AROUND THE SUN: AROUND THE SUN

   The first of R.E.M.'s two titular songs is somewhat out of character. Michael claims the song is open ended and cloying on purpose and is a response to growing pessimism because of the direction the US was taking at this time. The advice rings even more hollow during the Trump era. But he's onto something, it can be hard to hold on when all of your beliefs regarding the goodness of humankind are challenged. The bad news is the advice here is simplistic and condescending, well-meaning sure, but how about some actionable advice. If we take this as a character sketch, we have to assume this person is often met with eye rolls at this advice, which might be why the song itself is maligned--but one could argue this reaction is the song's intention, plus a coda is tacked on to further the complacency. It's an optimistic refrain with dark intent, dark consequences. There are some cool moments here, the coda is lovely, the line 'Hold onto this boy a little longer' is a nice callback to the untitled 11th song from GREEN, and I do wish the followers would lead--it's the sentiment that the people who would become politicians are the exact people who shouldn't be politicians. Also, 'Give me a voice so strong, I can question what I have seen' is what everyone who is surrounded by injustice desires and is nicely put here. Posting the live version below because there is no complete version of the song online (which is telling), the only YouTube clip ends before the song is over. This is one of those songs I think only die-hard fans would regard and bother to dissect.




AROUND THE SUN

I want the sun to shine on me
I want the truth to set me free
I wish the followers would lead
With a voice so strong it could knock me to my knees

Hold on world 'cause you don't know what's coming
Hold on world 'cause I'm not jumping off
Hold onto this boy a little longer
Take another trip around the sun

If I jumped into the ocean to believe
If I climbed a mountain would I have to reach?
Do I even dare to speak, to dream, believe?
Give me a voice so strong
I can question what I have seen

Hold on world 'cause you don't know what's coming
Hold on world 'cause I'm not jumping off
Hold onto this boy a little longer
Take another trip around the sun

Around the sun
Around the sun
Around the sun

Around the sun

Around the sun

Let my dreams set me free
Believe

Believe
Na, na, na, na, na na

(Na, na, na, na, na)

Na, na, na, na, na

(Na, na, na, na, na)

Na, na, na, na, na, na

(Na, na, na, na, na, na)

Na, na, na, na, na, na

Na, na, na, na, na, na


   Pretty straightforward chord-wise, Peter does a nifty switch in the verse, but keeps a pretty nice tight progression otherwise. The coda is mostly orchestral on the album, but the chords below will guide you through it. Just for fun I've tried this at a CHRONIC TOWN type of dance pace and it's kind of poppin'.

AROUND THE SUN

Verse

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

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

G|-1---0---2---2---|-1---0---2---2---|

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

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

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

Chorus

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

B|-3---3---3---2-------1---3---3--|

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

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

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

E|-3---2-------0---x3--0---3------|

Transition to Coda (Last time through hold on the F chord, end on D)

e|-2---5---7---7--|

B|-3---6---8---8--|

G|-2---5---7---7--|

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

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

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

Coda

e|-2---1---0---3--|

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

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

D|-0---3---2---0--|

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

E|-----1---0---3--| x2

e|-0---3--|

B|-0---3--|

G|-0---0--|

D|-2---0--|

A|-2---2--|

E|-0---3--| x3

e|-1---0--|

B|-1---1--|

G|-2---0--|

D|-3---2--|

A|-3---3--|

E|-1---0--|

End on C