R.E.M.’s own Michael Stipe would often explain in the stage banter that preceded “Life and How to Live It” in concert that the song is about a guy, Brivs Mekis, who had 2 homes, connected by a hole in a wall. He’d live one life in one home, and move over to the other when he tired of his current one...
[Verse 1]
Burn bright through the night, two pockets lead the way
Two doors to go between the wall was raised today
Two doors, two names to call your others and your own
Keep these books well stocked away and take your happy home
[Chorus]
My carpenter's out and running about and talking to the street
My pockets are out and running about and barking in the street
To tell what I have hidden there
[Verse 2]
Burn bright through the night, two pockets lead the way
Two doors to go between the wall was raised today
Raise the walls to chide its flaws, the carpenter should rest
So that when you tire of one side, the other serves you best
[Chorus]
My carpenter's out and running about and talking to the street
My pockets are out and running about and barking in the street
To tell what I have hidden there
[Bridge]
The hills ringing hear the words in time
Listen to the holler
Listen to my walls within my tongue
Can't you see you made my ears go tin?
The air quicken tension building inference and suddenly
Life and how to live it
[Verse 3]
Raise the walls to chide its flaws, the carpenter should rest
So that when you tire of one side, the other serves you best
Read about the wisdom lost, the knock-knock-knock
A secret knock, one hammer's locked, the other wisdom lost
[Chorus]
My carpenter's out and running about and talking to the street
My pockets are out and running about and barking in the street
To tell what I have hidden there
My carpenter's out and running about and barking in the...
Listen to the holler
My pockets are out and running about and barking in the street
To tell what I have hidden there
[Outro]
Listen, listen to the holler
I'm gonna write a book, it will be called Life and How to Live It
Life and How to Live It was written by Michael Stipe & Peter Buck & Bill Berry & Mike Mills.
Life and How to Live It was produced by Joe Boyd.
R.E.M. released Life and How to Live It on Mon Jun 10 1985.