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R.E.M. — I Believe
Album: Life's Rich Pageant
Avg rating:
7.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 422









Released: 1986
Length: 3:44
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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When I was young and full of grace, and spirited a rattlesnake
When I was young and fever fell, my spirit I will not tell
You're on your honor not to tell

I believe in coyotes and time as an abstract
Explain the change, the difference between
What you want and what you need, there's the key
Your adventure for today, what do you do
Between the horns of the day

I believe
My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe in

When I was young and give and take, and foolish said my fool awake
When I was young and fever fell, my spirit I will not tell
You're on your honor, on your honor

Trust in your calling, make sure your calling's true
Think of others, the others think of you
Silly rule, golden words make practice, practice makes perfect
Perfect is a fault, and fault lines change

I believe
My humor's wearing thin and change is what I believe in
I believe
My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe in

When I was young and full of grace, and spirited a rattlesnake
When I was young and fever fell, my spirit I will not tell
You're on your honor, on your honor

I believe in example, I believe my throat hurts
Example is the checker to the key

I believe
My humor's wearing thin and I believe the poles are shifting
I believe
My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe in
Comments (34)add comment
lord, haven't heard this in a while.
Posted 8 months ago by NoEnzLefttoSplit    [ Reply ]
Even if this song was 20 minutes long I would listen to it over and over again....
Posted 8 months ago by gregskrtic    [ Reply ]
This should be my theme song.  William, you need a “replay” button so I can put this on repeat!
Posted 9 months ago by TripletThreat    [ Reply ]
Great album! I am, I am Superman…
Posted 9 months ago by bluebeag    [ Reply ]
 ScottFromWyoming wrote:

I see I've rated it but didn't recall ever hearing it. So I'm going to have to agree with this.

 
A year later and the song still gives me goose bumps.  More spots on the rotation please!
Posted 6 years ago by agd3    [ Reply ]
 phlattop wrote:
Clearly, this isn't played enough.
 
I see I've rated it but didn't recall ever hearing it. So I'm going to have to agree with this.
Posted 6 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
27 comments only?! Clearly, this isn't played enough.

Agree about the banjo intro. Amazing song.
Posted 7 years ago by phlattop    [ Reply ]
 Steely_D wrote:
I miss the good version (pre-Warner Bros) of REM. They were so amazing.

 
Yep.
Posted 7 years ago by nutrod42    [ Reply ]
This was so great on Vinyl.  
Posted 7 years ago by melzabutch    [ Reply ]
That banjo intro. IS STELLAR!!
Posted 8 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]
Definitely their finest period right around here... Saw them on this tour when they played on CU campus here in Boulder; I was down around 5th Row or so, and it was a spirited, frenetic performance, but Stipe was so edgy that he somehow mistook a fan's enthusiastic bellows for heckling, and started screaming, "Shut the fuck up!" and it almost derailed an otherwise amazing showcase of their talents.
Posted 8 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
 treatment_bound wrote:

I hope you drove extra-fast on that bridge, just in case the Cuyahoga spontaneously combusted again...

 
Hilarious!
Posted 9 years ago by agd3    [ Reply ]
My throat HURTS!
Posted 9 years ago by agd3    [ Reply ]
I don't think I've ever heard this on RP before. Great song, great album.
Posted 9 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
 Steely_D wrote:
I miss the good version (pre-Warner Bros) of REM. They were so amazing.

 

{#Yes}
Posted 9 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
 agd3 wrote:
I LOVE this song...always a favorite on road trip drives when I was in college.  I used to try to time the playing of this album in Ohio while driving over the Cuyohoga River.

 
I hope you drove extra-fast on that bridge, just in case the Cuyahoga spontaneously combusted again...
Posted 9 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]
I miss the good version (pre-Warner Bros) of REM. They were so amazing.
Posted 9 years ago by Steely_D    [ Reply ]
I LOVE this song...always a favorite on road trip drives when I was in college.  I used to try to time the playing of this album in Ohio while driving over the Cuyohoga River.
Posted 9 years ago by agd3    [ Reply ]
"Silly rule, golden words make practice, practice makes perfect
Perfect is a fault, and fault lines change."

hard to argue with logic like that! 
Posted 10 years ago by gregskrtic    [ Reply ]
Forgot about that intro! So good...
 
Posted 10 years ago by apd    [ Reply ]
Everybody in my homeless camp loves this song...  believe me...
Posted 10 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
This album really was R.E.M. at their peak, but it was also the first one to contain a bunch of filler songs (Underneath the Bunker, Flowers of Guatemala, etc.) This was right around when CDs first came out, so thankfully we were able to program around them. The first three songs and the last two songs are all classics, and I Believe is nearly in the same league.
Posted 10 years ago by Shimmer    [ Reply ]
...pretty early for a boogie round the breakfast table - but oh well (with toes tappin)
Posted 10 years ago by drivingunit103    [ Reply ]
Fantastic.  An obvious "10", I agree - this album was REM at their best
Posted 10 years ago by aspicer    [ Reply ]
This album was REM at their best.
Posted 10 years ago by SmackDaddy    [ Reply ]
I just can't get enough of R.E.M. - miss those guys!

{#Dance} 
Posted 11 years ago by Elroweho    [ Reply ]
Man, this is such a great song....
Posted 11 years ago by deepwoodskev    [ Reply ]
yeeeeehaaaaw!!!!!!!!!!!!!
favorite song from my favorite album   {#Cowboy}
Posted 11 years ago by wrangler    [ Reply ]

Everybody in my multitude of churches loves this song, and this entire album...

in my churches, we simultaneously believe in nothing and everything...  we definitely believe in this song and this album...
Posted 11 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 11 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]

This song is soooo good for the ears...
 
Posted 11 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
One of my faves....
Posted 11 years ago by rdo    [ Reply ]
I can't believe "I Believe" has never been played here.  It's worth a listen just to here the banjo intro...

Posted 15 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]
I believe my throat hurts.
Posted 20 years ago by veegez    [ Reply ]