Jim Adams is the music-loving host of Song Lyric Sunday.  Jim says:
This week we have Lean/Sit/Stand for a prompt. 

Here are the “rules”:
• Post the lyrics to the song of your choice, whether it fits the theme or not. If it does not fit, then please explain why you chose this song.
• Please try to include the songwriter(s) – it’s a good idea to give credit where credit is due.
• Make sure you also credit the singer/band and if you desire you can provide a link to where you found the lyrics.
• Link to the YouTube video, or pull it into your post so others can listen to the song.
• Ping back to this post will eventually work, as long as you are being patient, but you can also place your link in the comments if you don’t like to wait.
• Read at least one other person’s blog, so we can all share new and fantastic music and create amazing new blogging friends in the process.
• Feel free to suggest future prompts.
• Have fun and enjoy the music.

REM l. to r. Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe

Green is the sixth studio album by American rock band R.E.M., released on November 7, 1988. Green explored political issues both in its lyrics and packaging. The band experimented on the album, writing major-key rock songs and incorporating new instruments into their sound including the mandolin, as well as switching their original instruments on other songs.

Upon its release, Green was a critical and commercial success. To promote Green, the band embarked on an 11-month world tour and released four singles from the album: “Orange Crush”, “Stand”, “Pop Song 89”, and “Get Up”.

Stand is an example of “truck driver’s gear change”, as the last two rounds of the chorus are each one whole step higher than the one previous. The song is meant to be a self-aware “tongue-in-cheek” 60s-esque bubblegum pop ditty, meant to resemble the music of The Banana Splits, The Archies and The Monkees.

Guitarist Peter Buck described “Stand” as “without a doubt, […] the stupidest song we’ve ever written. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though“, comparing the song to “Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen in terms of ‘stupid’ lyrical content.

I didn’t realize this song was meant to be intentionally nonsensical, but it wasn’t the first time that REM had pulled their listeners’ legs. They did it also with “The One I Love” on the previous album, Document, where it appears to be a love song, but the lyrics say the object of his affections is “a simple prop to occupy my time.”

The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming R.E.M.’s second top 10 hit in the United States, and topped both the Mainstream Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts. The song reached number 48 on the UK Singles Chart and number 16 in Canada. It was placed on R.E.M.’s Warner Bros. Records “best of” album In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003 in 2003, as well as the 2011 compilation album Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage.

Stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction
Wonder why you haven’t before

Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven’t before

If you are confused, check with the sun
Carry a compass to help you along
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around

So stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction
Wonder why you haven’t before

Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven’t before

Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around
If wishes were trees, the trees would be falling
Listen to reason, season is calling

Stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction
Wonder why you haven’t before

Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven’t before

If wishes were trees, the trees would be falling
Listen to reason, reason is calling
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around

So stand (Stand!)
Now face north
Think about direction
Wonder why you haven’t before

Now stand (Stand!)
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven’t

Stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction
Wonder why you haven’t before

Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven’t before

Stand in the place where you are
Now face north
Stand in the place where you are
Now face west
Your feet are going to be on the ground
(Stand in the place where you are)
Your head is there to move you around, so stand
Songwriters: WILLIAM BERRY / PETER BUCK / MIKE MILLS / MICHAEL STIPE