R.E.M. recorded it for their fourth album, Lifes Rich Pageant. It was released as a single and received a fair amount of radio play, but did not chart on the main US singles chart, though it did reach #17 on Billboard magazine's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Lead singer Michael Stipe was not as enthusiastic about recording the song as the other band members were, and as a result bassist Mike Mills debuted on lead vocals with Stipe providing background.

The B-side to the single, a surf rock instrumental entitled "White Tornado", was first recorded by the band in 1981. The version used on the single was recorded in January, 1984, during the Reckoning sessions, but remained unreleased until "Superman."

The scratchy spoken intro is attributed to a Japanese pull-string Godzilla doll. Translated loosely from the Japanese, it says, "This is a special news report. Godzilla has been sighted in Tokyo Bay. The attack on it by the Self-Defense Force has been useless. He is heading towards the city. Aaaaaaaaagh...."

Gary Zekley joined R.E.M. on stage during a performance at Northern Illinois University in De Kalb, Illinois, on October 21, 1986.

The R.E.M. version was played during the "Tempus, Anyone?" episode (3x14) of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

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