R.E.M. was an alt-rock band formed in 1980 in Athens, Georgia. They were one of the first alt-rock bands in history, and they quickly became popular across the globe. In 1991, the album Out of Time was released, and with it, the hit single Losing My Religion.
The song became rather popular thanks to its video, which received praises from critics. The music video was directed by Tarsem Singh, and he and Michale Stipe (lead singer) were behind the idea. Surprisingly enough, Warner Bros., the record label, didn’t like the idea that Losing My Religion would be the band’s first single.
They believed that the song is unconventional and that they should stick to something a bit more traditional. Considering that this track is probably the most popular song by R.E.M., they made a smart decision to allow it as the lead single. The song became the band’s highest charted hit, and it introduced their repertoire to a wider audience.
The entire structure of the song is based on the intro riff, and it’s played on the mandolin. While the title might lead people to think otherwise, the song is, in fact, not about religion. It means losing temper or civility.
Guitar Chords
You need to master these chords in order to play the songs.
Strumming Pattern
After you mastered the chords you can learn the strumming pattern of this song. You can practice the downstrokes and upstrokes just on a single chord or even on muted strings.
The strumming pattern divided into two parts. Start practicing the first one and then move to the second. After mastering both of them separately, combine them and play them one after another. The pattern played on throughout the entire song.
Main Chord Progression & Strumming Pattern
Once you master the strumming pattern you can combine it with the chords. The following strumming pattern is the main pattern and chord progression and make almost 90% of the song.
It is simple enough even for the absolute beginners. So before learning the entire song first master the main chord progression.
Losing My Religion Tabs & Lyrics
Intro
The first two measurements of the intro have slightly different timing to the chord changes. But the strumming pattern is still the same.
Verse 1
Am
Oh, life is bigger
Em
It's bigger than you
Am
And you are not me
Em
The lengths that I will go to
Am
The distance in your eyes
Em Dm
Oh no, I've said too much
G
I set it up
Pre Chorus
Am
That's me in the corner
Em
That's me in the spotlight
Am
Losing my religion
Em
Trying to keep up with you
Am
And I don't know if I can do it
Em Dm
Oh no I've said too much
G
I haven't said enough
Chorus
G F
I thought that I heard you laughing
G Am
I thought that I heard you sing
F G Am
I think I thought I saw you try
Verse 2
Am Em
Every whisper of every waking hour
Am
I'm choosing my confessions,
Em
Trying to keep an eye on you
Am Em
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool, fool
Dm
Oh no, I've said too much,
G
I set it up.
Am
Consider this, consider this,
Em
The hint of a century,
Am
Consider this: the slip
Em
That brought me to my knees failed.
Am
What if all these fantasies
Em
Come flailing around?
Dm G
Now I've said too much.
Chorus
G F
I thought that I heard you laughing
G Am
I thought that I heard you sing
F G Am
I think I thought I saw you try
Solo
When the solo is played, the other guitar strums the chord mentioned about the appropriate note with just one downstroke.
Bridge
C Dm
But that was just a dream,
C Dm
That was just a dream.
Pre Chorus
Am
That's me in the corner
Em
That's me in the spotlight
Am
Losing my religion
Em
Trying to keep up with you
Am
And I don't know if I can do it
Em Dm
Oh no I've said too much
G
I haven't said enough
Chorus
G F
I thought that I heard you laughing
G Am
I thought that I heard you sing
F G Am
I think I thought I saw you try
F G Am
But that was just a dream, try, cry, why, try
F G Am G
That was just a dream, just a dream, just a dream, Dream
Outro
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