NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI: DEPARTURE

  In the Popsongs Blog Ask Michael Stipe section, Michael describes this song as similar to Undertow and Low Desert in that "they're stopping time at the moment of death to see what happened." I think this song is a little less specific than the other two, but it's intriguing that Michael is touring the world and wondering what would happen if everything just ended. He also describes the song as a storm spinning out of control. It's a whirlwind of traveling for our lead character, but the repetition of being young forever and there being 'so much that I can't do' stand out and paint a portrait of hubris and humility. There's something charming about that last admission and if I were to ascribe these lyrics directly to Michael, I would pair the song with the WAKE UP BOMB and it's lament of the rock and roll lifestyle. Close to Eddie Vedder's 'I shit and I stink, come in join the club.'
  I remember hearing this song live on the Monster Tour and enjoying it, but not getting a lasting impression of anything but a good arena rocker. I've taken the 's' off the word come because Michael never completes the word (mostly because it's an excuse for him to bellow), which got me thinking the lyric could be 'hear it come,' which is intriguing. Also, I see no reason to change the consensus 'bad' to 'back,' but I always thought it was back and it almost sounds like he closes the 'ck' consonant a couple of times. Other things, William Greider was an economics journalist for The Nation who also wrote for Rolling Stone and ptomaine is another name for food poisoning, but was based on the ingestion of rotting smells ... not a very scientific theory, but super gross smells definitely make me feel ill.



DEPARTURE

Just arrived Singapore

San Sebastian, Spain

26-hour trip
Salt Lake City come in spring over the salt flats
A hailstorm brought you back to me
Salt Lake City come in spring over the salt flats
A hailstorm brought you back to me

Here it comes

(I'm carried away)
Here it comes

(I'm carried away)
Here it comes

Departure godspeed

Bless his heart good lord
What a fuck-up, what a fighter
A free-fall, motorcycle, hang glider
Hung on the line like a, a poison spider
Win a eulogy from William Greider
A car crash, ptomaine, disposable lighter
A bus plunge, avalanche of vinegar cider
Free-fall, motorcycle, hang glider

Here it comes

(I'm carried away)
Here it comes

(I'm carried away)
Here it comes

Bad

Bad

Go, go, go, go, yeah

Go, go, go, go, yeah

Go, go, go, yeah

Well everybody is young forever
There's so much to tell you so little time
I've come a long way since, uh whatever
Shit I still see that word and think of you
But there is so much that I can't do

Yeah
You will be young forever
There is so much that I can't do
There is so much that I can't do

Here it comes

(I'm carried away)
Here it comes

(I'm carried away)
Here it comes

Bad

Bad

Here it comes

(I'm carried away)
Here it comes

(I'm carried away)
Here it comes

Bad

Bad

  Very easy song to play. Just a few chords, it's almost a break for the guitarist. 

DEPARTURE

Intro/ Break/ Verse

-Peter hits the 3 on the B string mostly apart from the sung verse. He also likes to end the riff line with open strings at times. Play with it to get the feel.

e|------------------------------0---|

B|----------------------------3-0---|

G|-0-2h-2-0-2h-2-0-2h-2-0-2h>4--0---|

D|----------------------------------|

A|----------------------------------|

E|----------------------------------|

Chorus

e|-0---3---|

B|-2---3---|

G|-2---0---|

D|-2---0---|

A|-0---2---|

E|-0---3---|

Middle Bridge

e|-2---3---2---3---0---|

B|-4---3---4---3---2---|

G|-4---0---4---0---2---|

D|-4---0---4---0---2---|

A|-2---2---2---2---0---|

E|-2---3---2---3---0---|