There is some arguments over what the song is actually about. The band claims that the song has nothing to do religion or loss of faith. The video, on the other hand, is full of religious imagery. This led to some Catholic groups to protest the video. Stipe, lead vocalist, says the song is simply about having a crush. Stipe was impressed by "Every Breath You Take" by The Police. It is a song about obsessive attraction over someone.
The song won the band many awards and recognition's over the bands years. This includes "Record of the Year" and "Song of the Year". At the 1992 Grammy's, it was nominated for seven awards. In 2004, Rolling Stone listed the song at number 169 on it's list of "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
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