REM was just inducted into the songwriters hall of fame. Congratulations to them.

Michael Stipe has been quoted as saying the song has nothing to do with religion but unrequited love. Growing up in the south 'Losing my religion ' is an expression meaning losing ones temper. Can also refer to being frustrated. Heard this all my life.

Michael stipe said this song was about obsession and unrequited love. Confessing your love for someone and then realising "oh no, Ive said too much"

This song was huge in '91 when it came out! It broke R.E.M. into the mainstream after years of being college radio sweethearts. They we big in the 80s, but only for a specific crowd (college kids). Once this came out,they became a mega band. And with regards to the meaning behind this song, they are from Georgia, and that's a southern expression. Here is the "official meaning": R.E.M.'s song "Losing My Religion" is often misunderstood, but the phrase "losing my religion" is a Southern expression that doesn't actually refer to religion. The phrase can mean "losing one's temper or civility" or "feeling frustrated and desperate". It can also refer to having a crisis of faith in someone or something that was once cherished.

The instrumentation in this song is beautiful. Such a great sound.

Losing my religion is a phrase about getting angry.

REM was on a different level.

This was my mom's all time favorite. She said the reason why she loved it so much was that it was the 1st and only song she has ever heard where the lyrics go perfectly with the beat.

This song ruled the world for awhile.

This song made them mainstream. They were one the original alternative bands of the 80's and they were big before this but this brought them to the masses.

I have a good friend from down in Georgia (where REM is from) who has a tough-as-nails grandma who, when she gets frustrated or wants to tell anyone how she’s at the end of her wits with us or whatever is going on, will sometimes say “y’all got me loosing my religion!” I’ve always understood it as a mostly southern saying to express distress, frustration, anger, etc. 😊

At the 1992 Grammy Awards, "Losing My Religion" won two awards, one of which was Best Short Form Music Video - In the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards the video won six awards, including Video of the Year :)

R.E.M. puts out cerebral music and lyrics. A truly unique sounding band.

Ah, yes. The R.E.M. rabbit hole. You're talking about somewhere between 30 and 40 years of music to explore. Fun fact: The mandolin came out because Peter Buck was bored with the electric guitar. The album was the first album to debut at #1 on the BILLBOARD 200 in history. OUT OF TIME is the album title. Prime songs include Radio Free Europe, Fall on Me, South Central Rain, The One I Love, It's the End of the World As We Know It, Stand, Orange Crush. And that's JUST THE EIGHTIES!

There's such a thing as just enjoying the song and quit trying to figure it out. Enjoy people. My favorite by them is It's The End Of The World As We Know It. Think it came out in '84, but not sure.

The 80s, more rocky, stuff worth some attention too. It's the End of the World, Orange Crush, Fall On Me, and The One I Love are cracking tunes

It's fun to watch reaction videos of this song. Those who watch the lyric video usually get what the song's about. Those who watch the music video pretty much have your reaction: confusion. Now just listen to the tune without the video in your head and you'll hear meaning pretty clearly. Cool reaction folks.

I remember being told "losing my religion" is a southern expression for "can't cope anymore"; "can't deal". Although the video production team used religious imagery, it's not about religion but about unrequited love.

I'm 35 and this is one of my early favorites; discovering music as a kid, I heard this and couldn't have connected more intimately with a song. Every time I hear it I have nostalgia like no other mother and yea it's just an incredible song.

To me, the phrase "losing my religion" means losing faith or belief in something, it doesn't have to be specifically related to religion itself. Religion is pretty much synonymous with belief or faith.

I was always told that "Losing My Religion" was slang for losing your temper or losing your cool... But who knows what they meant by it...

Michael Stipe is brilliant.

Even though I never really understood the song, I felt the emotion. Of course Rapid Eye Movement is our deepest sleep. I love their music.

This song was their breakthrough especially the video

The band is from Athens, Georgia. The term 'Losing My Religion' down South (especially in Georgia) means getting pissed off...losing one's mind (as in 'angry' or frustrated)...losing one's temper. Obviously, in this song, the phrase 'Losing my religion' may also be a double entendre, where it's trying to convey mental anguish and frustration, while at the same time also conveying losing faith. But in reality, that phrase down South where R.E.M is from, means anguish and frustration. Btw, although most people consider R.E.M's genre of music to be Alternative Rock, it's not actually 'Rock'. Their genre of music can be considered 'Alternative Folk'. But if 'Rock' is being used to describe them, then I would describe their genre as 'Folk Rock'. Ask me tomorrow, and I might give a different answer...LOL

The lyrics of the song is supposed to be about unrequited love.

Love their sound. plenty of top-notch material 👌

Thanks for tackling this one. it’s my favorite REM song. As many have commented here, the title is a slang Southern expression that can mean different things, but it is like feeling defeated, lost, trapped, depressed, etc. And in the context of the song, it refers to unrequited or spurned love.

I first saw these guys in '82 at the October Fest in Milwaukee. They were considered the new hot band to watch. Me, I had a great time. I recommend everyone to go there.

In the 90's, we were used to videos that didn't really 'mean' anything. It was all up to the director's imagination. We just went with the images and grooved to the song.

I'm glad that you mentioned about the unsubscribing, I just discovered that I'd been unsubscribed too. Other tracks by REM which I recommend are: "The One I Love", "Orange Crush", "It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)", "Stand", "Man on the Moon", "Driver 8", "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?", "Radio Free Europe", "Shiny Happy People" feat' Kate Pierson of The B-52's. There are many more but these are good ones to continue with.

Fall on me. So. Central Rain. Huge catalog of greats. An intelligent band.

My Mom is a mega R.E.M. fan, and this song is a frequent sound in my home... And I've been trying to emulate Michael Sipe ever since

I feel like this is about someone losing their faith. That's just how it hits me.

The rock critics used to call REM's lyrics "elliptical" and it's a word that makes sense. The lyrics loop back upon themselves, not necessarily traveling a straight line or telling a narrative. But here's the thing: that's an appropriate aesthetic goal, in and of itself. It doesn't "have to make sense." A song can suggest, it can hint, it can peek around the corner and then avert its eyes. One of the things that's so magical about "Losing My Religion" is how its meaning seems to morph upon repeated listens. Did you have a fight with your lover today? This song will sound different. Did your boss unexpectedly resign today? This song will sound different. Did you get a parking ticket today? Did it rain when the weatherman said sunshine? And so on... For me, this song is a personal reckoning with the establishment, discovering the things you always trusted and "knew" to be good have come up empty and meritless. We all face this crisis at least once in life. It's discovering your hero is not so heroic, that there's a man behind the curtain, that there is no Santa Claus. Oh no...I've said too much! (On second thought, I haven't said enough.)

Just enjoy the music. Cause that what it's all about, the music.

Great reaction as always. Welcome to the club lol i never understood the video either. This song was played daily on MTV in the early 90's.

Love it guys please keep this going. Excellent tune.. ❤

'The wrong child' is I think one of the most unique songs ever written. If you want a song with meaning, that's the one

Hi Phil & Sam, great band & song and yes they formed in 1980 and they were popular immediately. It's a term used in the south to lose your temper or civility(thank you to google for that😁) I'm a musician and I was a big REM fan and my Daughter sang their song "Fall On Me" for her talent show

They went on to get the most lucrative record deal to date, even topping M. Jackson.

Just love it period! ❤

His dance moves in this video were inspired from Sinead O'Connor's The Emperor's New Clothes video. Now do, It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)👌

One of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. And an amazing video..

This is the most 90s band of the 80s.

About time! 😆👌

IT'S ONE OF THE BEST SONGS I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE. IT'S A CLASSIC FROM THE 90s. 😉😉😎😎😜😜

The album Out of time where this song came from was brilliant. For me, 2nd to Automatic for the people album. So many great songs to check out.

REM is one of a kind, unique style

You guys gotta "Hear" and "SEE" Lisa Fischer performing her Grammy Award Winning hit "How can I Ease the Pain?...( The "LIVE" Version please) You gotta watch her do THIS ONE!!! You'll be totally Amazed!

One of my favourite bands, it was the first album I bought. Listen to one of their early hits "Fall On Me", great song!

Got the be one of the biggest and most influential bands of the late 80s and through the 90s, few bands could fill a stadium like they could. Unique sound.

Amazing song! 🤩🔥

First CD I bought was REM's Automatic for the People...still one of my favorites of all time

Perfect song.

Almost everything they do is just great !

My favorite song by them!! It also means losing your mind!! I listens too this song everyday. I am from the South.

The phrase "losing my religion" is an expression from the southern region of the United States that means "losing one's temper or civility" or "feeling frustrated and desperate." Stipe told The New York Times the song was about romantic expression.

Ha! I love this song! I have no idea WTF he's singing about, but I love the sound of it. :)

I always associated this with a relationship and basically giving up everything to stay with the person and "losing my religion" i.e. losing your deepest felt things to try and "keep up with you." Perhaps because I had feelings for someone at the time, so it hit me that way. But I could be wrong based on my own thoughts at that time. Great song however you interpret it!

I never understand why reactors think songs or videos are all literal. There is a huge percentage of songs that are a jumble of ryhmes, random thoughts, or just word salad. Then if its successful a director will make a video and put his own spin on it... that once again often means nothing. It seems that some people expect all song lyrics to make sense. A lot do, but a lot don't. If in doubt, check the source and see what they intended.

That was released in 1991 2 yrs before I retired and I still haven't figured out the meaning by listening to it. BUT there are explanations online ! lol I do enjoy the music of it.

"That's me in the corner..." 👍

One of my favourite songs…🇨🇦🖖🏻

would love some reactions to Mumford and Sons

Love This Song This Was Huge In The 90's REM Were a Great Band and Put Out Some Great Music In The 90's.

Automatic for the People is sublime - check out the songs off that album.

"Man on the Moon" might be their best-known song these days.

This is southern slang for being at the end of your rope

The phrase"loosing my religion" comes from the south. I always heard in the context of someone becoming unglued and acting a fool. Giving in to frustration and anger and not acting in a way that reflects your normal self, manners, and grace. Another phrase that could mean the same thing that others may know could be "flying off the handle," or "going off half-cocked," or just saying someone has "lost their mind." Maybe not exactly the same but in the same vien. You get the idea.

Thanks, kids! a weird video, but if you just listen to the music and lyrics you will get more out of it.. such a beautiful song... appreciate your reaction...

I do love the video. It reminds me of live renaissance paintings. Watch it again.

The video reminds me of the film and short story "The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings"

Your next REM should be *Shiny Happy People,* which includes guest vocalist Kate Pierson, giving you reason to branch into of the B-52's (who you haven't reacted to yet).

The live version is sooo good.

I'll walk you through this one, because R.E.M. can be a bit of a mindfuck, lol. The song has nothing at all to do with God or Religion. They're just evoking that imagery. First understand the notion of the "Collective Unconscious" as defined by Carl Jung, which proposes that people's minds work in roughly the same way because of shared societal experiences. Here's the example I always use: Close your eyes and imagine the black empty void of space. Slowly a balloon floats into view. Focus on the balloon. Now describe the balloon. It was a red latex balloon, filled with helium, a white string dangling from the knot. Probably a glimmer of light highlighting the upper right side of the balloon. Was my guess correct? Is that what you imagined? You were prompted to visualize a balloon, that is all. It could have been blue, green, yellow... it could have been a hot air balloon, a weather balloon, a mylar balloon shaped like a Pikachu, lol. But odd are your mind settled on the red latex balloon with a string. Most people do. If I was a magician, I would have claimed I just read your mind, but I didn't. Collective experiences, usually from childhood create a base from which all our cognition is formed, so we're all very predictable. And I won't guess right in every case, but I will in the majority of cases. That's the whole point. Now that you understand that, apply the same reasoning to the lyrics. Take each phrase as it's own thing and make a mental image of it. Now as you string each phrase together, those pictures in your mind tell a story which runs much deeper than the lyrics. "That's me in the corner"... like a shy dude at a party, there are other people around such that he needs to say "I'm that one specifically", and why is he in the corner, his back to two walls, closed off from the people in his surroundings? That's a pretty accessible mental image. "That's me in the spot light"... Not where a shy person wants to be, all eyes on them. Step through the lyrics line by line and you get a tale of nervous trepidation and self-doubt, specifically, it seems with a prospective romantic partner. That much is pretty obvious from the lyrics just taken at face value. But if you visualize it, your mind fills in a lot more nuance and detail. It's the same reason the book is always better than the movie, lol. A lot of music is meant to be heard this way, visualizing the lyric. It's not something that you should have to think about or analyze, it's just part of the experience and should come naturally. I think music videos and vapid songs about "Big Butts" and whatnot have robbed people of their ability to experience music in that manner without making a deliberate effort to do so. It's not just about what they're saying, it's how they are choosing to say it, and what they are intentionally not saying as well. R.E.M., David Bowie, Savatage, Billy Joel, Type O Negative, Nirvana, Chris Cornell, Tool, Blue Oyster Cult, Bruce Dickinson (solo, not with Maiden)... they all do this. Some of them very intentionally, others it seems to just innately be their style. This is almost foundational to grunge music in general and most Prog music as well. Just close your eyes, listen to a song and try to make a "music video" in your head based on the lyrics. You will be much more immersed in the song. But if you need to try and do this, R.E.M. is probably not the band to start with, lol... they leave a lot more to the listener's interpretation than most. That's what makes their music compelling, but they can be hard to keep up with. If you need to practice that kind of listening, I'd suggest starting with David Bowie's album "Diamond Dogs". Lots of literary references in there to keep it more on rails, but the same concepts apply. That will be more accessible. Billy Joel as well, he uses that imagery to draw you into his songs but he doesn't employ much ambiguity so what he's trying to convey is always more clear. Nirvana and R.E.M. are on the distant side of the spectrum from that, leaving a lot more to individual interpretation.

If you want a song with layers: REM - It’s the End of the World as We Know It. Love the reaction.

You have to listen to them from the beginning. Their evolution

An old southern saying, what happened, did you lose your religion “?” It’s a phrase to indicate a loss of patience, relationships etc… The video is trippy but it really if you watch it again, it makes sense. Fallen angels etc…❤❤❤

You finally got around to REM's best song. Next up should be "Man on the Moon"

5:01. I know that you both are confused by this video, but this was a MASSIVE hit--hahaha. Back in 1991 it won Music Video of the year at the VMAs. I know that I listened to this song non-stop during my Senior year in high school (I am old)--hahaha.

Honestly i dont need to understand the song, i just love the song, always have, never thought, what is he talking about??? I just hear it, and crank it up!!

My fave song of R.E.M. is "Drive" ... < give it a listen, too! No reaction needed, but a listen to ...

I remember the very first time I saw this video.

This is a good one but, my all time favorite from R.E.M. is by far "The One I Love" a little more rock, and great harmonies!

This song has always been a mystery to me

I remember this song well because my fam and many of my friends and cousins had REM on the reel to reel tapes back in the day. I don't know if you guys have seen those or not. You can Google them. Big ass tape wheels if you ask me. 😆One of my brothers actually learned to play this on a guitar and he said it was one of the easiest. I've never played a guitar so i have no clue. Sounds easy but it's not the same as playing it. Anyways. Growing up in that era, this great music got rooted deep into me. Great era! And yeah. I never figured out this song. And it looks like Google is confused as well. But hey. We can still try, right.

He is losing his dream.....losing his hope for love with a particular person. He is questioning if his affection is felt by the other person and real or just his fantasy. He is losing his faith in himself.

For me, the saying losing your religion has always meant you had lost all hope or faith in something or someone. This is more quirky pop. Now, being distracted or challenged by apparently open-ended or nebulous lyrics is a double-edged sword that can annoy and/or leave it to the listener to form their own opinion. That is the beauty of art whether the mystery of the words is intentional or not.

Stand in the place you were was their biggest song

One of the most popular songs with no chorus.

Its about a failing relationship/marriage brilliant song

Sam is adorable.

I've never been into pop music but Out of Time & Automatic for the People were of the time albums.

Okay, now you have to do "Mandolin Rain" by Bruce Hornsby and The Range

One of the great "chorusless" songs.

This was UGE when it came out! Loved this song... Next Up for you is; "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" especially after the B.S. in the world over the last four (4) years, the song made a HUGE Comeback in 2020!!

A lot of 80's alternative rock is more mellow. Considering punk was a thing, and metal was a thing, the alternative was something different to not just pop, but both of those as well.

They had quite a few songs that confused a lot of people and needed someone to explain it to them. And some of them were nonsense. I remember it took an interview for them to explain Orange Crush and What’s the Frequency Kenneth to fully explain them. They have so many great songs. And yes, I fully agree with them when they said Shiny Happy People was the worst song and regret releasing it.

Please react to "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" by R.E.M. next. You will need to do some research on what it's all about beforehand but it's a kick ass song!!