and here we fight
All your fallen heroes
Held and dyed and skinned alive
Listen to the Congress fire
Offering the educated
primitive and loyal
Welcome to the occupation

Hang your collar up inside
Hang your freedom higher
Listen to the buyer still
Listen to the Congress
Where we propagate confusion
Primitive and wild
Fire on the hemisphere below

Sugar cane and coffee cup
Copper, steel and cattle
An annotated history
The forest for the fire
Where we open up the floodgates
Freedom reigns supreme
Fire on the hemisphere below
Listen to me
Listen to me
Listen to me
Listen to me
Comments (52)add comment
If REM wanted to record a 2010 response to "welcome to the occupation" they could call it "100,000 dead in Iraq alone"


Posted 14 years ago by drews    [ Reply ]
 kopak wrote:
I suppose it's time to contribute now.
 

{#Clap}
Posted 14 years ago by gandalfbmg    [ Reply ]
Helluva playlist this Monday morning, Bill!

The day's outlook just got a whole lot better. {#Sunny}
Posted 14 years ago by Bosami    [ Reply ]

 Danimal174 wrote:
One of my favorite songs on "Document", which is definitely one of my favorite releases by REM, who is one of my favorite bands. (In other words...I like it a lot.)

{#Cool}
 

Oh yes indeedy!  Reminds me of buses to sixth-form college in the early nineties.  Best bit of college if you ask me....
Posted 14 years ago by scruffystevie    [ Reply ]
I wonder where REM was without THAT guitarsound . . .
Posted 14 years ago by Albert1967    [ Reply ]
 romeotuma wrote:


I hear ya... and I remember when this song and album came out like it was yesterday...
 

My favorite REM album, too. Unfortunately, unlike you, I don't remember the day the album came out because I'd stopped paying attention to R.E.M. (and music, in general) during that critical period. I was a fool. This, after seeing REM on the Murmur tour in 1981. Don't know how I let that happen. Ultimately re-discovered the band somewhat after Green came out and loved both Document and Green - which remain my two favorites.
Posted 14 years ago by paulmack    [ Reply ]
I'm hearing more REM on RP lately and am enjoying them less.
Posted 14 years ago by jagdriver    [ Reply ]
One of my favorite songs on "Document", which is definitely one of my favorite releases by REM, who is one of my favorite bands. (In other words...I like it a lot.)

{#Cool}
Posted 15 years ago by Danimal174    [ Reply ]
 veegez wrote:

Giving a high five on that. 
 
Me Too {#High-five}
Posted 15 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
I sure wish they still put out sublime music like this{#Ask}
Posted 15 years ago by orpheus    [ Reply ]
 jwb wrote:
Best song from this record, and considering that I wore this tape out in its day, that's saying a lot from me.
 
Giving a high five on that. 
Posted 15 years ago by veegez    [ Reply ]
When REM was REM.
Posted 15 years ago by gjeeg    [ Reply ]
The lyrics to this song never cease to amaze me!  Hopefully the "hemisphere below" will have a more hopeful future than when the song was written.
Posted 16 years ago by kaybee    [ Reply ]

College days...I think this is their last album with IRS before going to Warner Bros. Great send off..!


Posted 16 years ago by sugarbaby    [ Reply ]
Best song from this record, and considering that I wore this tape out in its day, that's saying a lot from me.
Posted 16 years ago by jwb    [ Reply ]
californiatwin wrote:
Yes - what he said!
Yes - what they said!
Posted 16 years ago by Captn_Pea    [ Reply ]
MrStatenIsle wrote:
Yet another lifeless, snorefest from REM.
Yes - what he said!
Posted 16 years ago by californiatwin    [ Reply ]
Yet another lifeless, snorefest from REM.
Posted 16 years ago by MrStatenIsle    [ Reply ]
Document is a great album, but this isn't one of the good songs on it. Way too generic.
Posted 16 years ago by Shimmer    [ Reply ]
'Document' is a nice piece of art, though some of the lyrics seem to be little too political... Like this track though.
Posted 17 years ago by prickelpit96    [ Reply ]
Nice track.
Posted 17 years ago by MiketheKnife    [ Reply ]
rKokon wrote:
To Astralistener and Mari, I like it too, but I find it hardly uplifting--more distressed and regretful and protesting. See the lyrics so kindly reproduced below. And when I don't agree with the politics but like the sound, I just tune out the words. The musicians benefit in either case!
So I take it you support the US's meddling in Central American politics?
Posted 18 years ago by Bocephus    [ Reply ]
I close my eyes and hear Smithereens and Roses... Wonder which one came first
Posted 18 years ago by Dave_Mack    [ Reply ]
Best song on Document!! Way to go RP, good on ya!
Posted 18 years ago by RobK    [ Reply ]
excellent indeed...still pulls you in! thanks!
Posted 18 years ago by LongGoneDaddy    [ Reply ]
This song is okay, but I wish someone would upload "Exhuming McCarthy". That's my favorite from Document.
Posted 18 years ago by Austin2Florida    [ Reply ]
To Astralistener and Mari, I like it too, but I find it hardly uplifting--more distressed and regretful and protesting. See the lyrics so kindly reproduced below. And when I don't agree with the politics but like the sound, I just tune out the words. The musicians benefit in either case!
Posted 18 years ago by rKokon    [ Reply ]
I remember once being on a long drive with my dad, and we both got into a hysterical laughing fit by trying to figure out what the hell Michael Stipe was singing. Thanks for the lyrics (posted below) -- at least we know it's not just Stipe's under-articulation that leads to the confusion. All hail early/mid REM!
Posted 18 years ago by magsterz    [ Reply ]
Occupational therapy?
Posted 18 years ago by Mack    [ Reply ]
Excellent song, still instantly identifiable but has a nice uplifting feel
Posted 19 years ago by astralistener    [ Reply ]
ChicoCyclist wrote:
Wow, this is so much better than any of their more recent stuff. So much more meaningful, profound, eloquent, moving, intelligent!
I can only assume you were listening whilst simultaneously reading the lyric-sheet so you could find all of the above
Posted 19 years ago by maLeFunKtion    [ Reply ]
Nice. 8
Posted 19 years ago by GoldenBoy    [ Reply ]
ChicoCyclist wrote:
Wow, this is so much better than any of their more recent stuff. So much more meaningful, profound, eloquent, moving, intelligent! Oh, wait, no it isn't. While it's excellent, it's no better than the new stuff. Hmm, and after reading all those comments about how the old REM is so much better than the new REM, I'm left scratching my head wondering how those people could be so wrong. :-k
Actually, this is Mid-REM: Chronic Town, Murmur, Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, and Life's Rich Pageant all came before.
Posted 19 years ago by radiozep    [ Reply ]
Wow, this is so much better than any of their more recent stuff. So much more meaningful, profound, eloquent, moving, intelligent! Oh, wait, no it isn't. While it's excellent, it's no better than the new stuff. Hmm, and after reading all those comments about how the old REM is so much better than the new REM, I'm left scratching my head wondering how those people could be so wrong. :-k
Posted 19 years ago by ChicoCyclist    [ Reply ]
healyf52 wrote:
All the songs written by REM are done in minor key(s). How droll...
rather, how COOOOL! 8) (pimp)
Posted 19 years ago by orpheus    [ Reply ]
All the songs written by REM are done in minor key(s). How droll...
Posted 19 years ago by healyf52    [ Reply ]
gandalfbmg wrote:
Ah, a long overdue addition to RP... Perhaps my favorite track from this album.
I'm with you on that.
Posted 19 years ago by veegez    [ Reply ]
https://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=123386
Posted 19 years ago by coding_to_music    [ Reply ]
I have always loved this song, but now that I can read the lyrics to the song, I am utterly confused as to the meaning of the song. I won't embarass myself further by telling you what I thought the lyrics were!! Can someone with a more refined taste for REM/poetry/politics fill me in here? I am sure that it is anti-imperialist, anti-american in its sentiment, but I would like to know anyway. Thanks in advance for your assistance....
Posted 19 years ago by Mugro    [ Reply ]
seem to be anti-imperialist, anti-war lyrics, but they don't actually say much, and SO tired of that voice, sorry!
Posted 19 years ago by coding_to_music    [ Reply ]
Ah, a long overdue addition to RP... Perhaps my favorite track from this album.
Posted 19 years ago by gandalfbmg    [ Reply ]
Hang your collar up inside Hang your dollar on me Listen to the water still Listen to the cause where you are Fed and educated, Primitive and wild Welcome to the occupation Here we stand and here we fight All your fallen heroes Held and dyed and skinned alive Listen to the Congress fire Offering the educated primitive and loyal Welcome to the occupation Hang your collar up inside Hang your freedom higher Listen to the buyer still Listen to the Congress Where we propagate confusion Primitive and wild Fire on the hemisphere below Sugar cane and coffee cup Copper, steel and cattle An annotated history The forest for the fire Where we open up the floodgates Freedom reigns supreme Fire on the hemisphere below Listen to me, etc... Another 10.
Posted 19 years ago by veegez    [ Reply ]