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Nightswimming — Piano Lead Sheet
About “Nightswimming”
"Nightswimming" lead sheet with chords, melody, and lyrics. Play the melody while following chord symbols above. Perfect for sing-along or accompaniment. Key of G, 100 BPM.
63 people have learned this song
Lyrics
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.
Teacher’s notes
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.
Questions about this song (10)
- Where are the chord symbols for "Nightswimming" displayed?
- Lead Sheet shows chord symbols (like Am, G7, C) above the melody line with lyrics below. Every chord change highlights in real time as the song plays, so you can play the melody with the right hand and follow chord shapes with the left. "Nightswimming" is in G.
- 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.
- Does "Nightswimming" have chords and lyrics?
- Yes! The Lead Sheet shows the melody with chord symbols (like Am, G, C) and full lyrics. Perfect for singing along or playing with a band. "Nightswimming" is in the key of G at 100 BPM.
- What chords are in "Nightswimming"?
- Open the Lead Sheet to see all chord symbols displayed above the melody line. The song is in the key of G, so you'll find chords common to that key. Each chord highlights in real time as the song plays.
Other versions of Nightswimming
Other arrangements of Nightswimming
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