Und das hat er bei der "Ask Michael Stipe"-Reihe selbst dazu gesagt....
Frage:
Swan Swan H pretty miraculously spins lyrics in swirls and whirlpools, and any central meaning seems nicely elusive. Could you discuss your views/ intentions/ interpretations of the track? Sometimes I think of redemption/ Christianity; other days its the US South/ slavery/ repression; other days its loneliness.
�What�s the price of heroes?� is a line I�ve always enjoyed getting lost in. How does the Swan fit in?

Many many thanks
Gary

Antwort:
civil war song.  That�s all I know of writing it, I remember the inspiration but it just flowed.  What noisy cats are we I lifted from an actual civil war written piece

and Mike and I agreed finally; the title is now Swan Swan Hummingbird.  My pretentious 20�s are long gone and we can now all breath a sigh of relief.  kindof