Conversation so far:
how did the lyrics get written?
The song's lyrics do not tell a conventional story, and may instead been seen as a collection of cultural references, images and ideas.
who wrote the lyrics?
Stipe.
what are the lyrics about?
The song's lyrics do not tell a conventional story, and may instead been seen as a collection of cultural references, images and ideas.

Question: what references are there?
Self-contained rewrite: What cultural references are in the song Man on the Moon?