RECKONING: PRETTY PERSUASION

This track was recorded at the urging of Mitch Easter and Don Dixon while recording Reckoning.  A rough version was culled up for Murmur, but discarded as an "old" song.  It was one of their original club songs with a good beat and an indecipherable lyric.  In fact listening to those early recordings verifies that the song, by the time of the Reckoning sessions, was pretty much intact.  Mike and Michael singing over each other in the verse and hitting the chorus.  After recording the song for Reckoning, the band had to admit it was good and the opening riff is still one of the most recognizable in Peter Buck's catalogue.
  According to Michael, the song is loosely based on a dream he had about a photo shoot for the band Rolling Stones which in the dream, they sit on a dock with their feet in the water.  How anyone could get anything like that out of this song is beyond me.  In my mind this is easily the most difficult R.E.M. song lyrically.  As you look at the lyrics and play through the song, you'll understand why. 
 


PRETTY PERSUASION
Fit’s my want
(Here's one of yours)

Hurry it in
(A reading write)

All has been tried
(Boy has)

Hurry and burn bright
(Follow easily)


Cannot shuffle in this heat, it’s all wrong
Try to put that on your sleeve, it’s all wrong, all wrong

It’s got pretty persuasion
She’s got pretty persuasion
Goddamn your confusion
She’s got pretty persuasion


It’s my want
(Here's one of yours)

Hurry it in
(A reading write)

All has been tried
(Boy has)

Hurry it in
(Father ease their pain)


When I put that in this heat, it’s all wrong
Try to wear that on my sleeve, it’s all wrong, all wrong


It’s got pretty persuasion
She’s got pretty persuasion
Goddamn your confusion
He’s got pretty persuasion


In the light of our home
I’ll be seeing you in


It’s got my want
(Here's one of yours)

Hurry in run bright
(A reading write)

All has been dry
(Boy has)

Hollow … bright
(Father ease their prayer)


Try to put that in this heat, it’s all wrong
Cannot wear that on your sleeve, it’s all wrong, all wrong


It’s got pretty persuasion
She’s got pretty persuasion
Goddamn your confusion
He’s got pretty persuay …


Again, this riff is very Peter Buck and kind of defines a style.  I usually play the 5th note on the B string as an open high E string, but you can hear Buck slide up to the 5th note during the song.

PRETTY PERSUASION

Intro/Bridge (x2)

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

B|-5-4-2-0-2-4-2-0---0---0------0-----------0---0----3-2>5--|

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

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

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

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

Verse:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bridge to Chorus: (x2)

Guitar 1, emphasize low end like a power chord

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

B|-2--4-0-2--0-2-----------------------|

G|-3--4-2-3--1-3-----------------------|

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

A|-4--2-0-4--2-4-----------------------|

E|-2--2-0-2--0-2-----------------------|

Guitar 2:

Let F# ring

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

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

G|-3------3---1----3-----------------|

D|-4------4--------4-----------------|

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

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

Chorus:

Pick D and E, strum F#

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

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

G|-2--1-3---------------------------|

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

A|----2-4---------------------------|

E|----0-2---------------------------|

Middle Bridge:

"In the light ..."

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

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

G|-1-3--3--2-1-2-2-2---------------------|

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

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

E|-0-2--2--0-0---------------------------|

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

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

G|--3--2-1-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2------|

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

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

E|--2--0-0---0---0---0---0------|

-BW