World Leader Pretend (song)
Encyclopedia
"World Leader Pretend" is a song by American alternative rock
band R.E.M.
from their sixth studio album, Green. It is notable for being the first R.E.M. song to feature printed lyrics on the album sleeve. The band's lead singer and lyricist, Michael Stipe
, has described the song as the album's "big moment." Stipe deliberately sang the lyrics in a clearer voice than normal, so the song's message could get across, a technique he utilized on a later song, "Everybody Hurts
," from the band's 1992 album Automatic for the People
. He performed the song's vocal track in one take. "World Leader Pretend" is included on the band's 1990 DVD Tourfilm
and the compilation album iTunes Originals - R.E.M. It is the namesake of the band World Leader Pretend
.
: "For me the big moment was 'World Leader Pretend.' It's a tribute to Leonard Cohen
, using military terms to describe a battle within. I was so proud of my lyrics and my vocal take that I refused to sing it a second time. I did it once. That was it."http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=11070 The lyrics of "World Leader Pretend" were the first by R.E.M. to be printed on an album's inner sleeve, and is the only song on Green to feature printed lyrics. Later albums would include lyrics for every track, starting with 1998's Up.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
from their sixth studio album, Green. It is notable for being the first R.E.M. song to feature printed lyrics on the album sleeve. The band's lead singer and lyricist, Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
, has described the song as the album's "big moment." Stipe deliberately sang the lyrics in a clearer voice than normal, so the song's message could get across, a technique he utilized on a later song, "Everybody Hurts
Everybody Hurts
"Everybody Hurts" is a song by R.E.M., originally released on the band's 1992 album Automatic for the People and was also released as a single in 1993. It peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, #7 on the UK Singles Chart and #3 on the French Singles Chart.-History:Much of the song was written by...
," from the band's 1992 album Automatic for the People
Automatic for the People
Automatic for the People is the eighth album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 1992 on Warner Bros. Records. While R.E.M...
. He performed the song's vocal track in one take. "World Leader Pretend" is included on the band's 1990 DVD Tourfilm
Tourfilm
Tourfilm is a documentary-style concert film by American rock band R.E.M. The film chronicles the band's 1989 Green tour of North America...
and the compilation album iTunes Originals - R.E.M. It is the namesake of the band World Leader Pretend
World Leader Pretend
World Leader Pretend was a five-person rock band from New Orleans, featuring Keith Ferguson , Parker Hutchinson , Matt Martin , Arthur Mintz , and Alex Smith...
.
Lyrics
The song's lyrics describe a narrator struggling with an internal conflict saying "This is my mistake. Let me make it good." The song uses the metaphor of walls several times, saying "I raised the wall, and I will be the one to knock it down." Michael Stipe said in a 2008 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine looking back on GreenGreen
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
: "For me the big moment was 'World Leader Pretend.' It's a tribute to Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
, using military terms to describe a battle within. I was so proud of my lyrics and my vocal take that I refused to sing it a second time. I did it once. That was it."http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=11070 The lyrics of "World Leader Pretend" were the first by R.E.M. to be printed on an album's inner sleeve, and is the only song on Green to feature printed lyrics. Later albums would include lyrics for every track, starting with 1998's Up.