LIFES RICH PAGEANT: SWAN SWAN H

Mike Mills once said that he found the title of this song the most pretentious, as has Michael who has at various occasions apologized for it.  The song is said to be about the civil war, but as always, it is a collection of thoughts and pictures from the mind of Stipe.  That said, the song does conjure up images of the era of North vs South, helped primarily by "Johnny Reb" to put us in the time and place.  It's a lovely song that for some reason seems longer than it really is ... below is a version from the documentary "Athens, GA: Inside Out."
  I have a special place in my heart for this song as it is the first I played on guitar in front of an audience.  My friends Ryan, Jeff, and I went to an Open Mic night in the middle of nowhere and played a medley of "Working Class Hero" by John Lennon and this song which worked extremely well.  At the point in "Hero" when he says the word fuck, Jeff sang it and then immediately apologized during the song some thing like this: "Till you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules.  (sorry)  A working class hero is something to be."  After the show, a big burly country-western type guy came up to us and said, "Never apologize."  I've never forgotten that.



SWAN SWAN H

Swan swan hummingbird
Hurrah, we’re all free now
What noisy cats are we
Girl and dog he bore his cross

Swan swan hummingbird
Hurrah, we’re all free now
Long low time ago, people talked to me

Johnny Reb what’s the price of fans
Forty a piece or three for one dollar?
Hey captain don’t you want to buy
Some bone chains and toothpicks?

Night wings her hair chains
Here’s your wooden greenback sing
Wooden beams and dovetail sweep
I struck that picture ninety times
I walked that path a hundred ninety
Long low time ago, people talked to me

A pistol hot cup of rhyme
The whiskey is water, the water is wine
Marching feet, Johnny Reb
What’s the price of heroes?

Six and one half, a dozen the other
Tell that to the captain’s mother
Hey captain don’t you want to buy
Some bone chains and toothpicks?

Night wings her hair chains
Swan swan hummingbird
Hurrah, we’re all free now
What noisy cats are we
Long low time ago, people talked to me

A pistol hot cup of rhyme
The whiskey is water
The water is wine.

The real trick in this song is the 12 string guitar.  Peter has used it to great effect before, but this song thrives on it.  And why not?  It's two octaves for the price of one.  I believe the lead is also done as two octaves in the recording, not sure if it's with a 12 string or with separate guitars though.

SWAN SWAN H

Intro

e|--0---------0-----------|

B|--1---------1-----------|

G|--2---------2-----------|

D|--2---0-2h--2---0-2h----|

A|-0--------0-------------|

E|------------------------|

Verse

Guitar 1

e|--0---------1-----------|

B|--1---------3-----------|

G|--2---------2---0-2h----|

D|--2---0-2h--------------|

A|-0----------------------|

E|------------------------|

Guitar 2

e|--------------------------|

B|--------------------------|

G|--------------------------|

D|------0-2-0-------0-2-0---|

A|-0-2-3-----0-0-2-3--------|

E|------------3-------------|

Chorus

Guitar 1

e|-0---0---1---1-------------------|

B|-0---0---1---1-------------------|

G|-0---0---2---2-------------------|

D|-2---2---3---3-------------------|

A|-2---2---3---3-------------------|

E|-0---0---1---1-------------------|

Guitar 2

e|----------------------|

B|----------------------|

G|----------------------|

D|----------------------|

A|-2-0-2-3-0-2-0-2-3----|

E|--3-------1-3------x2-|

Middle Bridge

Guitar 1

e|-3---3---2---2---0---0---2---2--|

B|-3---3---3---3---1---1---3---3--|

G|-0---0---4---4---0---0---2---2--|

D|-0---0---4---4---2---2---0---0--|

A|-2---2---2---2---3---3----------|

E|-3---3---2---2---0---0----------|

Guitar 2

e|--------------------------------------|

B|--------------------------------------|

G|--------------------------------------|

D|-5-555-4-4---4-----------------4-5----|

A|--------7-7-5-7-777-5-7-5-555-7----x2-|

E|--------------------------------------|