Near Wild Heaven

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"Near Wild Heaven"
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)
Recorded	September–October 1990
Genre	Rock
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")
Producer	Scott Litt & R.E.M.
R.E.M. singles chronology
"Shiny Happy People" (1991) "Near Wild Heaven" (1991) "Radio Song" (1991)

"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 #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.

Music video

The music video for this song features the band playing the song in a crowded café.

Track listing

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated.

7" / cassette

1. "Near Wild Heaven"
2. "Pop Song '89" (live)¹

12"

1. "Near Wild Heaven"
2. "Pop Song '89" (live)¹
3. "Half a World Away" (live)²

CD

1. "Near Wild Heaven" – 3:18
2. "Tom's Diner" (Suzanne Vega) (live)¹ – 2:04
3. "Low" (live)¹ – 4:59
4. "Endgame" (live)¹ – 3:28

Notes

¹ Recorded at The Borderline Club, London, England; March 15, 1991.
² Recorded on Rockline, Los Angeles, California; April 1, 1991.

Charts

Personnel

• Bill Berry – drums, piano, backing vocals
• Peter Buck – guitar
• Mike Mills – lead vocals, bass guitar
• Michael Stipe – backing vocals

With

• Kate Pierson – backing vocals

External links

• Music video at REMhq.com
• Near Wild Heaven at MusicBrainz