What the hell is this song about? Do the members of R.E.M. even know what this song is about? Who knows? All I know is that it’s one of the first (if not the first) song from Athens’ favorite sons that can accurately be called “fun”. It’s also one of the first R.E.M. songs that you can understand most of the words to, as first evidenced by me when I witnessed everyone in Madison Square Garden screaming along at the top of their lungs when Michael Stipe and company closed their show with this song during the Monster tour in 1994.

“Birthday party/Cheesecake/Jellybeans/boom!”

Aw, screw it. Here’s the video. It’s one of the best of the decade, as well.