E-Bow the Letter

"E-Bow the Letter"
Cover song by Billy Corgan Original by R.E.M.
Lyrics Tabs
Songwriter(s)	Bill Berry, Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck

"E-Bow the Letter" is a 1996 single by R.E.M. Billy Corgan covered it along with with R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe and Patti Smith (who sings backup vocals in the original R.E.M. recording) at Tibet House Benefit Concert on February 17. 1997. Corgan has said it is one of his favorite R.E.M. songs.

Lyrics

look up, what do you see?
all of you and all of me
fluorescent and starry
some of them, they surprise

the bus ride, i went to write this, 4:00 a.m.
this letter
fields of poppies, little pearls
all the boys and all the girls sweet-toothed
each and every one a little scary
i said your name

i wore it like a badge of teenage film stars
hash bars, cherry mash and tinfoil tiaras
dreaming of maria callas
whoever she is
this fame thing, i don't get it
i wrap my hand in plastic to try to look through it
maybelline eyes and girl-as-boy moves
i can take you far
this star thing, i don't get it

i'll take you over, there
i'll take you over, there
aluminum, tastes like fear
adrenaline, it pulls us near

i'll take you over
it tastes like fear, there
i'll take you over

will you live to 83?
will you ever welcome me?
will you show me something that nobody else has seen?
smoke it, drink
here comes the flood
anything to thin the blood
these corrosives do their magic slowly and sweet
phone, eat it, drink
just another chink
cuts and dents, they catch the light
aluminum, the weakest link

i don't want to disappoint you
i'm not here to anoint you
i would lick your feet
but is that sickest move?
i wear my own crown and sadness and sorrow
and who'd have thought tomorrow could be so strange?
my loss, and here we go again

i'll take you over, there
i'll take you over, there
aluminum, tastes like fear
adrenaline, it pulls us near

i'll take you over
it tastes like fear, there
i'll take you over

look up, what do you see?
all of you and all of me
fluorescent and starry
some of them, they surprise

i can't look it in the eyes
seconal, spanish fly, absinthe, kerosene
cherry-flavored neck and collar
i can smell the sorrow on your breath
the sweat, the victory and sorrow
the smell of fear, i got it

i'll take you over, there
i'll take you over, there
aluminum, tastes like fear
adrenaline, it pulls us near

i'll take you over
it tastes like fear, there
i'll take you over

pulls us near
tastes like fear..

nearer, nearer
over, over, over, over
yeah, look over
i'll take you there, oh, yeah
i'll take you there
oh, over
i'll take you there
over, let me
i'll take you there..
there, there, baby, yeah

Tour stats

• Total plays: 1 play
• Only performance: Billy Corgan 1997-02-17 at Carnegie Hall, New York City, NY, US

External links

• "E-Bow the Letter" at SPFC