Green Grow The Rushes

R.E.M.'s song 'Green Grow The Rushes' delves into the complexities and harsh realities of labor exploitation and economic disparity. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the struggles faced by workers, symbolized through metaphors and imagery. The opening lines, 'The wheelbarrow's fallen / Look at my hands,' suggest the physical toll of labor, while 'They've found some surplus cheaper hands' highlights the dehumanizing search for cheaper labor. This theme is further emphasized with 'Rubbing palms and pick and choose, / who will they choose? Here is the news,' indicating the arbitrary and often unfair selection process in the labor market.

The song also critiques the pursuit of profit at the expense of human dignity. The lines 'Look at that building, look at this man / Haloed and whitewashed / Gone to find a cheaper hand' suggest a facade of respectability that masks the exploitation of workers. The repeated offer of 'a pound' symbolizes the minimal compensation given to laborers, underscoring the economic imbalance. The chorus, 'Green grow the rushes go / The compass points the workers home,' serves as a reminder of the workers' constant return to their labor, driven by necessity rather than choice.

R.E.M. also touches on themes of guilt and complicity in the exploitation system. 'Pay for your freedom, find another gate / Guilt by associate, the rushes wilted a long time ago' suggests that even those who benefit from the system are not free from its moral consequences. The warning to 'Stay off that highway, word is it's not so safe' and the imagery of 'The grasses that hide the greenback / The amber waves of gain again' further illustrate the hidden dangers and moral compromises involved in the pursuit of economic gain. Through 'Green Grow The Rushes,' R.E.M. offers a poignant critique of labor exploitation and the ethical dilemmas it presents.