IN TIME: ANIMAL

   The first time I heard this song was on the tour just before IN TIME was released and enjoying the song without being terribly moved. The chorus 'rooftop' overlap is particularly inventive, but I remember feeling the song was an uptempo 'I Don't Sleep ... ' rehash and as I learned the guitar part that feeling was satisfied. There's a subtle shift here lyrically, and maybe it's because of the care Michael had taken with UP and REVEAL, to an over use of cliche and forced rhymes, maybe anticipating AROUND THE SUN a bit. However, there's still enough inventiveness to make the song interesting--the best example of this walking the line is the lyric 'I am vibrating at the speed of light' which feels obvious and different at the same time, and they liked the sentiment enough to put it on a t-shirt (running down the sleeves on one design making me think putting 'we're sick of being jerked around' down a sleeve would've made more sense). The song became a favorite to play live and according to setlist.fm was just behind 'Country Feedback' for amount of times played. The video is sort of the beginning of Mike and Peter washing their hands of performing for the camera and leaving everything to Michael, I've included it because it's the different mix of the song and also because it is (with 'Lotus') Michael finally going for the whole lip-sync thing. Finally, I have decided to put an attempt at what Mike is saying after the lyrics instead of woven into the song as my interpretation is distracting. There's no way he is saying anything like what I have, and if he is actually saying something specific he doesn't care if we know what it is. When they played the song live, he started changing the lyric which falls into his penchant for not really honoring or remembering the exact recording performance. His aesthetic is more about the feel and sound of the words over intention, vocals as instrument and support rather than function as has been mentioned before. Someday I will spend more time trying to isolate the background vocals, but if you sing the parts below it'll sound decent, to copy the live feel make the word 'sad' sound like 'side'.






ANIMAL

Hey what’s the big deal?
Tell me how to feel
I know where I boomeranged and fell from grace

Point me to the stars I’m up for the chase
I know where we fell on our face

Jump with me
You jump with me

Hey!
What’s the big deal?
I’m an animal

(The answer landed on my rooftop, whoa)
I’m an animal

(The future and the truth on my rooftop, whoa)
I’m an animal

(It’s calling me to work it out, it’s calling me to work it out, whoa)

I don’t wanna boomerang

I don’t wanna cannonball
I’m not angling
I don’t want to fall
Tell me I’m the anchor of my own ascension

Tell me I’m a tourist in the fourth dimension

Hey!
What’s the big deal?
I’m an animal

(The answer landed on my rooftop, whoa)
I’m an animal

(The future and the truth on my rooftop, whoa)
I’m an animal

(It’s calling me to work it out, it’s calling me to work it out, whoa)

Work it out

I am vibrating at the speed of light
Take my hand we’ll wind up the night
Spin me, win me, lift me, kiss me

Trip me, cuss me, bend me, trust me
Touch me now you take my hand

You trust me now you understand

So, what’s the big deal?
I’m an animal

(The answer landed on my rooftop, whoa)
I’m an animal

(The future and the truth on my rooftop, whoa)
I’m an animal

(It’s calling me to work it out, it’s calling me to work it out)
What’s the big deal?
I’m an animal

(The answer landed on my rooftop, whoa)
I’m an animal

(The future and the truth on my rooftop, whoa)
I’m an animal

(It’s calling me to work it out, it’s calling me to work it out, whoa)

I am vibrating at the speed of light

(I am vibrating at the speed of light, yeah I am vibrating at the speed of light, I am vibrating at the speed of light)

    VERSE BACKING VOCAL THOUGHTS:

The lip so sad it was so sad oh whoa

The lip of sad it was so full oh whoa

The lip of sad it was so whoa

The lip of side it was so full whoa

Turn oh was so whoa

Turn oh was so whoa

The lip so full it was so full whoa

The lip so full it was oh whoa

   If you already learned 'I Don't Sleep, I Dream' good news! This is the same song with a couple extra chords and a lead. I've always enjoyed playing Sleep, so this one is fun too--I wonder if it was an excuse for Peter to keep a riff idea he liked and be able to justify playing it live. Sort of like how they used to re-tool old songs when they got sick of them.

ANIMAL

Verse/Riff

e|-----7----7-----|

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

G|---5-----0--0---|

D|-7--7--7--------|

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

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

Chorus

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lead (C-D x3, F-G)

e|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x----------1---1-1-------1>3--3-3-5p-3--|

B|-10-8-5-3-1-3-3-10-8-5-3-1-3h---1-3p-1-1>3-3-3--------|

G|--9-7-4-2-2-0-2--9-7-4-2------------------------------|

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

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

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

REVEAL: BEACHBALL

   Another album down, two more to go and a revisit of CIN puts a wrap on the major portion of the blog--the end is in sight. Speaking of the end, what a way to end an album--I mean it's no 'Find the River' but ... okay, it's really not FTR. However, the album stays extremely true to its themes and style that the song wraps up REVEAL quite nicely. I've never had any problem with the song per se, when tagged on to the end of REVEAL, I mean if you get this far with a drastically different R.E.M. sound your beef shouldn't be with 'Beachball.' The song is perfectly harmless. That said, if you were to introduce a non-listener to ... say ... 'Radio Free Europe' followed by this song, good luck with that mixtape. I can't imagine the drum beat is not simply a preset rhumba beat, it's almost like the old They Might Be Giants method of percussion when they didn't have a full band. Unlike UP and NAIHF, this song isn't as much a harbinger to the next album as it is a final completion of a phrase. Some cool imagery here as always, the standard French blessing for sneezing, the 'coffee klatch career,' and the final welcoming of other people create a wistful and welcoming evening. This song might get the award for least R.E.M.-like song. They never played it live.




BEACHBALL
Tonight's alive the beachball's set to fly

Those well tequila'd guys who smile at strangers

à tes souhaits
à tes amours chéri
You give a little sneeze and dance the rhu-rhu-rhu-rhu-rhumba

This life is sweet
We're dancin' in the street
Who knows who you might meet?
You'll do fine

The little weekend's here

Thursday has an ear
Her coffee klatch career she talks to strangers

And kissing by the sea
Particular to me
'ti punch, mojito, sling, and dance the rhu-rhu-rhu-rhu-rhumba

This life is sweet
We're dancin' in the street
Who knows who you might meet?
You'll do fine

We flash the seaside sky
With starfish butterflies
To cast a spell and welcome locals, weekenders, and strangers

You'll do fine
You'll do fine
You'll do fine



   This song is mostly keyboard, but there is some guitar in there. I've converted some of the keyboard flourishes to guitar for fun. I've found using the Db chord in the song and the Db7 for the end the most pleasant, but you could do wither for the whole track. Also, Capo 3 for ease!

BEACHBALL

CAPO 3

Verse (Bb-Db x3, Cm-G)

g |-3---1----------0------0----|

D |-3---3--------1--1-1----0-0-|

A#|-0---3-------2-2--2--1---1--|

F |-0---3--------------2-2-----|

C |-2---1----------------------|

G |-3---1---x3-----------------|

Chorus (Fm7-G)

g |-2---0---2---0---2---0---2--|

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

A#|-2---1---2---1---2---1---2--|

F |-0---2---0---2---0---2---0--|

C |-0---2---0---2---0---2------|

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

Verse Keyboard Riff

g |----3-----3-5-----3---------|

D |-3-3-6-3-3---6-3-3-6-8-8-5--|

A#|--4-----4-------4----------1|

F |----------------------------|

C |----------------------------|

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

Chorus End Riff

g |---------|

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

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

F |---------|

C |---------|

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

Final Pick (Bb-Db7)

g |-3---3---1---1-----|

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

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

F |----5---5---3---3--|

C |-------------------|

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

CHRONIC TOWN: STUMBLE

  And now we arrive at the last song from the CT EP.  Stumble.  This is definitely the most repetitive song on the EP, and the longest.  Is it boring?  Did REM ever play this song live?  There are not a lot of instances of this song being played and the closest you can find on YouTube is Mitch Easter playing it earlier in the year.  There are subtle additions here to what you can find online, particularly the ABC, APT bits, as well as the refrain which everyone lists as ball and chain all the time, sorry but I don't buy it.  Fallen chain and ball and chain are both such great imagery of graveyards and such and he's clearly saying both. In addition, the lyric sheet floating around has fallen chant. Which is probably the most accurate, but without completing the word chant, it sounds like chain--so either will do. I also think he's probably got something like 'Forest fears' on his mind when starting the verse, but intentionally mumbles it--what I have below better approximates how to get the sound of it right.
  I recently took a lot more time with the bridge to the chorus section that has been very wrong online for a long time and I came up with what is below. In the live versions it's a little clearer that he's saying 'Foliage in straw' but this is obscured in the recordings at times where saying 'Foliage in stall' sounds more accurate. Again, he's going for more of a feeling than actually saying something so if you sing along with what is below it sounds closer than a space explorer.



STUMBLE

(Laugh) Teeth (Clap)

We’ll stumble through the yard
We’ll stumble through the yard
We’ll stumble through the A, P, T
We’ll stumble through the yard

Full of spheres
Floor erasing
Foliage in straw
Yellow mix with golden root
Scan the graveyard dig the root

Fallen chain
Fallen chain
Fallen chain
Fallen chain

We’ll stumble through the yard
We’ll stumble through the yard
We’ll stumble through the A, P, T
We’ll stumble through the yard

Voice hails
Floor erasing
Foliage in straw
Yellow mix with golden root
Scan the graveyard dig the root

Fallen chain
Fallen chain
Ball and chain
Ball and chain

Cha (x15)

We’ll stumble through the yard
We’ll stumble through the yard
We’ll stumble through the A, P, T
We’ll stumble through the yard

Full of spheres
Floor erasing
Foliage in straw
Yellow mix with golden root
Scan the graveyard dig the root

Fallen chain
Fallen chain
Ball and chain
Ball and chain

It was round about midnight, hipster town
Imagine going for a walk
Things got around to taking place
What is hipster town
It’s not a waste of time
Imagine going into the wood
Things got around to taking place, as if they’re gonna happen at all
Don’t need that jazz, don’t need that stuff
It was round about midnight, hipster town
It was round about midnight, hipster town

We’ll stumble through the yard
We’ll stumble through the yard
We’ll stumble through the A, P, T
We’ll stumble through the yard

Bullets holes
Floor erasing
Foliage in stall
Yellow mix with golden root
Scan the graveyard dig the root

Fallen chain
Fallen chain
Ball and chain
Ball and chain


Now, guitar-wise I have to thank the internet for the Capo 5 idea, it really simplifies things and might be what we actually hear on CT.  However, after watching Mitch Easter play the song without a capo it is clear that most of the riffing can be done on the B string, but the capo adds a lot, especially when playing on an acoustic.  Also, be wary of the chorus switch, it does not follow a neat 4-4 change. 
  I also added a D chord on the switch to the Bm in the verse because it feels right and tightens up the rhythm of the picking, but you should really just stay on it for one time through picking G-E.  Notice how the form of the 8 and 9 placement in the chorus and bridge 3 are the same as the beginning of Wolves, Lower ... interesting.

Stumble
CAPO V

Intro

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

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

Verse

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chorus

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

B|-000-00000-000-00000-0000000-0-00000000--|

G|-444-22222-444-22222>6666666-7>99999999--|

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

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

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

e|-------------------------5-------5----|

B|-0000-0000-0000-00--3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|

G|-4444-2222-4444-22-4---4---4---4---4--|

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

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

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

Middle Bridge

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bridge 3:

Mostly rhythm, but if you strum or pick a couple of choice times:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then pick intro on penultimate: “It was round about midnight … “

That wraps Chronic Town.  In the next couple of days I will post the pre recording song Narrator which is just fun and great to play.  Then it's on to Murmur, Radio Free Europe is basically a done deal and I had a huge breakthrough on Pilgrimage today ... it's gonna be very cool ...

-BW

CHRONIC TOWN: 1,000,000

Lyrically this song was mostly solved with recently found lyric sheets.  However, I'm not going to get into what meaning might be behind the words as it is all speculation.  I had a friend once who thought it was about vampires, so I guess it's wide open.  As far as singing the following lyric, at many points it sounds like Stipe is saying "marker store" in fact, if you replace the word "stone" with "store" you get closer to the accent of Stipe's speech ... another option is holding out the long O sound and meeting the word "not."





1,000,000

Secluded in a marker store, not only deadlier but smarter too, smarter too
All among the tune, all among the ruin
Secluded in a marker store, not only deadlier but smarter too, smarter too

I could live a million
I could live a million
I could live a million
I could live a million years

Secluded in a marker store, not only deadlier but smarter too, smarter too
All among the tune, all along the ruin
Secluded in a marker store, not only deadlier but smarter too, smarter too

I could live a million
I could live a million
I could live a million
I could live a million years

All among, all among, all among the tune
Secret in, secret in, secret in the river

Secluded in a marker store, not only deadlier--smarter too, smarter too

I could live a million
I could live a million
I could live a million
I could live a million years



This is the first song that I learned off of Chronic Town years ago and was always disconcerted with what I discovered online, because the chorus always sounded wrong.  With this project I decided to get it right.  The cool part is that it is an early example of the open E and B strings Buck likes to use.  Apart from the bridges, the chords are fairly straightforward--just play them as power chords and accentuate the open E and B. 

A note about the hammer on the 7 and 9, just make sure it happens in rapid succession.  You can listen to the song for the example.  Also, I noted the open string before the hammer on the A note, but on the way from the E to the B chord experiment with a little openness on the transition.

1,000,000

Intro/Verse

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

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

G|-8--8--8---9h---|

D|-9--9--9---9----|

A|-9--0--7h--7----|

E|-7--0--0---0----|

Bridge/ Middle 8: x4

“All among …”

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

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

G|-6---6>8--8-----|

D|-7---7-9--9-----|

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

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

Chorus:

A-C#m-Bm-E

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

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

G|--6--6--4--1---2-1--|

D|--7--6--4--2---2-2--|

A|--7--4--2--2---2-2--|

E|--5--0--0--0---0-0--|

-BW

CHRONIC TOWN: CARNIVAL OF SORTS (BOX CARS)

Now we're getting into it.  I'm far enough into CT that the thought of Murmur is giving me nightmares.  Although, I had a Radio Free Europe breakthrough the other day.  But to the present, the lyric to Carnival is another 2nd verse same as the first and besides Gardening, all of the songs on CT are of that variety.  A pretty straightforward song and really fun to play live.



CARNIVAL OF SORTS (BOX CARS)

Of secret stigma repeat reel
Diminish the carnival of sorts
Chronic town, poster torn, repeat reel
Stranger, stranger to these parts

Gentlemen don’t get caught cages under cage
Gentlemen don’t get caught

Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town
Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town
Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town

Of secret stigma repeat reel
Diminish the carnival of sorts
Chronic town, poster torn, repeat reel
Stranger, stranger

Gentlemen don’t get caught cages under cage
Gentlemen don’t get caught

Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town
Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town
Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town

Cajun under, cajun under, cajun under cage
Cajun under, cajun under, cajun under cage

Gentlemen don’t get caught cages under cage
Gentlemen don’t get caught

Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town
Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town
Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town (Are pulling)

Of seizure stigma repeat reel
Stranger, stranger to these parts
Chronic town, poster torn, repeat reel
Diminish stranger

Gentlemen don’t get caught cages under cage
Gentlemen don’t get caught

Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town
Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town
Boxcars
(Are pulling)
Out of town (Are pulling)

Boxcars are pulling carnival of sorts out of town


This song has more true chords that any other song on CT. It's interesting to note the little segue riffs that are important to the song, but are not that difficult and add a precision to the progression. These are little flurries that other guitarists would throw away, but to R.E.M. they are integral.

CARNIVAL OF SORTS (BOX CARS)

Intro/Bridge

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

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

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

D|-2-4-4-4-x3-2-4---4--|

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

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

Verse

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bridge to Chorus

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chorus

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

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

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

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

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

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

-BW

CHRONIC TOWN: GARDENING AT NIGHT

There are two versions of this song lyrically.  Why?  The lyrics have evolved.  In the official Chronic Town recording and the later Eponymous release there are a couple of discrepencies.  It mostly centers around pronouns, but the line after "...busy in the rows" seems to be different in each version.  This is, I think, the beginning of Stipe and company changing little bits of a word or line in a song when there is a repeated phrase.  There are numerous examples in the songs to come.  For all intents and purposes, Stipe sings "we (or I) fell up" live, this therefore has become the correct lyric.  I have emboldened and italicized the changes on the second version.

This song is one of the earliest REM wrote.  They had been playing it on the early Tyrone's recordings with much the same structure.  It has to do with one of the eccentrics in Athens who would literally garden at night.  I used to think it was about gambling ... who knew? 



GARDENING AT NIGHT (Chronic Town version)
I see your money on the floor, I felt the pocket change the wall
The feelings that broke through that door just didn’t seem to be too real
The yard is nothing but a fence, the sun just hurts my eyes
Somewhere it must be time for penitence, gardening at night is never where

Gardening at night
Gardening at night
Gardening at night

The neighbors go to bed at two
Call the prayer line for a change
The charges changing every month
They said it couldn’t be arranged

We had got up the garbage sound, but they were busy in the rows
They were not to see the sun, gardening at night just didn’t grow
I see your money on the floor, I felt the pocket change the wall
The feelings that broke through that door just didn’t seem to be too real

Gardening at night
Gardening at night
Gardening at night

You’re sister said that you’re too young
They should know they’ve been there twice
The call was 10 and 51
They said it couldn’t be arranged

I see your money on the floor, I felt the pocket change the wall
The feelings that broke through that door just didn’t seem to be too real
He had got up the garbage sound, but they were busy in the rows
He fell not to see the sun, gardening at night just didn’t grow

Gardening at night
Gardening at night
Gardening at night


GARDENING AT NIGHT (Eponymous) (Recent live variation Italicized)
I see your money on the floor, I felt the pocket change the wall
The feelings that broke through that door just didn’t seem to be too real
The yard is nothing but a fence, the sun just hurts my eyes
Somewhere it must be time for penitence, gardening at night is never where

Gardening at night
Gardening at night
Gardening at night

The neighbors go to bed at two (TEN)
Call the prayer line for a change
The charges changing every month
They said it couldn’t be arranged

He had got up the garbage sound, but they were busy in the rows
He failed (WE FELL UP) not to see the sun, gardening at night just didn’t grow
I see your money on the floor, I felt the pocket change the wall
The feelings that broke through that door just didn’t seem to be too real

Gardening at night
Gardening at night
Gardening at night

You’re sister said that you’re too young
She should know she’s been there twice
The call was 10 (TWO) and 51
They said it couldn’t be arranged

He had got up the garbage sound, but they were busy in the rows
He failed (WE FELL UP) not to see the sun, gardening at night just didn’t grow
The yard is nothing but a fence, the sun just hurts my eyes
Somewhere it must be time for penitence, gardening at night is never where

Gardening at night
Gardening at night
Gardening at night


This song took a while to sink in.  I have to thank the numerous recordings on You Tube of Peter Buck's hand movements.  I mentioned that I was going to post a version of this that you could play with one finger, but I will not bore you with dashes.  It can be played as a second guitar line along with the basic chord structure.  This is what I think we hear on the Chronic Town recording:  with high E tuned to D, start on the B and slide down 8-7-5-3-1, for the verse on the G slide these notes: 7-5-7-4-7-6-7-6-7.  You can play the whole song this way and it's fun, but why not play it like this ...

GARDENING AT NIGHT

Pre-Intro: x4

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

B|-------------------|

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

D|-00---0----0-------|

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

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

Intro and Outro: x4                  2nd Guitar: High e tuned to d

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

B|-0-0-0-3-1------8-7-5-3-1--|

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

D|-5-4-2-0-2-----------------|

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

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

Verse: x2

D5-C-G(add B)

e|-0-0-0--00000000000000-----|

B|-3-1-3--33333333222323-----|

G|-2-0-4--00000000000000-----|

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

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

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

Chorus:

     "Gardening at night ... "

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bridge: x4

   "The neighbors go to bed at two ... "

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

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

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

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

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

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

Riff to Verse:

"..arranged ..."

e|-0000000000000000---|

B|-3333333322222220---|

G|-0000000000000000---|

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

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

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

Riff to Outro (Picked)

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

B|-3/5/6/5--|

G|-2/4/5/4--|

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

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

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

End:

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

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

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

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

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

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