Conversation so far:
How did R.E.M. come up with the composition of Man on the Moon?
Man on the Moon is a mid-tempo country-rock song following a verse-chorus structure with an added pre-chorus and an instrumental bridge following the second-third choruses.
Who composed the music for the song Man on the Moon by R.E.M.?
The lyrics were written by lead singer Michael Stipe, and the music by drummer Bill Berry and guitarist Peter Buck, and credited to the whole band as usual.

Question: did it take a long time to compose?
Self-contained rewrite: Did it take a long time for R.E.M. to compose Man on the Moon?