Begin The Begin
Lyrics
Birdie in the hand for life’s rich demand
The insurgency began and you missed it
I looked for it and I found it
Miles Standish proud, congratulate me
A philanderer’s tie, a murderer’s shoe
Life’s rich demand creates supply in the hand
Of the powers, the only vote that matters
Silence means security silence means approval
On Zenith, on the TV, tiger run around the tree
Follow the leader, run and turn into butter
Let’s begin again, begin the begin
Let’s begin again like Martin Luther Zen
The mythology begins the begin
Answer me a question I can’t itemize
I can’t think clear, you look to me for reason
It’s not there, I can’t even rhyme here in the begin
A philanderer’s tie, a murderer’s shoe
Example: the finest example is you
Birdie in the hand for life’s rich demand
The insurgency began and you missed it
I looked for it and I found it
Miles Standish proud, congratulate me
A philanderer’s tie, a murderer’s shoe
Let’s begin again begin the begin
Let’s begin again
Copyright © R.E.M./Athens Ltd.
No Official Releases named ‘Begin The Begin’
Unofficial Releases (Bootlegs)
Begin The Begin (Bootleg CD Album)EU – CD 12033
Recorded: Westwood One, Orlando 1989
- 1. Turn You Inside Out
- 2. Begin The Begin
- 3. Disturbance At The Heron House
- 4. King Of Birds
- 5. Finest Worksong
- 6. I Believe
- 7. Crazy
- 8. Swan Swan H
- 9. Pop Song 89
- 10. Feeling Gravitys Pull
- 11. Welcome To The Occupation
- 12. Stand
- 13. Exhuming McCarthy
- 14. Perfect Circle
- 15. Get Up
‘Begin The Begin’ is also available on
Losing My Religion (Bootleg CD Album)released: unknown
Recorded: 11/19/1992, 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA
- 1. Drive
- 2. Monty Got A Raw Deal
- 3. Everybody Hurts
- 4. Man On The Moon
- 5. Losing My Religion
- 6. Country Feedback
- 7. Begin The Begin
- 8. Fall On Me
- 9. Me In Honey
- 10. Finest Worksong
- 11. Drive
- 12. Love Is All Around
- 13. Funtime
- 14. Radio Free Europe
- 15. Losing My Religion
From Mountain Stage
Bang And Blame (12” Single)USA – 0-41857
released: unknown
- 1. Bang And Blame
- 2. Losing My Religion
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 3. Country Feedback
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 4. Begin The Begin
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens
Document / Lifes Rich Pageant (CD Album)released: unknown
- 1. Finest Worksong
- 2. Exhuming McCarthy
- 3. Welcome To The Occupation
- 4. Disturbance At The Heron House
- 5. Strange
- 6. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
- 7. The One I Love
- 8. Fireplace
- 9. Lightnin’ Hopkins
- 10. King Of Birds
- 11. Oddfellows Local 151
- 12. Begin The Begin
- 13. These Days
- 14. Fall On Me
- 15. Cuyahoga
- 16. Hyena
- 17. Underneath The Bunker
- 18. The Flowers Of Guatemala
- 19. I Believe
- 20. What If We Give It Away
- 21. Just A Touch
- 22. Swan Swan H
- 23. Superman
Bang And Blame (Maxi CD)USA – 9-41857-2
released: unknown
- 1. Bang And Blame
- 2. Losing My Religion
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 3. Country Feedback
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 4. Begin The Begin
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens
Bang And Blame (Maxi CD)Germany – 9362-41857-2 | W0275CD
released: unknown
- 1. Bang And Blame
- 2. Losing My Religion
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 3. Country Feedback
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 4. Begin The Begin
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens
Documentary (Bootleg LP)TRW 1914
released: unknown
- 1. Finest Worksong
- 2. These Days
- 3. Welcome To The Occupation
- 4. Exhuming McCarthy
- 5. Orange Crush
- 6. Feeling Gravitys Pull
- 7. King Of Birds
- 8. I Believe
- 9. Maps And Legends
- 10. Driver 8
- 11. Superman
- 12. Auctioneer (Another Engine)
- 13. Oddfellows Local 151
- 14. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
- 15. Begin The Begin
- 16. Strange
- 17. Ghost Riders
- 18. Cuyahoga
- 19. Fall On Me
- 20. Harpers
- 21. The One I Love
- 22. Crazy
- 23. Pop Song 89
- 24. Just A Touch
- 25. After Hours
Drive (Bootleg LP)released: unknown
Recorded: Demos from various studios and dates.
- 1. Radio Free Europe
Radio Dub - 2. Ages Of You
- 3. Carnival Of Sorts (Boxcars)
- 4. Shaking Through
- 5. Wolves, Lower
Fast Version - 6. Catapult
- 7. Laughing
- 8. Romance
- 9. That Beat
- 10. Burning Hell
- 11. The Lion Sleeps Tonight
- 12. Skank
- 13. Theme From Two Steps Onward
- 14. Just A Touch
- 15. Mystery To Me
- 16. Wait
- 17. Begin The Begin
- 18. Cuyahoga
- 19. I Believe
- 20. These Days
- 21. Bad Day
Green Dreams (Bootleg LP)??
released: unknown
Recorded: Orlando Arena, Orlando FL 4/30/89
- 1. Pop Song 89
- 2. Exhuming McCarthy
- 3. Welcome To The Occupation
- 4. Disturbance At The Heron House
- 5. Turn You Inside Out
- 6. Orange Crush
- 7. Feeling Gravitys Pull
- 8. Swan Swan H
- 9. Begin The Begin
- 10. Pretty Persuasion
- 11. I Believe
- 12. King Of Birds
- 13. Crazy
- 14. Finest Worksong
- 15. You Are The Everything
- 16. Academy Fight Song
- 17. Stand
- 18. Perfect Circle
- 19. Get Up
- 20. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
Greendreams (Bootleg LP)VIGOTONE – THREE
released: unknown
Recorded: Orlando Arena, Orlando FL 4/30/89, w/ 2 fan club tracks
- 1. Pop Song 89
- 2. Exhuming McCarthy
- 3. Welcome To The Occupation
- 4. Disturbance At The Heron House
- 5. Turn You Inside Out
- 6. Orange Crush
- 7. Feeling Gravitys Pull
- 8. Swan Swan H
- 9. Begin The Begin
- 10. Pretty Persuasion
- 11. I Believe
- 12. King Of Birds
- 13. Crazy
- 14. Finest Worksong
- 15. You Are The Everything
- 16. Academy Fight Song
- 17. Stand
- 18. Perfect Circle
- 19. Get Up
- 20. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
- 21. See No Evil
Fan Club Track - 22. Academy Fight Song
Fan Club Track
1994 (Bootleg CD Album)released: unknown
- 1. Losing My Religion
live recorded at: 1991-04-28 in Charleston - 2. World Leader Pretend
live recorded at: 1991-04-28 in Charleston - 3. Belong
live recorded at: 1991-04-28 in Charleston - 4. Low
live recorded at: 1991-04-28 in Charleston - 5. Losing My Religion
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 6. Country Feedback
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 7. Begin The Begin
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 8. Monty Got A Raw Deal
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 9. Everybody Hurts
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 10. Man On The Moon
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 11. Everybody Hurts
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 12. Drive
live recorded at: 1992-11-19 in Athens - 13. What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?
live recorded at: 1994-11-12 in New York - 14. Bang And Blame
live recorded at: 1994-11-12 in New York - 15. I Don’t Sleep, I Dream
live recorded at: 1994-11-12 in New York
Automatic People (Bootleg CD Album)released: unknown
Recorded 11/19/92 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA. Last song appears to be MTV Performance.
- 1. Drive
- 2. Monty Got A Raw Deal
- 3. Man On The Moon
- 4. Losing My Religion
- 5. Country Feedback
- 6. Begin The Begin
- 7. Fall On Me
- 8. Me In Honey
- 9. Finest Worksong
- 10. Drive
- 11. Love Is All Around
- 12. Funtime
- 13. Radio Free Europe
- 14. Losing My Religion
Automatically Live (Bootleg CD Album)released: unknown
Recorded 11/19/92 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA. Last song appears to be MTV Performance.
- 1. Drive
- 2. Monty Got A Raw Deal
- 3. Man On The Moon
- 4. Losing My Religion
- 5. Country Feedback
- 6. Begin The Begin
- 7. Fall On Me
- 8. Me In Honey
- 9. Finest Worksong
- 10. Drive
- 11. Love Is All Around
- 12. Funtime
- 13. Radio Free Europe
- 14. Losing My Religion
Boreal Equinoxia (Bootleg CD Album)BC 039
released: unknown
Recorded 11/19/92, 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA. Plus 3 Bonus Tracks
- 1. Drive
- 2. Monty Got A Raw Deal
- 3. Everybody Hurts
- 4. Man On The Moon
- 5. Losing My Religion
- 6. Country Feedback
- 7. Begin The Begin
- 8. Fall On Me
- 9. Me In Honey
- 10. Finest Worksong
- 11. Drive
- 12. Love Is All Around
- 13. Funtime
- 14. Radio Free Europe
- 15. Pretty Persuasion
Bonus Track - 16. I Believe
Bonus Track - 17. King Of Birds
Bonus Track
Consider Life (Bootleg CD Album)NG270493
released: unknown
Recorded 11/19/92, 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA, 1/20/93 MTV Inaugural Ball
- 1. Drive
- 2. Monty Got A Raw Deal
- 3. Everybody Hurts
- 4. Man On The Moon
- 5. Losing My Religion
- 6. Country Feedback
- 7. Begin The Begin
- 8. Fall On Me
- 9. Me In Honey
- 10. Finest Worksong
- 11. Drive
- 12. Love Is All Around
- 13. Funtime
- 14. Radio Free Europe
- 15. One
Bonus Track - 16. Candy Everybody Wants
Bonus Track
The Dream: Green World Tour (Bootleg CD Album)RPCD 1028
released: unknown
Landgraaf, Holland 5/15/89, Milan, Italy, 6/15/89
- 1. Exhuming McCarthy
- 2. Turn You Inside Out
- 3. Stand
- 4. Orange Crush
- 5. Feeling Gravitys Pull
- 6. King Of Birds
- 7. World Leader Pretend
- 8. Underneath The Bunker
- 9. Pretty Persuasion
- 10. Get Up
- 11. Auctioneer (Another Engine)
- 12. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
- 13. Summertime
- 14. Swan Swan H
- 15. Finest Worksong
- 16. Begin The Begin
- 17. Perfect Circle
- 18. Dark Globe
Gravity (Bootleg CD Album)LL 15447
released: unknown
Recorded: Westwood One Superstars In Concert Miami & Orlando 4/89
- 1. Pop Song 89
- 2. Exhuming McCarthy
- 3. Welcome To The Occupation
- 4. Disturbance At The Heron House
- 5. Turn You Inside Out
- 6. Orange Crush
- 7. Feeling Gravitys Pull
- 8. Swan Swan H
- 9. Begin The Begin
- 10. Pretty Persuasion
- 11. I Believe
- 12. King Of Birds
- 13. Crazy
- 14. Finest Worksong
- 15. You Are The Everything
- 16. Academy Fight Song
- 17. Stand
- 18. Perfect Circle
- 19. Get Up
- 20. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
It’s The End Of The World … As We Know It (Bootleg CD Album)KTS 005
released: unknown
Recorded: Orlando 1989
- 1. Pop Song 89
- 2. Exhuming McCarthy
- 3. Welcome To The Occupation
- 4. Disturbance At The Heron House
- 5. Turn You Inside Out
- 6. Orange Crush
- 7. Feeling Gravitys Pull
- 8. Swan Swan H
- 9. Begin The Begin
- 10. Pretty Persuasion
- 11. I Believe
- 12. King Of Birds
- 13. Crazy
- 14. Finest Worksong
- 15. You Are The Everything
- 16. Academy Fight Song
- 17. Stand
- 18. Perfect Circle
- 19. Get Up
- 20. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
Perfect Circle (Bootleg CD Album)CB 53023
released: unknown
Recorded: 1989 “”Westwood One”" Orlando Green Tour concert.
- 1. Pop Song 89
- 2. Exhuming McCarthy
- 3. Welcome To The Occupation
- 4. Disturbance At The Heron House
- 5. Turn You Inside Out
- 6. Orange Crush
- 7. Feeling Gravitys Pull
- 8. Swan Swan H
- 9. Begin The Begin
- 10. Pretty Persuasion
- 11. I Believe
- 12. King Of Birds
- 13. Crazy
- 14. Finest Worksong
- 15. You Are The Everything
- 16. Academy Fight Song
- 17. Stand
- 18. Perfect Circle
- 19. Get Up
- 20. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
Heroes Of Pop (Bootleg CD Album)GEMA H 8801 2
released: unknown
Recorded: Westwood One Superstars In Concert Miami & Orlando 4/89
- 1. Pop Song 89
- 2. Exhuming McCarthy
- 3. Welcome To The Occupation
- 4. Disturbance At The Heron House
- 5. Turn You Inside Out
- 6. Orange Crush
- 7. Feeling Gravitys Pull
- 8. Swan Swan H
- 9. Begin The Begin
- 10. Pretty Persuasion
- 11. I Believe
- 12. King Of Birds
- 13. Crazy
- 14. Finest Worksong
- 15. You Are The Everything
- 16. Academy Fight Song
- 17. Stand
- 18. Perfect Circle
- 19. Get Up
- 20. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
It’s A Free World (Bootleg CD Album)STE 017
released: unknown
Recorded: (Tracks 1-2) MTV Inagural Ball, (Tracks 3-15) 11/19/92, 40 Watt Club Athens GA,
- 1. Candy Everybody Wants
- 2. One
- 3. Drive
- 4. Monty Got A Raw Deal
- 5. Man On The Moon
- 6. Losing My Religion
- 7. Country Feedback
- 8. Begin The Begin
- 9. Fall On Me
- 10. Me In Honey
- 11. Finest Worksong
- 12. Drive
- 13. Love Is All Around
- 14. Funtime
- 15. Radio Free Europe
Life’s Rich Pageant & More (Bootleg CD Album)WAI 022
released: unknown
Recorded: (Tracks 1-14) Pageant Studio Demos, (Tracks 15-24) Recorded at Various Locations.
- 1. Theme From Two Steps Onward
- 2. Just A Touch
- 3. Mystery To Me
- 4. Wait
- 5. Begin The Begin
- 6. Cuyahoga
- 7. I Believe
- 8. Interim Medley (LRP Instrumental Demo)
- 9. Rotary Ten
- 10. These Days
- 11. Bad Day
- 12. Underneath The Bunker
- 13. Swan Swan H
- 14. The Flowers Of Guatemala
- 15. March
- 16. Theme From Two Steps Onward
- 17. California Dreaming
- 18. Mississippi Queen
- 19. Whole Lotta Love
- 20. Funtime
- 21. After Hours
- 22. Oddfellows Local 151
- 23. Born To Run
- 24. Eight Miles High
- 25. Roadrunner
- 26. When I Was Young
Live In Athens 1992 (Bootleg CD Album)SA24.017
released: unknown
Recorded: 11/19/92, 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA.
- 1. Drive
- 2. Monty Got A Raw Deal
- 3. Everybody Hurts
- 4. Man On The Moon
- 5. Losing My Religion
- 6. Country Feedback
- 7. Begin The Begin
- 8. Fall On Me
- 9. Me In Honey
- 10. Finest Worksong
- 11. Drive
- 12. Love Is All Around
- 13. Funtime
- 14. Radio Free Europe
Live Collection (Bootleg CD Album)Italy – LLRCD 153
released: unknown
Recorded: (Tracks 1-5) Madison 1982, (Tracks 6-15) Orlando Westwood One Show, (Tracks 16-19) Nicky Campbell Show, BBC London 1991.
- 1. Gardening At Night
- 2. Radio Free Europe
- 3. White Tornado
- 4. West Of The Fields
- 5. There She Goes Again
- 6. Pop Song 89
- 7. Exhuming McCarthy
- 8. Turn You Inside Out
- 9. Orange Crush
- 10. Swan Swan H
- 11. Begin The Begin
- 12. Stand
- 13. Perfect Circle
- 14. Get Up
- 15. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
- 16. Losing My Religion
- 17. Half A World Away
- 18. Radio Song
- 19. Love Is All Around
Losing My Religion Vol.2 (Bootleg CD Album)BAN-042-B
released: unknown
Recorded: 9/14/87, Utrecht, Holland (Second Half Of Show)
Losing My Religion Vol.3 Live in USA 1989 (Bootleg CD Album)BAN-042-C
released: unknown
Recorded: Westwood One Radio Show, Orlando 1989
- 1. Pop Song 89
- 2. Exhuming McCarthy
- 3. Welcome To The Occupation
- 4. Disturbance At The Heron House
- 5. Turn You Inside Out
- 6. Orange Crush
- 7. Feeling Gravitys Pull
- 8. Swan Swan H
- 9. Begin The Begin
- 10. Pretty Persuasion
- 11. I Believe
- 12. King Of Birds
- 13. Crazy
- 14. Finest Worksong
- 15. You Are The Everything
- 16. Academy Fight Song
- 17. Stand
- 18. Perfect Circle
- 19. Get Up
- 20. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
LOVE AND SQUALOR (Bootleg CD Album)CD 555-07
released: unknown
- 1. Pop Song 89
- 2. Exhuming McCarthy
- 3. Welcome To The Occupation
- 4. Disturbance At The Heron House
- 5. Turn You Inside Out
- 6. Orange Crush
- 7. Feeling Gravitys Pull
- 8. Swan Swan H
- 9. Begin The Begin
- 10. Pretty Persuasion
- 11. I Believe
- 12. King Of Birds
- 13. Crazy
- 14. Finest Worksong
- 15. You Are The Everything
- 16. Academy Fight Song
- 17. Stand
- 18. Perfect Circle
- 19. Get Up
- 20. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
Man On The Moon (Bootleg CD Album)HL 2913
released: unknown
Recorded: 11/19/92, 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA, USA
- 1. Drive
- 2. Monty Got A Raw Deal
- 3. Man On The Moon
- 4. Losing My Religion
- 5. Country Feedback
- 6. Begin The Begin
- 7. Fall On Me
- 8. Me In Honey
- 9. Finest Worksong
- 10. Drive
- 11. Love Is All Around
- 12. Funtime
- 13. Radio Free Europe
The Megatour (Bootleg CD Album)CH016/017
released: unknown
Recorded: 1/22/95, Brisbane Australia, (2)11/19/92, 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA
- 1. Circus Envy
- 2. Crush With Eyeliner
- 3. You
- 4. Me In Honey
- 5. King Of Comedy
- 6. I Don’t Sleep, I Dream
- 7. Revolution
- 8. Drive
- 9. Try Not To Breathe
- 10. Tongue
- 11. Man On The Moon
- 12. Half A World Away
- 13. Losing My Religion
- 14. Get Up
- 15. Star 69
- 16. Country Feedback
- 17. Disturbance At The Heron House
- 18. I Took Your Name
- 19. Finest Worksong
- 20. Let Me In
- 21. Everybody Hurts
- 22. Bang And Blame
- 23. What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?
- 24. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
- 25. Drive
40 Watt Club, Athens, GA - 26. Monty Got A Raw Deal
40 Watt Club, Athens, GA - 27. Everybody Hurts
40 Watt Club, Athens, GA - 28. Man On The Moon
40 Watt Club, Athens, GA - 29. Losing My Religion
40 Watt Club, Athens, GA - 30. Country Feedback
40 Watt Club, Athens, GA - 31. Begin The Begin
40 Watt Club, Athens, GA - 32. Finest Worksong
40 Watt Club, Athens, GA
Monster B-Sides (Bootleg CD Album)Q-QR7
released: unknown
Recorded: Various
- 1. What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?
- 2. Bang And Blame
- 3. I Don’t Sleep, I Dream
- 4. Monty Got A Raw Deal
- 5. Everybody Hurts
- 6. Man On The Moon
- 7. Losing My Religion
- 8. Country Feedback
- 9. Begin The Begin
- 10. Fall On Me
- 11. Me In Honey
- 12. Finest Worksong
- 13. Drive
- 14. Funtime
- 15. Radio Free Europe
- 16. Tighten Up

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