Nightswimming
R.E.M. · In Time - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003
Deserves a quiet night
The photograph on the dashboard
Taken years ago
Turned around backwards so the windshield shows
Every street light reveals a picture in reverse
Still its so much clearer
I forgot my shirt at the waters edge
The moon is low tonight
Night swimming
Deserves a quiet night
I'm not sure all these people understand
It's not like years ago
The fear of getting caught
The recklessness in water
They cannot see me naked
These things they go away
Replaced by every day
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
The bright tide that ever drawn
Could not describe
Nightswimming
You I thought I knew you
You I can not judge
You I thought you knew me
This one laughing quietly
Underneath my breath
Nightswimming
The photograph reflects
Every street light a reminder
Nightswimming
Deserves a quiet night
Deserves a quiet night
Nightswimming
Nightswimming stands as one of R.E.M.'s most enduring and beloved recordings, capturing the band's signature blend of atmospheric rock and introspective lyricism. Originally released on the 1991 album Out of Time, the track showcases the group's ability to craft expansive soundscapes that balance melancholy with a sense of wonder. The song features the band's characteristic interplay of guitar textures and Michael Stipe's enigmatic vocal delivery, creating a sonic environment that feels both intimate and vast. As a highlight from their most commercially successful era, the recording reflects the artistic maturity R.E.M. achieved during the early 1990s. It remains a definitive example of their contribution to alternative rock, demonstrating how the band successfully merged indie sensibilities with mainstream appeal without sacrificing their unique identity.