OUT OF TIME: NEAR WILD HEAVEN

  Due to popular demand, Mike Mills' Superman vocals landed him this gig.  This was the album that led the band to quip that if they broke up Mills would be the first one to go solo.  Yes, he's the most musically talented and sounds great in the studio, but have you heard him sing live?  A little hit and miss ...
  This song is always shorter than I think I remember it due to how seamlessly it flows.  A lot of nice things going on here.  The subtle piano, the Brian Wilson-like harmonies ... just a real fun time.  It also has that dark edge that R.E.M. specialize in.  It's NEARLY a wild heaven, but something's missing, it's not near enough.  Ouch.  What is dangerous about this love, or lust, or whatever it is?  The lyrics are very clear because it's not Michael ...



NEAR WILD HEAVEN

Whenever we hold each other
We hold each other
There’s a feeling that’s gone
Something has gone wrong
And I don’t know how much longer I can take it
House made of heart break it
Take my head in your hands and shake it
In this near wild heaven
Not near enough

Inside
Living inside
Living inside
Near wild heaven

Living inside
Living inside
Living inside
Near wild heaven

Whatever it takes I’m giving
It’s just a gift I’m given
Try to live inside
Trying to move inside
And I always thought that it would make me smarter
But it’s only made me harder
My heart thrown open wide
In this near wild heaven
Not near enough

Inside
Living inside
Living inside
Near wild heaven

Living inside
Living inside
Living inside
Near wild heaven

Living inside
Living inside
Living inside
Near wild heaven

Living inside
Living inside
Living inside
Near wild heaven

I’m holding my hands together
I’m holding my feet together
I’m holding myself together
In this near wild heaven
Not near enough

Near wild heaven

Near wild heaven

Living inside
Living inside
Living inside
Near wild heaven

Living inside
Living inside
Living inside
Near wild heaven

Living inside
Living inside
Living inside
Near wild heaven

Living inside
Living inside
Living inside
Near wild heaven


  What makes this song brilliant is the note that every guitar tablature misses.  The whole point of the song is that everything about love is great except one thing and that is the key to the guitar line.  It's almost absurdly chipper, but what takes it a little bit off is the F# at the beginning of the picked A chord in the Verse.  It's really Mike Mills' bass that is doing the heavy lifting on the note, but Peter is right there with it.

NEAR WILD HEAVEN

Intro/Chorus

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

B|--7--7---5--5---8--8--8--8-----|

G|---7--7---6--6---7--7--7--7----|

D|-0------7------5---------------|

A|-------------------------------|

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

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

B|--7--7---5--8-7-0--8--8--8--8-----|

G|---7--7---6---------7--7--7--7----|

D|-0------7---------5---------------|

A|----------------------------------|

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

Verse

e|-5---5<3---3>5---5<3------------------|

B|-5---5<3---3>5---5<3------------------|

G|-6---6<4---4>6---6<4------------------|

D|-7---7<5---5>7---7<5------------------|

A|-7---7<5---5>7---7<5------------------|

E|-5---5<3---3>5---5<3------------------|

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

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

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

D|--4-------5-5--5--(x6)--5--5--|

A|------------------------------|

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

Break

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

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

G|-----------------------4-4--4----|

D|--7--7--7-5--5--5-(x4)----5--5---|

A|---7--7----5--5------------------|

E|-5--5--5-3--3--3-----------------|