“Night Swimming” by REM is the Peace Song of the Day for Thursday, September 22nd.

Duchess Susanna writes:

Since the focus of this website is specifically peace and nonviolence, my first choice is to pick a Song of the Day which directly relates to peace. Though, there are many paths and strategies to peace. So, some days, we focus on other issues, such as justice, or the environment. Today, the focus is on spiritual healing.

The REM song “Night Swimming” is a song that touches my soul deeply. It reminds me of lost friends. I have played it on my car cassette player many times, to think about and to cry over people who I knew from childhood, who left this world too young.

Today, WFUV in NYC played this song, and it wrapped all around my morning meditations on last night, when Troy Davis was executed, as the peace and justice community vigiled for him in the real world, and on-line with live coverage from Democracy Now!

Besides all of the other feelings of melancholy, reminiscing, and freedom, this song also brushes lightly passed themes of shame and fear, in a way that helps to lift them from my heart for a short time…

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 reckless mass of water
They cannot see me naked…
***

-REM

Someday, I hope to learn this song on the piano. For now, I like to sing the words I know, and hum the words I don’t.