AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE: EVERYBODY HURTS

  This is a great song.  It is simple, but effective.  The video is great.  There is nothing wrong or strange about this song and is one of those songs that, though it is delivered by R.E.M., seems to come from somewhere else.  It is cosmically inspired.  The song started with Bill Berry and evolved with the entire band.
  Personally, I have seen and been close to some tragedy lately.  To be honest, the song in personal terms seems trite.   It has no meaning after tragic events except to stop more tragedy.  This is a crisis song, a preventative tone, a plea before desperate action.  As a culture, we are given to drama.  We seem pulled toward the reckless and unseemly primarily because they are more interesting than living simply.  
  I used to think "Don't throw your hand" was a plea not to hit someone or hurt yourself, but now I feel it is a card players reference to not give up.




EVERYBODY HURTS

When your day is long

And the night, the night is yours alone
When you're sure you've had enough of this life

Well hang on

Don't let yourself go

‘Cause everybody cries

Everybody hurts

Sometimes

Sometimes everything is wrong

Now it's time to sing along
When your day is night alone

(hold on, hold on)
If you feel like letting go

(hold on)
If you think you've had too much of this life

Well hang on

‘Cause everybody hurts

Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts

Don't throw your hand

Oh, no

Don't throw your hand
If you feel like you're alone

No, no, no, you’re not alone

If you're on your own in this life

The days and nights are long
When you think you've had too much of this life to hang on

Well, everybody hurts sometimes

Everybody cries

Everybody hurts

Sometimes
Everybody hurts

Sometimes

So hold on

Hold on
Hold on, hold on

(no, no, no, no, no)

Hold on, hold on

Hold on, hold on

(Oh, no, no, no, no, no)

Everybody hurts

(no, no, no, no, no)

You are not alone


  This is a very easy song to play.  It was the first song that I learned how to adjust my hands counter to the rhythm of the picking and get the sound right.  That was when I used the full chords ... how much easier it is to just move 2 fingers!  Also, at the end, I like to play the power chords on the 10th fret ... the parenthetical 0 is played before the second Bm in the bridge ... 

EVERYBODY HURTS

Verse

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

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

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

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

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

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

Transition/Chorus

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

B|--3--3-----0-----0---2-2---2-2---|

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

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

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

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

Bridge

e|----------------------------------------------|

B|----------------------------------------------|

G|-3---3-----4---4-4---------4---------2---2-2--|

D|-4---4-----4---4-4-----2---5---2-2-2-2---2-2--|

A|-4---4-(0)-2---2-2-----3---5---3-3-2----------|

E|-2---2------------(x2)-----3------------------|

End Distortion

e|-----------|

B|-----------|

G|-7----4----|

D|-7----5----|

A|-5----5----|

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