Album: Lifes Rich Pageant (1986)

License This Song 

• Let's put our heads together
  And start a new country up
  Our father's father's father tried
  Erased the parts he didn't like
  Let's try to fill it in
  Bank the quarry river, swim
  We knee-skinned it you and me
  We knee-skinned that river red
  
  This is where we walked
  This is where we swam
  Take a picture here
  Take a souvenir
  
  This land is the land of ours
  This river runs red over it
  We knee-skinned it you and me
  We knee-skinned that river red
  And we gathered up our friends
  Bank the quarry river, swim
  We knee-skinned it you and me
  Up underneath the river bed
  
  This is where we walked
  This is where we swam
  Take a picture here
  Take a souvenir
  Cuyahoga
  Cuyahoga, gone
  
  Let's put our heads together
  And start a new country up
  Up underneath the river bed
  We'll burn the river down
  
  This is where they walked, swam
  Hunted, danced and sang
  Take a picture here
  Take a souvenir
  Cuyahoga
  Cuyahoga, gone
  
  Rewrite the book and rule the pages
  Saving face, secured in faith
  Bury, burn the waste behind you
  This land is the land of ours
  This river runs red over it
  We are not your allies
  We cannot defend
  
  This is where they walked
  This is where they swam
  Take a picture here
  Take a souvenir
  Cuyahoga
  Cuyahoga, gone
  
  Cuyahoga
  Cuyahoga, gone Writer/s: Bill Berry, Michael Mills, Michael Stipe, Peter Buck
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 6

• Bill Bee from OhioREM learned about the Cuyahoga River when they played an early gig in Cleveland Ohio. One of them smelled the polluted river, and someone told them about it: that's how they learned what it was. They are probably pronouncing it correctly in the song.
• Margaret Perrine-white from Niles OhioCuyahoga is named by the Iroquois who's territories extended to what's now the state of Ohio during the French and Indian war if I'm remembering correctly there's lots of places in Ohio that were named by the Iroquois and if I'm remembering correctly Michael Stipe is actually pronouncing Cuyahoga properly in the language of the Iroquois not mispronounced the way Ohioans do.
• Chris from Ashtabula, OhNever heard this song, came across it on a list of guitar tabs... Was excited that maybe someone famous had some history here in NE Ohio. Turned on the song, heard him sing COY-ah-HOE-ga and laughed, nope he just read about the river fires. We say KY-uh-HOGG-uh.
• Marty from Cleveland, OhIt's a nice song and all, but Jeez, how hard would it have been to call up someone who lives here and ask how you pronounce Cuyahoga? (It's not Cuy as in coy, it's Cuy as is buy.) Come on, man.
• Joaquin from San Francisco, Caamazing song and great message!!!!!!
• Kevin from Reading , PaA really good REM song. A song with a conscience that doesn't hit you over the head with it's message and wins you over with its power and conviction (especially the singing on the chorus and the guitar chords on the chorus.) The entire album, their fourth, holds up pretty well these days. If only REM could make records half this good today they'd be in good shape. A las, they don't.
  

More Songfacts:

5-1-5-0Dierks Bentley

When it topped the chart in 2012, Dierks Bentley's "5-1-5-0" became the first #1 Country hit with a title that's all numbers.

Walkin' On The SunSmash Mouth

You wouldn't know it from the upbeat melody, but "Walkin' On The Sun" by Smash Mouth is about the 1992 Los Angeles Riots.

Come Out And PlayThe Offspring

The line, "Gotta keep 'em separated" in "Come Out And Play" by The Offspring came to lead singer Dexter Holland when he was a medical student and needed to keep bacteria samples away from each other.

BeautifulChristina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera did her "Beautiful" vocal in one take; the opening line, "Don't look at me," is something she said to her friend in the studio who was there to offer support.

Poker FaceLady Gaga

Lady Gaga says that "Poker Face" is about her personal experience with bisexuality; being with a man but thinking about a woman.

Justify My LoveMadonna

Madonna's "Justify My Love" was co-written by Lenny Kravitz.

Editor's Picks

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And ScandalsSong Writing

Surprise exits, a catfight and some very memorable performances make our list of the most memorable Idol moments.

Mike Scott of The WaterboysSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Whole Of The Moon" and "Red Army Blues," and why rock music has "outlived its era of innovation."

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Lip-Synch RebelsSong Writing

What happens when Kurt Cobain, Iron Maiden and Johnny Lydon are told to lip-synch? Some hilarious "performances."

Michael BoltonSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for this talk with Bolton from the '80s when he was a focused on writing songs for other artists.

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete BlondeSongwriter Interviews

The singer/bassist for Concrete Blonde talks about how her songs come from clairvoyance, and takes us through the making of their hit "Joey."