When I was a teenager, I never took R.E.M. that seriously. I enjoyed their radio hits, and owned all of their albums, but nothing ever struck me as great. Ah, the errors of our youth.

In my early 20’s, I went back and listened to the albums again and found myself in a state of awe. I realized there were many songs I did not appreciate during my teenage years for that exact reason—I was only a teenager. I was not mature enough to see the beauty and honesty in some of the music, and especially in Michael Stipe’s lyrics. Perspective is everything, right?

Needless to say, Automatic for the People was the record that hit me the hardest. It is often cited as R.E.M.’s best work, almost to a point where it is clichéd to answer the question, “What is your favorite R.E.M. album?” with such a stock answer. But the proof lies in the pudding; the quality of the songs on this album is just too powerful to ignore.

“Nightswimming” is not only one of the best songs on the album, but one of the most beautiful musical compositions I’ve ever heard. The piano riff is amazing (courtesy of Mr. Mike Mills), and Michael’s vocals are absolutely gorgeous. Every time I hear him sing the line, “…of recklessness and water,” I get a tingly feeling down my spine. Each and every aspect of this song, from the musicianship to the singing to the writing, is haunting.

“Nightswimming” deserves a close listen. Enjoy.

Nightswimming deserves a quiet night.
The photograph on the dashboard, taken years ago,
turned around backwards so the windshield shows.
Every streetlight reveals the picture in reverse.
Still, it's so much clearer.
I forgot my shirt at the water's edge.
The moon is low tonight.

Nightswimming deserves a quiet night.
I'm not sure all these people understand.
It's not like years ago,
The fear of getting caught,
of recklessness and water.
They cannot see me naked.
These things, they go away,
replaced by everyday.

Nightswimming, remembering that night.
September's coming soon.
I'm pining for the moon.
And what if there were two
Side by side in orbit
Around the fairest sun?
That bright, tight forever drum
could not describe nightswimming.

You, I thought I knew you.
You I cannot judge.
You, I thought you knew me,
this one laughing quietly underneath my breath.
Nightswimming.

The photograph reflects,
every streetlight a reminder.
Nightswimming deserves a quiet night, deserves a quiet night.

where can i find this song?

great choice frank.

i'm not an REM fan, but i love this song.

Same here. Well, maybe not love, but definitely like a lot.

i can relate to this. i liked rem in high school, but after awhile i decided they just weren't what i was looking for and i put away my rem albums in favour of U2. after a couple of years i came back to them and they blew me away. they're the only band of which i will say i wish they were my favourite band. i wish i had more room in my day for rem. they're perfect, and easily one of the best live acts i have ever seen.

anyway, that's neither here nor there. it doesn't matter who wrote nightswimming. it's just the perfect thing to sit crossed legged to and quietly zone out into the keys and michael's voice. they don't even need to be connected. i could listen to this as an instrumental or accapella. maybe that's because the words were written first, or maybe it's just something unique about this song.
it's beautiful. the strings at the end are the icing on the cake.

it really is about as beutiful a song as you can get.

Great song.

What if somebody chose like, 'Puffy Shoes' by the Presidents of the USA one month?

Nightswimming is a serious contender for the most beautiful song of all time

Fun fact--the version that ended up on automatic for the people was the Stipe's first take (the same thing happened with country feedback)

I had to give a presentation my senior year in high school english on a poem and used nightswimming. it's such a wonderful meditation on growing up and what gets lost.

As presents for my groomsmen I gave them each a picture of me with them in an engraved frame with some quote that was significant for the two of us. My younger brother (who, like me, has only pearl jam second to rem) got a sequence from nightswimming

Just an amazing competition. Achingly beautiful and bittersweet. An ode to something lost that can never be recaptured.


And what if there were two
Side by side in orbit
Around the fairest sun?

well done frank

I used to listen to REM when I was in high school, and i guess i got tired of them, which wasn't hard for me to do because when i was younger I never listened to an entire album all the way through. I have been thinking about heading to my parents house and digging out my old REM cds, and now I am definately going to. I just downloaded this song, out of curiosity, and I've already listened to it 3 times. this is a fantastic song!

I like it.

I like Find the River and Drive more from Automatic For the Peeps.

Shows how amazing that album is. My favorite from it is far and away Sweetness Follows.

Sweetness Follows is one of the only ones that I think can challenge Nightswimming on most beautiful song ever.

Ever heard Birds by Neil Young?

Good pick song.... I also needed to take a second look into REM to really appreciate them.

Excellent song, REM has been one of my favorite bands since I was a teenager back in the 80's. A lot of great songs. It would be hard for me to pick a favorite, but "Nightswimming" is one of the most beautiful.

nope--but most of the neil young I've heard does very little for me.

I've only heard this song a few times. I don't own AFTP, nor am I a big REM fan, but I can't forget this song. But I have to agree about the beauty. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it, and I haven't heard the song in ten years probably. For some reason or another, the theme of lost youth always touches me like nothing else.

Age: 33

I felt this way when I was 11 too.

Excellent choice, Frank.

I agree that Nightswimming is one of the most beautiful songs that I have ever heard. I've never been a real big fan of the piano, but I could listen to Mike Mills play they keys all day long. They played this song at my very first R.E.M. concert and let me tell you, I had tears in my eyes and the chills throughout the whole song. Heck, everyone around me was wiping away tears at some point.

I love Stipe's voice no matter what he sings, but I think that he sounds the best on the slow songs. He has the ability to sound so raw and emotional and personal and it makes the music that much better. That is why I love this song, Strange Currencies, and Electrolite so gosh darn much.