Man On The Moon

Man on the Moon is a song by the band R.E.M. from their 1992 album Automatic for the People. The song makes numerous references to the performer Andy Kaufman, including his Elvis impersonation and work with wrestlers Fred Blassie and Jerry Lawler. The song was released as a single in 1993. The title, video, and lyrics are a reference to the conspiracy theory that the American moon landing was faked. There have also been rumors that Andy Kaufman faked his death. The lyrics make no direct reference to this or a connection between the two, but they do imply that Kaufman should be seen as having "nothing up his sleeve." The song gave its name to a 1999 film Man on the Moon, and was used in the film's soundtrack. The song's video, directed by Peter Care, was shot over three days in the desert, at Lancaster in the Antelope Valley area of California, in October 1992. Care kept a journal of the unusually long planning, filming, and editing process, which was published by Raygun magazine and reprinted in the R.E.M. fan club newsletter. It gave a clear idea of the amount of work, money, and attention-to-detail involved. In the video, Stipe, attired in a cowboy hat, walks along a desert road. He leaps onto a passing truck, driven by Bill Berry, and hitches a ride to a truck stop where Peter Buck is tending bar and Mike Mills is shooting pool. Berry trades his truck seat for a bar stool, and along with a few of the other customers, sings along during the choruses. After finishing his order of fries, Stipe leaves and walks off into the dusk. In the background on a small television set in the truck stop, various footage of Andy Kaufman can be seen showing. This video was ranked #41 on Rolling Stone magazine's The 100 Top Music Videos.

[Verse 1] Mott the Hoople and the Game of Life Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Andy Kaufman in the wrestling match Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Monopoly, Twenty-one, Checkers, and Chess Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Mister Fred Blassie in a breakfast mess Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Let's play Twister, let's play Risk Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah See you in heaven if you make the list Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah [Pre-Chorus 1] Now, Andy, did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch? Andy, are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby Are we losing touch? [Chorus] If you believed they put a man on the moon Man on the moon If you believed there's nothing up his sleeve Then nothing is cool [Verse 2] Moses went walking with the staff of wood Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Newton got beaned by the apple good Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Egypt was troubled by the horrible asp Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Mister Charles Darwin had the gall to ask Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah [Pre-Chorus 2] Now, Andy, did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch? Hey, Andy, are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby Are you having fun? [Chorus] If you believed they put a man on the moon Man on the moon If you believed there's nothing up his sleeve Then nothing is cool [Verse 3] Here's a little agit for the never-believer Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Here's a little ghost for the offering Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Here's a truck stop instead of Saint Peter's Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Mister Andy Kaufman's gone wrestling (wrestling bears) Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah [Pre-Chorus 1] Now, Andy, did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch? Hey, Andy, are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby Are we losing touch? [Chorus] If you believed they put a man on the moon Man on the moon If you believed there's nothing up his sleeve Then nothing is cool [Outro] If you believed they put a man on the moon Man on the moon If you believed there's nothing up his sleeve Then nothing is cool If you believed they put a man on the moon Man on the moon If you believed there's nothing up his sleeve Then nothing is cool If you believed they put a man on the moon Man on the moon If you believed there's nothing up his sleeve Then nothing is cool