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Summer Wiford

English Composition II

Professor Scot Johnson

February 6, 2020

Two Perspectives One Song

In 1991 the band R.E.M produced a song called “Losing My Religion,” and then in 2011

they introduced a music video for the song. Later in 2016 a cover of the song was produced by a

band called Bellsaint. The new cover gave the song a different music style and appeals to a

younger adult audience, while the original by R.E.M is older and appeals to an older adult

audience. Both music videos have different perspectives, the original is about love while the

cover is more about going through the darkness and making it into the light.

A lot of people think that the song was written about someone losing their religion, but

the song is about love, it is about someone who aches for someone else. The title of the song

came from a Southern American expression that means to be pushed to the limit. The main

character is the lead singer John Michael Stipe and in the music video he is reaching for

someone, but we do not know if the person notices him reaching for them. The main story of this

music video is about not losing your faith. The story makes the audience think about if he will

lose his faith or if he will keep reaching for love.

The musical style of this song is an alternative rock that uses a mandilion and drums. The

setting starts out with Stipe and the rest of the R.E.M band in a dark room, but then it shows clips

of a dream like world consisting of angels and fortune tellers. I think the fortune tellers in the

music video are to give the idea of keeping your faith for the unexpected predications of your

future. One of the angels in the music video ends up falling and getting hurt this shows that
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losing you faith have potential consequences and to keep holding on. The audience for this music

video is more for an older adult audience who likes an older style music video and can

understand the concept.

The cover of “Losing My Religion” has a different perspective, instead of being about love this

cover is about keeping your faith and battling your struggles. The main characters in this video

are adult dancers and a little girl. The overall story being told is how everyone has their own

struggles in life, but they can overcome them and make their lives better. The little girl is a big

part in the music video as well, she represents the innocence we all have. When you are a little

kid you do not have deep inner struggles that you are trying to battle. The setting in this music

video starts off with the main characters in their own rooms, the rooms are supposed to resemble

their inner selves. The main characters start dancing and struggling, this resembles how we each

have struggles in our lives that we do not want people to see. The video then shows the main

characters falling into water and swimming around, this is supposed to resemble the transition

from the darkness and into the light. After they struggle, they see the light and start swimming

towards it so they can be free. After they come out of the water their expressions change, they

seem relieved and happier.

The music style of this cover is more of an upbeat dance style. The audience for this

music video is for more of younger adults, the video uses beats and shows dancing that will

appeal to a younger audience. This video is more motivational than the original and gives a great

version of a different style. Both music videos use pathos to appeal to people’s emotions, by

showing people keeping their faith and making their future better. Although one is about love

and one is about overcoming struggles, they both do a great job of getting their messages across

and appealing to their audiences.

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Works Cited
R.E.M “R.E.M - Losing My Religion (Official music video).” YouTube, commentary by REMHQ,

1 July 2011 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwtdhWltSIg

BELLSAINT “BELLSAINT- Losing My Religion,” YouTube, commentary by BELLSAINT, 26 Aug. 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi2Mu9KKA_g