“Don’t Go Back to Rockville”

R.E.M.

ALBUM: Reckoning

1984

Songwriter(s): Mike Mills

Looking at your watch a third time

Waiting in the station for the bus

Going to a place that’s far

So far away and if that’s not enough

Going where nobody says hello

They don’t talk to anybody they don’t know

You’ll wind up in some factory

That’s full-time filth and nowhere left to go

Walk home to an empty house

Sit around all by yourself

I know it might sound strange, but I believe

You’ll be coming back before too long

Don’t go back to Rockville

Don’t go back to Rockville

Don’t go back to Rockville

And waste another year

At night, I drink myself to sleep

And pretend I don’t care that you’re not here with me

‘Cause it’s so much easier to handle

All my problems if I’m too far out to sea

But something better happen soon

Or it’s gonna be too late to bring you back

Don’t go back to Rockville,

Don’t go back to Rockville,

Don’t go back to Rockville

And waste another year

It’s not as though I really need you

If you were here, I’d only bleed you

But everybody else in town only wants to bring you down

And that’s not how it ought to be

I know it might sound strange but I believe

You’ll be coming back before too long

Don’t go back to Rockville

Don’t go back to Rockville

Don’t go back to Rockville

And waste another year

Don’t go back to Rockville

Don’t go back to Rockville

Don’t go back to Rockville

And waste another year