Finest Worksong
R.E.M. · Document
The time to rise has been engaged
You're better best to rearrange
I'm talking here to me alone
I listen to the finest worksong
Your finest hour
Another chance has been engaged
To throw Thoreau and rearrange
You are following this time
I beg you not beg to rhyme (blow your horn)
Your finest hour (blow your horn)
Take your instinct by the reins
Your better best to rearrange
What we want and what we need
Has been confused been confused (blow your horn)
Your finest hour (blow your song)
Take your instinct by the reins
Better best to rearrange
What we want and what we need
Has been confused been confused (blow your horn)
Your finest hour (blow your song)
Your finest hour (blow your horn)
Your finest hour (blow your song)
Your finest hour
You're better best to rearrange
I'm talking here to me alone
I listen to the finest worksong
Your finest hour
Another chance has been engaged
To throw Thoreau and rearrange
You are following this time
I beg you not beg to rhyme (blow your horn)
Your finest hour (blow your horn)
Take your instinct by the reins
Your better best to rearrange
What we want and what we need
Has been confused been confused (blow your horn)
Your finest hour (blow your song)
Take your instinct by the reins
Better best to rearrange
What we want and what we need
Has been confused been confused (blow your horn)
Your finest hour (blow your song)
Your finest hour (blow your horn)
Your finest hour (blow your song)
Your finest hour
Finest Worksong
Released on R.E.M.'s 1991 album Document, Finest Worksong stands as a defining track of the band's mid-career evolution. The song exemplifies the group's signature blend of jangly guitar work, atmospheric textures, and introspective lyricism that characterized their late 1980s and early 1990s output. Produced by Peter Gabriel, the recording features a distinct sonic palette that moved away from the raw indie-rock sound of their earlier work toward a more polished, art-rock aesthetic. It remains a staple of the band's discography, often cited alongside contemporaries like Losing My Religion as a key example of R.E.M.'s ability to craft complex, emotionally resonant songs during their peak creative period.