The Random iTunes Fairy has been eavesdropping again, serving up a song related to my recent listening habits.
I’ve been working my way through the entire R.E.M. discography in order, as I suggested I would back in September. And I just recently finished the band’s 2001 album Reveal, on which today’s random selection appears.
I haven’t discovered anything revelatory during this exercise, just a deepening of my appreciation for one of my most loved bands. Some of their songs and albums are among my favorite of all time.
Reveal isn’t one of those, but it’s a solid late-career effort. I tend to separate the pre- and post-Bill Berry albums, and among the latter, this one falls in the bottom half.
That sounds overly critical, but for a band this good, something has to sit near the bottom, and even the albums near the bottom have great moments. This one does, and ‘Beachball’ is among them.
Tonight’s alive
The beachball’s set to fly
Those well tequilaed guys
Who smile at strangers
À tes souhaits
À tes amours chéri
You give a little sneeze
And dance the rhu-rhu-rhu-rhu-rhumba
[Chorus]
This life is sweet
We’re dancing in the street
Who knows who you might meet?
You’ll do fine
[Verse 2]
The little weekends here
Thursday has an ear
The kaffeeklatsch career
She talks to strangers
And kissing by the sea
Particular to me
‘ti punch, mojito, sling
And dance the rhu-rhu-rhu-rhu-rhumba
[Chorus]
This life is sweet
We’re dancing in the street
Who knows who you might meet?
You’ll do fine
[Verse 3]
We flash the seaside sky
With starfish butterflies
To cast a spell and welcome locals
Weekenders and strangers
[Outro]
You’ll do fine
You’ll do fine
You’ll do fine
Meet Me In Montauk 
Nice to hear a less grungy song by REM in a later album.