In 1987, R.E.M. released an album that would catapult the band from Slightly Obscure to Mainstream Rock Heroes — inspiring Rolling Stone to declare the Georgian quartet: "America's Best Rock & Roll Band"! And on that Little Album That Could was a 4-minute ode to the End of Days, a word salad delivered with such erratic fury that more than 20 years later, it still compels listeners in their darkest hours to fire it up and attempt to sing along. But what do the words really mean? And what does it have to do with Lester Bangs and Leonard Bernstein? Take a ride with us as we take a closer look at The End of The World As We Know It. It's fine. Everything's fine.

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