“Fall on Me” might be R.E.M.s prettiest song. The notes on the Eponymous album say:
What’s the word on what that direction might be?
I think the song is understood to be about environmental issues like air pollution. Maybe they’re saying that’s the right idea, but there’s a little more going on.
No idea, but as long as the thread’s here I’m chiming in with my agreement that this is REM’s best song.
I’ll chime in with it’s one of their three best songs along with “Perfect Circle” and “So. Central Rain”.
Good to hear. I always thought I was alone on this.
From Murmur up until Green they released some stellar work. For me it got a little patchy after that. Eponymous is the IRS “best of” isn’t it? A good summary of a great band.
Not to continue the hijack, but REM is to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. Rumor has it that Bill Berry will play with the band at the induction ceremony.
Back to the good ol’ days!
I may be just getting crochety, but I stopped looking for profound insight in song lyrics in the early 80s (coincidentally, I’m sure, with the period in which I gave up most mind-altering substances 
) and I no longer care what a song is supposed to be “about” as long as it’s a decent song.
“Fall On Me” is one of my favorites.
He played with them when they were inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, too, and at a roadie’s wedding a few months earlier.
Good choices, there.
And it’s my understanding that “Fall on Me” was written about acid rain. Truthfully, I kind of liked the song better when I had no clue what it meant (which was the genius of a lot of early R.E.M. songs).
**Fall on Me ** has been in my I-Pod rotation since Day 1.
Top-10 for sure, but not necessarily top-3.
On the MTV “Unplugged” they did, Michael Stipe introduces it as one of his favorites.
I wonder if they played the Chicken Dance.
FoM is also one of my Top 5 favorites of their songs.
pretty song, but, IMHO, You are the Everything, Perfect Circle, and Nightswimming, are prettier. AS someone up thread said, a top 10, but probably not a top 3. Of course their best song is I Believe