anonymous February 19th, 2008 07:31PM  
I think this song is an expression of how desensitized people had become to global threats during the Cold War.
During the period when this song was written, there was a lot of controversy about the USSR's invasion of Afghanistan, and some people talked about a possible nuclear war between the US and the Soviets...

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine..

of course, by now, everyone was so numb to the notion that they didn't really care as much as they used to in the 60s.

They were basically like "Oh boy! it's the end of the world...again! Just like that time in Cuba! Maybe we'll start shooting each other this time! What the f**k ever!"

REMareback September 6th, 2008 05:57PM  
I agree with the first interpretations, Cuba Missile Crisis, Bob Dylan writes A Hard Rains A Gonna Fall to show how bad things were, Reagan starts spending big to match the commies, everyone things there's going to be a war, this is REM saying, not this again.

Also it is believed to be inspired by a dream Stipe had, where various LP's appeared, Lenny Bruce, Lester Bangs etc.

anonymous April 15th, 2009 07:44PM  
It's about change and an unclear future

anonymous February 10th, 2010 08:16PM  
I personally believe it is about the media, and how everyone freaks out over everything. Most of the lyrics don't seem to have anything to do with the Cuban Missile Crisis, or anything in general. That's just my interpretation.