R.E.M. Lyric Annotations FAQ
R.E.M.: Monster: I Took Your Name

Lyrics

 [Monster]

"I signed your living will"
A "living will" is arrangements for one's death made beforehand, witnessed and countersigned by family or friends. [Ron Henry]

"I'm ready to close the book on NASA in outer space"
NASA runs the American space program. [Chris Piuma] * NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. [Ron Henry]

"I sequenced your arrival"
"Sequenced" in the sense of "scheduled". [Ron Henry]

"erased your master tape"
The master is what a commercial recording is made from. [Ron Henry]

"I wrote the sales pitch"
A sales pitch is an argument made by salesman to sell something. [Ron Henry]

"I threw the brake switch"
A brake switch is a lever in a locomotive that activates the brake. [Ron Henry]

"daddy roth car"
A car like the exaggerated dragsters and race cars drawn by comic artist [Ed "Big Daddy" Roth]. [Ron Henry, full name supplied by rbr]

"I crossed your great divide"
A great divide is a point in a continental mountain range where the rivers being flowing toward the other ocean. [Ron Henry]

"I'll be your albatross"
An albatross is a symbol of punishment or burden; from the Coleridge poem "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" [Ron Henry]

"I don't wanna be Iggy Pop"
Iggy Pop is a sensational early punk singer. [Ron Henry]
 

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Lyrics from Kipp Teague's Lyric Archive.