Other arrangements of Nightswimming
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Night swim (C5)ming
de serves a qui et night.
The (G)pho to graph on the dash board,
(G)tak en years a go,
(C)turned a round back wards so the (Dsus)wind shield shows.
(G)Ev er y street light knew you.
re veals the pic (G)ture in re verse.
(C)Still, it’s so much clear er.
(G)I for got my shirt at the wa (G)ter’s edge.
The (Csus2)moon is low to night.
Night swim (Csus2)ming
de serves a qui et night.
I’m (C)not sure all these peo ple un der stand.
pin ing for the It’s (D)not like years a go, what if there were the (Csus2)fear of get (A)ting caught,
in or bit of (Dsus)reck less ness and wa ter.
They can not (D)see me na (G)ked.
These (Csus2)things, they (A)go a way,
re (Dsus)placed by ev ’ry day.
Night swim (Csus2)ming,
re mem ber ing that night.
Sep (C)tem ber’s com ing soon.
un der I’m pin ing for the It’s (D)not like years a And what if there were two (Csus2)fear of side (A)ting by
in or bit a (Dsus)round the fair est sun?
ter.
They That tight (D)for ev er (G)drum
could (Csus2)not de (A)scribe night swim
re (Dsus)placed by ev ’ry day.
(C)ming.
The (G)pho to graph re flects
(D)ev ’ry street light, a re mind er.
Night swim (C)ming
de (Dsus)serves a qui (D)et night,
de (Csus2)serves a qui (A)et night.
(G)pho to graph re flects
(D)ev ’ry street light, a re mind er.
Night swim (C)ming
de (Dsus)serves a qui (D)et night,
de (Csus2)serves a qui (A)et night.
Nightswimming — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
61 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "Nightswimming" by R.E.M.: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of G, 100 BPM.
This arrangement is a wonderful exercise in keeping your left hand steady while your right hand moves through some beautifully open chord voicings.
Your left hand plays an octave bass pattern throughout, so start by drilling that alone until it feels almost automatic — it needs to be your anchor, not something you're thinking about.
At 100 BPM the tempo is gentle, but watch the transitions between the sus chords: moving from Dsus4 to D and Csus2 to C requires small, precise finger adjustments, and rushing those changes is the most common stumble I see.
Practice the C–Csus2–D–Dsus4 cluster as its own loop, hands together, at about 70 BPM before bringing it up to speed.
Pay attention to your sustain pedal — this peaceful, flowing feel depends on clean pedal changes right on each new bass note, not before.
If you let pedal moments get sloppy, the harmonies blur into mud.
Once it clicks, this song will genuinely solidify your confidence with suspended chords and smooth voice leading, skills that transfer to dozens of other ballads.
Try other practice modes:
About “Nightswimming”
- What key is "Nightswimming" by R.E.M. played in?
- Nightswimming is arranged in the key of G on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Nightswimming"?
- The arrangement plays at 100 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Nightswimming" easy to play on piano?
- This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
- Can I download sheet music for "Nightswimming"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Nightswimming"?
- "Nightswimming" was originally performed by R.E.M.. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Nightswimming"?
- This arrangement uses 8 chords: A, C, Cpow, Csus2, D, Dpow, Dsus4, G.
- What other songs by R.E.M. can I play here?
- Try "EVERYBODY HURTS", "IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT", "Everybody Hurts". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is there a karaoke version of "Nightswimming" with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "Nightswimming" by R.E.M.. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
- Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
- It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
- Can I change the key of "Nightswimming" to match my voice or capo?
- Yes. The original is in G, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
- Can I slow "Nightswimming" down to learn the words and chords?
- Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.