AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE: NIGHTSWIMMING

What is there to add to this song?  There is an honesty and beauty here that is at the core of many R.E.M. tracks.  It is also the first song that made me aware of Stipe's photographic mind.  He mentions the photograph which brought to my attention that most of Stipe's observations are snapshots of life.  His references and illusions fly by like the pages of a photograph album.  This is what makes him so successful as an enigmatic writer.  His lyrics for each song are like a great collage that has separate meaning in each individual picture.  Also, unlike any other lyricist he seems to be able to draw the same effect out of his listeners as a photograph or painting.  It is easier for the listener to arrive at their own conclusion about what the song is about or what it means to them personally.
  The song luckily speaks for itself so I won't have to.

NIGHTSWIMMING

Nightswimming

Deserves a quiet night
The photograph on the dashboard,

Taken years ago
Turned around backwards so the windshield shows
Every streetlight

Reveals a picture in reverse
Still it's so much clearer
I forgot my shirt at the water's edge
The moon is low tonight

Nightswimming

Deserves a quiet night
I'm not sure all these people understand
It's not like years ago
The fear of getting caught
Of recklessness and water
They cannot see me naked
These things they go away
Replaced by everyday

Nightswimming

Remembering that night
September's coming soon
I'm pining for the moon
And what if there were two
Side by side in orbit
Around the fairest sun?
That bright, tight forever drum
Could not describe nightswimming

You, I thought I knew you
You, I cannot judge
You, I thought you knew me
This one laughing quietly

Underneath my breath
Nightswimming

The photograph reflects
Every streetlight a reminder
Nightswimming

Deserves a quiet night

Deserves a quiet night

As with Perfect Circle, this song could be played even if you don't know how to play piano and read music.  There are no chords and it doesn't require a heck of a lot of coordination.  Just start banging along to the song and you'll be playing in no time. The following tab is piano tab, you can also find standard transcription online.  If you want more specific instructions they are at tabnabber.com, but here are the basics:

1. L and R is Left hand Right hand
2. The numbers on the right are the octave groups. Middle c is octave 4. All octaves start on c.
3. The lowercase letters are the whole notes- white keys.
4. The uppercase (In this case only 1) is a sharp note- black key.
5. This symbol (>) means sustain the note. (I didn't use here)
6. This symbol (|) separates the measures.

Intro/Break:

L 2|g---g-b-|-------|g---g-b-|--------|

L 3|--------|c------|--------|d-------|

R 4|d-gab-g-|g------|d-gab-g-|d-------|

Verse: 

L 2|g--g-b--|--------|g--g-b--|----a---|

L 3|-------d|c---d---|-------d|c-------|

R 4|-gbg-gg-|---bbaFe|-gbg-gg-|---bbage|

R 5|-------d|dcc-----|-------d|dcc-----|

L 2|---g--|----a-b-|

L 3|c---c-|d----d--|

R 4|gaegae|gadggFeF|

End on g.

I've also included ultra easy guitar chords to play along with, although there is no guitar in the song.

Intro:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verse:

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

B|-3---3-3---3---3-2-3---3-3--|

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

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

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

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