ACCELERATE: SUPERNATURAL SUPERSERIOUS

   The first single from ACCELERATE is a true change of pace type of offering, there are elements of all of the previous versions of R.E.M. and the song isn't a terrible introduction to the home stretch of the band's output. This was their last single to make the Hot 100 chart. The song is featured in a non-chorus form and called 'Disguised' on LIVE AT OLYMPIA, the band apparently found a chorus and a coda in the studio (and a re-titling by Chris Martin?)--although there's a recording of them figuring out the coda live in Dublin. The additions greatly improve the original version and give the song some importance. Michael has said this is an ode to Harry Houdini (and includes a quote in the liner notes), but specifically his posthumous seantic life which I can relate to specifically because I still recall having teenage seances and being freaked out. It's odd how this song specifically conjures the mood and feeling of my experiences, plus the opening lines paint a portrait of outsiders because, let's be honest, who's really interested in seances anyway--weirdos. The coda of the song nicely captures the feelings of discovery through naivete. I like the song overall, but the distorted guitar at the beginning is not my favorite opener--it matches the feel of the song when everything kicks in, but it is too garage band for my taste. I love the Mike backgrounds here, the 'Sweet Jane' style progression, and the homages the band pay to their past sounds--there are traces of MURMUR, DOCUMENT, MONSTER, and NAIHF banging around in here. No surprise, I like it!




SUPERNATURAL SUPERSERIOUS

Everybody here
Comes from somewhere
That they would just soon forget
And disguise

At the summer camp where you volunteered
No one saw your face, no one saw your fear
If that apparition had just appeared took you

Up and away from this base and sheer humiliation
Of your teenage station
Nobody cares
No one remembers and nobody cares

How you cried and you cried
He's alive he's alive
How you cried and you cried and you cried and you cried

If you call out ‘safe’ then I'll stop right away
If the premise buckles and the ropes start to chafe
Oh, the details smart but the story's the same
You don't have to explain, you don't have to explain humiliation
Of your teenage station

Yeah you cried and you cried
He's alive he's alive
Oh you cried and you cried and you cried and you
Realized your fantasies are dressed up in travesties
Enjoy yourself with no regrets, unh, unh

Everybody here
Comes from somewhere
That they would just as soon forget
And disguise

Yeah you cried and you cried
He's alive he's alive
Yeah you cried and you cried and you cried and you cried

(Oh you cried, and you cried)

(Oh you cried, and you cried)

Now there's nothing dark and there's nothing weird
Don't be afraid I will hold you near
From the seance where you first betrayed an open heart on a darkened stage
A celebration
Of your teenage station

This inexperience, sweet, delirious
Supernatural, superserious
Inexperience, sweet, delirious
Supernatural, superserious
Wow

   Some intricate layering going on here and some chord changes that are subtle enough to not even notice upon first attempt. I never knew the intro and verse were different before tackling, all he does is hang on the Em the second time through. The lining up of the vocals creates some cool moments when he goes to the G chord. There are some rhythm changes, so if something is going strangely try playing along to the song or the instrumental on YouTube to pick up. There's more picking than seems apparent and I didn't note in the verse below, but it's standard Buck-fill. There's also an end fill I didn't post here, but it's essentially picking on the A chord to emphasize the final notes.

SUPERNATURAL SUPERSERIOUS

Intro/ Middle Bridge

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

B|-3---2-0---2-3---2-0---2-3---2-0---2-3---2-0--3--|

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

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

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

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

Verse

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

B|-3---2-0---2-3---2-0---3---2-0---2-3---2-0--3--|

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

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

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

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

Chorus

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

B|-0---3-3-2---3-2-|-0---3---2---2-2-|-0---3-3-2--|

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

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

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

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

Chorus Riff

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

B|-11b-----------11b----|

G|----13b-11b-------9b--|

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

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

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

Middle 8

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

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

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

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

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

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

Middle 8 Riff

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

B|-6---8---10---12---13---|

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

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

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

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

End Hang on D-A-Em, End on D