Lead singer Michael Stipe has called it "a song of personal, political activism.
"[2] Though never released as a single, it appeared frequently in the band's live performances as a song early in the set.
As the opening track on Lifes Rich Pageant, the song heralded a new clarity in Stipe's vocals.
[5] Written on acoustic guitars in Stipe's home, the original version of the song was a minute longer, with five different choruses, lacking melody and a bridge.
[6] Replete with references to Americana and revolution, the title is a pun on Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine".