Sad Professor
R.E.M. · Up
Then I have to tell you
Dear readers, I'm not sure where I'm headed.
I've gotten lost before.
I've woke up stone drunk
Face down in the floor.
Late afternoon, the house is hot.
I started, I jumped up.
Everyone hates a bore.
Everybody hates a drunk.
This may be a lit invention
Professors muddled in their intent
To try to rope in followers
To float their malcontent.
As for this reader,
I'm already spent.
Late afternoon, the house is hot.
I started, I jumped up.
Everyone hates a sad professor.
I hate where I wound up.
Dear readers, my apologies.
I'm drifting in and out of sleep.
Long silence presents the tragedies
Of love. Note the age. Get afraid.
The surface hazy with attendant thoughts.
A lazy eye metaphor on the rocks.
Late afternoon, the house is hot.
I started, I jumped up.
Everone hates a bore.
Everybody hates a drunk.
Everyone hates a sad professor.
I hate where I wound up.
I hate where I wound up.
R.E.M. - Sad Professor
Sad Professor stands as a defining track from R.E.M.'s 1998 album Up, marking a significant departure from the band's earlier alternative rock sound. The recording features the group's signature atmospheric textures, blending Michael Stipe's enigmatic vocal delivery with Peter Buck's intricate guitar work. Released during a period of experimentation for the Athens, Georgia quartet, the song captures the moody, introspective quality that characterized the Up era. While the band had previously achieved massive commercial success with their mid-nineties output, this track reflects a more complex and sometimes challenging sonic landscape. It remains a notable song in their extensive discography, showcasing their ability to evolve while maintaining their distinctive artistic identity within the alternative genre.