Near Wild Heaven
| "Near Wild Heaven" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by R.E.M. | ||||
| from the album Out of Time | ||||
| B-side | "Pop Song '89" (live acoustic version) | |||
| Released | 5 August 1991 | |||
| Format |
CD (UK / Germany) 7" (UK / Germany / France) 12" (UK / Germany) Cassette (UK) |
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| Recorded | September–October 1990 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, jangle pop, country rock, sunshine pop | |||
| Length | 3:18 | |||
| Label |
Warner Bros. W0055 (UK, 7") W0055C (UK, cassette) W0055CDX (UK, CD) W0055T (UK, 12") 5439-19179-7 (France / Germany, 7") 9362-40195-2 (Germany, CD) 9362-40171-0 (Germany, 12") |
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| Writer(s) | Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe | |||
| Producer(s) | Scott Litt & R.E.M. | |||
| R.E.M. singles chronology | ||||
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"Near Wild Heaven" was the third single released from R.E.M.'s seventh studio album Out of Time in 1991. The song was the first single released by the band to have had its lyrics both co-written and sung by bassist Mike Mills. According to a quotation from Peter Buck in R.E.M. Inside Out: The Stories Behind Every Song by Craig Rosen, the lyrics are a collaboration between Mills and lead singer Michael Stipe. It managed to peak at No. 27 on the UK Singles Chart but the single was not released in the United States.
Mike Mills had previously written the lyrics to the single "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville" and he had sung the cover song "Superman", but he had not previously sung his own work on a released recording.
The song is considered to be a tribute to 1960s-pop sunniness.
The music video for this song features the band playing the song in a crowded café.
All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated.
1 Recorded at The Borderline Club, London, England; March 15, 1991.
2 Recorded on Rockline, Los Angeles, California; April 1, 1991.
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