"Tongue" is a song by American rock band R.E.M., released on July 17, 1995 as the fifth and final single from their ninth studio album, Monster (1994). It was only released in the US, UK, and Ireland. In the song, lead singer Michael Stipe performs in falsetto; he has stated on several occasions that the narrator of the song is female. Stipe has also said the track is "all about cunnilingus". The single's video, directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and shot during the soundcheck prior to the band's June 20, 1995, performance at the Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, New York, shows a group of teenagers in a living room watching the band perform on TV. The version of the song that plays is slightly higher in tone than that of the album version. It was included as a bonus video on the DVD release of In View - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003. Critical reception Steve Baltin from Cash Box named the song Pick of the Week, noting that "this lovely single" finds R.E.M. "drastically toning down the energy of previous offerings", as "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?", "Bang & Blame" and "Crush With Eyeliner". He added further, "Against a simple organstyled arrangement Michael Stipe delivers an impressive falsetto that is one of the sweetest things the band has ever put on record. With the tour still going strong and the success of "Everybody Hurts" from the last album, there appears to be a promising future for this song. While Triple A will be the first to jump on the bandwagon, they will not be alone, as CHR, Top 40 and maybe even Modern Rock outlets will find room on their playlists for one of the most bankable acts in rock." Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel viewed it as a "romantic, organ-laden" track. Paul Evans from Rolling Stone felt that on "Tongue", "Stipe's Chi-Lites falsetto is a revelation; elsewhere he declaims with clear authority." Howard Hampton from Spin opined that it's better than its "tearjerking predecessor", and "actually more subtle, even beautiful, it comes off as somehow more overwrought." Live performances The three live songs that make up the CD single's B-side were performed on Saturday Night Live in 1994. "Tongue" was performed frequently throughout the tours in support of Monster and Up but would only make three more live appearances ever again in 2003. On March 1,