AROUND THE SUN: LEAVING NEW YORK

   Here's the thing: I love this song. To me it's a more successful version of 'Strange Currencies' or 'Daysleeper' and I definitely put the sound and sentiment with those tracks. It's a perfect opener for this moody album and perhaps it's mixed to within an inch of its life, but it gets me every time as someone who has left New York often (but returned), even as a metaphor. The quiet opening, where he puts the Stipe-ian lyrical list, the overlapping chorus at the end--even the presence of Mike Mills on background eases us into this album. This track signifies pure R.E.M. songwriting, not the concept album feel of REVEAL, or the pastiche of UP, but classic rock sleeves rolled up studio time! However, this is about as rocking as the album gets--the tempo picks up in a couple of spots, but its clear why some outlets have labelled this a band of balladeers at this point. In fact, when I think about the phrase 'adult contemporary' I think of these three R.E.M. albums. Peter, Mike, and Michael are honing their craft here and pushing musical abilities to their edges and while there are some moments that go beyond the comfort zone, they needed this experience to get to the last two albums. After the song first came out, I remember an article shooting the 'never my proud' line on a list of dumbest lyrics. Perhaps out of context of the entire R.E.M. catalog it's odd, but consider 'Suspicion yourself,' 'Bring my happy back again,' all of 'West of the Fields.' This is what Michael does, he's searching for incongruity with his imagery and metaphors, and I think he's deserved to stretch his poetic license here. Plus it makes sense to me.




LEAVING NEW YORK

It's quiet now and what it brings is everything
Comes calling back a brilliant night I'm still awake
I looked ahead I'm sure I saw you there
You don't need me to tell you now that nothing can compare

You might have laughed if I told you
You might have hidden a frown
You might have succeeded in changing me
I might have been turned around
It's easier to leave than to be left behind
Leaving was never my proud
Leaving New York never easy
I saw the light fading out

Now life is sweet and what it brings I try to take
But loneliness it wears me out it lies in wait
And all not lost still in my eye 
The shadow of necklace across your thigh

I might've lived my life in a dream but I swear it, this is real
The memory fuses and shatters like glass
Mercurial future forget the past, but it's you it's what I feel

You might have laughed if I told you

(It’s pulling me apart)
You might have hidden a frown

(Change)
You might have succeeded in changing me

(It’s pulling me apart)
I might have been turned around

(Change)
It's easier to leave than to be left behind

(It’s pulling me apart)
Leaving was never my proud

(Change)
Leaving New York never easy

(It’s pulling me apart)
I saw the light fading out

You find it in your heart
It's pulling me apart
You find it in your heart

Change

I told you forever

(You find it in your heart)
I love you forever

(It's pulling me apart)
I told you I love you

(You find it in your heart)
I love you forever

(Change)

I told you forever

(You find it in your heart)
I love you forever

(It's pulling me apart)
I told you I love you

(You find it in your heart)
I love you forever

(Change)

(You never, you never)

You might have laughed if I told you
(You told me forever)

(It's pulling me apart)
You might have hidden a frown

(Change)
You might have succeeded in changing me

(It's pulling me apart)
I might have been turned around

(Change)
It's easier to leave than to be left behind

(It's pulling me apart)
Leaving was never my proud

(Change)
Leaving New York never easy

(It's pulling me apart)
I saw the light fading out

(Change)
Leaving New York never easy

(It's pulling me apart)
I saw the light fading out

(Change)
Leaving New York never easy

(It's pulling me apart)
I saw the light fading out
(Change)

   Another great song to play. All the hallmarks of Peter Buck--iconic picking, interesting chord structure, and no lead. So easy and fun. My favorite is the Eb/E in the verse which is the same form as the C, just slides down the fret board. Ending with the Eb to Em is nice too, reminiscent of 'One I Love.' On that ending I added the bass walk which is optional. Also be aware of Peter's picking throughout the song, I haven't specifically noted it throughout (except the D chord in the Chorus), but it follows the typical Peter pick with an emphasis on the high strings--if you've followed his work to this point it's pretty much second nature.

LEAVING NEW YORK

Intro/Middle 8

e|-3---3---6---6-----|

B|--5-5-5-5-4-4-4-4--|

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

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

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

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

Verse

e|-0---6---3---1-0-|

B|-0---4---1---3-1-|

G|-0---0---0---3-2-|

D|-2---5---2---3-2-|

A|-2---6---3---1-0-|

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

Chorus

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

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

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

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

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

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

End (w/ added Bass Walk)

e|-6-----------0--|

B|-8-----------0--|

G|-8-----------0--|

D|-8--5-7-9-10-2--|

A|-6-8---------2--|

E|-6-----------0--|