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The Swimming Song

[ Roud - ; DT SWIMMIN ; Loudon Wainwright III]

Loudon Wainwright III sang his own The Swimming Song on a 1973 Columbia single. A 1979 Cambridge Folk Festival live recording was included in 1998 on the CD The Best of the Cambridge Folk Festival.

Bandoggs sang Swimming Song in a BBC Radio 1 John Peel Session that was recorded on 14 December 1977 and first broadcast on 13 January 1978. And Nic Jones sang it solo in a “Folk on 2” session recorded on 1 March 1981. This recording was also included in 1998 on his CD In Search of Nic Jones on which Nic noted:

I’ve got several albums by the McGarrigles and I learnt this song off the first one, Kate and Anna McGarrigle. I used to be a lifeguard when I was about nineteen and, along with m fellow lifeguards, spent many a happy hour messing about in the water. We got up to all sorts of stunts such as riding a bike off the topboard and doing some unconventional diving when the pool was closed to the public. There was also an outdoor pool and on very hot days we’d dive in and rescue people who weren’t actually drowning just to get into the water—mind you, they were usually young women. Swimming has always been a great joy in my life and I just couldn’t resist singing this song.

Maddy Prior sang Swimming Song in 1993 on her Park album Year.

Fairport Convention sang The Swimming Song in 1996 on their Woodworm album Old · New · Borrowed · Blue. A live recording from Cropredy 1998 was included in 2004 on their Free Reed anthology Cropredy Capers.

Roger Wilson sang The Swimming Song in 1997 on Pete Morton’s, his and Simon Edwards’ Harbourtown album Urban Folk Vol. II. He noted:

The Swimming Song was written by Loudon Wainwright III, and performed both by The McGarrigle Sisters and Nic Jones. I’m a big fan of all four of these people, and this is a jolly ditty if ever there was one.

The Demon Barbers sang Swimming Song on their 2015 album Disco at the Tavern.

Lonan sang The Swimming Song on their 2021 album Forever Has Flown. They noted:

Katy first heard Kate and Anna McGarrigle’s version of Swimming Song on Desert Island Discs (the major source for all great folk singers…) and was immediately drawn to its warmth, and lyrics which come across as having a kind of robust vulnerability. Although the song could be interpreted as being about lots of different things, according to Wainwright, “I was just thinking about swimming.” Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.

Will Finn and Rosie Calvert sang Swimming Song on their 2024 album Fallow Alchemy. They noted:

Rosie is an avid outdoor swimmer, and this whimsical song perfectly reflects the joy felt in a good summersworth of swimming! Originally by Loudon Wainwright III, our version also takes inspiration from Kate and Anna McGarrigle. The tune that we play to accompany was co-written with our Teacups bandmate Alex Cumming after he heard us practising and asked to join in.

Lyrics

Maddy Prior sings Swimming Song

This summer I went swimming
This summer I might have drowned
But I held my breath and I kicked my feet
And I threw my arms around

This summer I did the swan dive
And jack knife for you all
And once when you weren’t looking
I did a cannon ball

This summer I swam in the ocean
And swam in a swimming pool
Salt in my wounds, chlorine in my eyes
I’m a self-destructive fool

This summer I did the backstroke
And you know that’s not all
I did the breaststroke and the butterfly
And 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

Will Finn and Rosie Calvert sing Swimming Song

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, chlorine my eyes,
I’m a self-destructive fool, a self-destructive fool.

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 the backstroke
And you know that’s not all
I did the breast stroke and the butterfly
And the old Australian crawl, the old Australian crawl.

This summer I did swan dives
And jackknifes for you all
And once when you weren’t looking
I did a cannonball, I did a cannonball.

(repeat first verse)