The Swimming Song

The Swimming Song - Loudon Wainwright III Lyrics

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



This summer I swam in the ocean

And I swam in a swimming pool

Salt my wounds, chlorined my eyes

I’m a self-destructive fool

I'm a self-destructive fool



This summer I did the back stroke

And you know that that’s not all

I did the breast stroke and the butterfly

And the old Australian crawl

The 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



Oh, this summer I did swan dives

And jack-knives for you all

And once when you weren’t looking

I did a cannon-ball

I did a cannon-ball



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