You Are The Everything

R.E.M. · Green [1988]

Sometimes I feel like I can't even sing (say, say, the light)

I'm very scared for this world

I'm very scared for me

Eviscerate your memory

Here's a scene

You're in the back seat laying down

The windows wrap around

To sound of the travel and the engine

All you hear is time stand still in travel

and feel such peace and absolute

The stillness still that doesn't end

But slowly drifts into sleep

The stars are the greatest thing you've ever seen

And they're there for you

For you alone you are the everything



I think about this world a lot and I cry

And I've seen the films and the eyes

But I'm in this kitchen

Everything is beautiful

And she is so beautiful

She is so young and old

I look at her and I see the beauty

Of the light of music

The voices talking somewhere in the house

Late spring and you're drifting off to sleep

With your teeth in your mouth

You are here with me

You are here with me

You have been here and you are everything



(repeat 1st verse)

You Are The Everything

Released on R.E.M.'s 1988 album Green, 'You Are The Everything' stands as a defining track of the band's mid-career evolution. The song blends the group's signature jangle-pop sound with a more mature, introspective lyrical approach, marking a shift from their earlier indie-folk roots toward a polished, radio-friendly rock style. Written by Michael Stipe and Peter Buck, the recording features a driving rhythm section and melodic guitar work that encapsulates the late 80s alternative rock landscape. As a centerpiece of Green, it showcases the band's ability to craft anthemic pop structures while maintaining their distinct atmospheric texture, solidifying their status as pioneers of the genre during this pivotal era.