The Swimming Song

Words & Music:

Loudon Wainwright III

 

This is transcribed in the November 2005 issue of Acoustic Guitar.

 

     G        C              G

This summer I went swimming.

     D                   Em

This summer I might have drowned.

      Em                   C                  D               Em

But I held my breath and I kicked my feet & I moved my arms around.

D               G

Moved my arms around.

 

This summer I swam in the ocean,

Swam in the swimming pool.

Salt in my wounds, chlorine in my eyes,

I'm a self-destructive fool,

Self-destructive fool.

 

This summer I did the backstroke,

And you know that that's not all.

I did the breaststroke and the butterfly & the old Australian crawl,

Old Australian crawl.

 

This summer I swam in a public place

And a reservoir to boot.

At the latter, I was informal.

At the former, I wore my suit.

I wore my swimming suit.

 

This summer I did swan dives

And jackknives for you all.

And once when you weren't looking, I did a cannonball.

I did a cannonball.

 

Yeah, this summer I went swimming.

This summer, I might have drowned.

But I held my breath and I kicked my feet

And I moved my arms around.

I moved my arms around.