Doesn't the title of this album sound like something Strong Bad would yell?

Automatic for the people!

agnes wrote:My thoughts exactly. The piano sounds like it's being played by a 4th grader (one of those non-savant ones). There's no subtlety or, well, MUSIC to it. It's just banging banging banging.

daisky wrote:

I agree.

Yes! Yes! Yes!

So sweet and melancholy. Such a simple tune, yet so great.

"Nightswimming deserves a quiet night...I'm not sure all these people understand."

Now, all you R.E.M. whiners, is the time to confess that you actually like R.E.M., you are just desperately trying to keep up an attitude.

I like this tune, I always have, but the piano is so ploddy... it could use some emotion.

one of my favourite REM tracks for sure

no idea why though...

Another stellar REM tune...

Mugro wrote:

The song is wonderful, but listen again -- and more carefully -- to the lyrics.

The scene is hardly idyllic. Not all such memories are warm nostalgia.

perfect for my frozen december baltimore morning. warmed me up!

Great song!

great album. all four just played at the 40 watt club in athens last month.

One of my fav REM tunes!! The essence of southern summers in the country or small towns............

This is a good song.

However, REM filled their career ballad quota sometime past "Green."

Their best songs are always the rocking ones..

I swear they've done as many ballads as that one French-Canadian singer. You know, the one with the really stupid lyrics...

Beautiful song. Great band. Does the 192kbps stream full justice...

I like REM and Michael Stipe, but this really doesn't do it for me.

kult wrote:
I'm with you on that one. Since I began listening to RP a couple months ago I've been consistently very surprised to see how many people nag and whine about artists like R.E.M., Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Springsteen...basically all the greats. The most common complaint seems to be a dislike of their singing voices, which I find somewhat comical. I mean, I guess these people prefer the Mariah Careys and Clay Aikens of the world...you know, people who sing "good". If it's not that then I am just at a loss, I guess. R.E.M., along with the others I mentioned and many more, are some of the truly great musicians of the last couple of decades. This song Nightswimming is brilliant and beautiful. These odd birds coming out of the woodwork to bash it as crap music, I just can't fathom where they're coming from or what they must think is good.

Good tune for tinkling by the lakeside.

...nope...after 20 years I still don't like any of their music...

djblitz wrote:

You might mean, "hands over ears."

Yay! Pretty!

I grew up in Potsdam, NY on the edge of the Adirondack Mountains. We would spend countless evenings in the summer Night Swimming in the numerous rivers, with their cascading waterfalls. To sit back, drink a few beers with good friends for life, lighting up and laying back. Ah, those far gone days suddenly brought to the forefront while the kids are screaming in the background, the trash needs to be taken out and the never ending list of what to do tomorrow at work. Thank you Michael Stipe, REM!

I'm up and down on REM, but I'm afraid I have to admit I really dislike this one.

It sounds to me sort of like Tracy Chapman, except even more monotonous and plodding.

Oh to live in the ideal scene created by this song....

Absolutely love this song. Brings back tons of good memories of my freshman year of college. It's defintely on of those songs that can really grab you and take you back to another time and place...

for me, this is the theme for the summer after college graduation - living in hyannis without a care in the world. we did a lot of night swimming.

veegez wrote:

Oh no, his signing sucks monkey butt. Anyone else singing this and it would be a 10. Even a drunk elephant with a trachea tube would be better. The music is great. Mike though, sucks turd posicles.

This song will always affect me...such memories...and beautiful song. This and Find the River are two of my favorites ever. I haven't been as into REM since this album.

physicsgenius wrote:

it would be so dull without the singing. would be just easy listening crap your grandmom listens to ... the beauty of the song lies in the antagonism of Stipe's voice and the, hmm, almost classical piano tune.

kult wrote:
I think his voice is fine - when he's singing on Murmur or Reckoning. They went and got sophisticated, and I lost interest.

Gimme some Radio Free Europe, or Talk About the Passion.