The Wake-Up Bomb
R.E.M. · New Adventures In Hi-Fi
I look good in a glass pack
I look good and mean
I look good in metallic sick wraparound blackout tease
I scud along the horizon, I drink some sweet tree tea
I get high in my low-ass boot-cut jean
I like being seen
I look good with my drink-eat-no-sleep, take-a-leap longevity
I get high on my attitude, latitude, 1973
I'm in deep
My head's on fire and high esteem
Carry my dead, bored, been there, done that, anything
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
My head's on fire and high esteem
Get drunk and sing along to Queen
Practice my T-Rex moves and make the scene
Carry my dead, bored, been there, done that, anything
I had to knock a few buildings over
I make an ugly mess
I had to blow a gasket
Drop transmission
I had to decompress
I had to write the great American novel
I had a neutron bomb
I had to teach the world to sing by the age of 21
I wake up (I wake up)
I wake up (I wake up)
I threw up when I saw what I'd done
Oh, the wake-up bomb
Oh, the wake-up bomb
My head's on fire and high esteem
Get drunk and sing along to Queen
Practice my T-Rex moves and make the scene
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
I've had enough, I've seen enough, I've had it all, I'm giving up
I won the race, I broke the cup, I drank it all, I spit it up
I've had enough, I've seen enough, I've had it all, I'm giving up
I won the race, I broke the cup, I drank it all, I spit it up
Yeah, atomic, Supersonic
What a joke, I'm dumb
See ya, don't wanna be you
Lunch meat, Pond scum
My head's on fire in high esteem
Get drunk and sing along to Queen
Practice my T-Rex moves and make the scene
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
Yeah, I'd rather be anywhere doing anything
The Wake-Up Bomb
The Wake-Up Bomb stands as a pivotal track on R.E.M.'s 1996 album New Adventures In Hi-Fi, marking a significant shift in the band's sonic landscape. Following the commercial success of their previous era, this recording captures the group navigating a more complex, textured sound that blends their signature jangle with darker, more experimental undertones. The song reflects the band's willingness to explore new territories while maintaining the atmospheric depth that defined their discography. As part of a celebrated body of work, it showcases the group's continued evolution and ability to craft compelling narratives through instrumental dynamics and vocal delivery. This piece remains an essential component of their catalog, illustrating the creative energy that sustained them through the mid-nineties and beyond.