R.E.M. | Man on the Moon (1992)
"Man on the Moon" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released as the second single from their 1992 album Automatic for the People. The lyric was written by lead singer Michael Stipe, and the music by drummer Bill Berry and guitarist Peter Buck, and the track is credited to the whole band as usual.
1992-11-09 19:00:00 - R.E.M.
The song was well received by critics and reached number 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 18 on the UK Singles Chart and number one in Iceland. It remains one of R.E.M.'s most popular songs and was included on the compilations In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003 and Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982–2011.
Lyrically, the song is a tribute to the comedian and performer Andy Kaufman, with numerous references to his career, including his Elvis impersonation, wrestling, and the film My Breakfast with Blassie.
The song's title and chorus refer to the Moon landing conspiracy theories, as an oblique allusion to rumors that Kaufman's death in 1984 was faked.
The song gave its name to Miloš Forman's comedy-drama film Man on the Moon (1999), starring Jim Carrey and based on Kaufman's life, and features prominently in the film's soundtrack.