Fall on Me

"Fall on Me" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M. from their fourth album Lifes Rich Pageant (1986). It was the first of two singles released from that LP. It peaked at number 94 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Meaning and origin

Though R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe once described the song as "pretty much a song about oppression," the subject of the song was initially about acid rain and its effects on the environment, hence the first line of the chorus, "Don't fall on me."

When it first appeared during live concerts in 1985, the song had a different melody which had been entirely rewritten by the time of its recording for Lifes Rich Pageant. The counter-melody in the second verse is actually the song's original tune and features the original acid rain inspired lyrics.

In an interview with David Fricke, singer Michael Stipe commented that the finished version of the song "is not about acid rain. It's a general oppression song about the fact that there are a lot of causes out there that need a song that says, 'Don't smash us.' And specifically, there are references to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the guy dropping weights and feathers."

Pousette-Dart Band

The Pousette-Dart Band (also known as PDB) was an American soft rock group active in the 1970s and early 1980s. Originally conceived in 1973 as a string band from Cambridge, Massachusetts, PDB comprised Jon Pousette-Dart, John Troy and John Curtis. With a shift to a more commercially oriented sound and a steady succession of additional personnel, the group went on to record a series of albums for their label Capitol Records, two of which (Amnesia and Pousette-Dart Band 3) made the Billboard album chart. Their single "For Love" reached #83 on the Billboard singles chart.

Although the band formally broke up in 1981, members reunited in 1991 for a series of concerts, and a "Best Of" album was released in 1994. Since then collaborations between various former personnel have continued, with original members Jon Pousette-Dart and John Troy also launching solo careers.

The song "Fall on Me" from the band’s second album Amnesia was featured in the eleventh episode of the second season of Lost.