Barnett puts a lot of effort into sounding effortless. Her songs are wild and wooly and wordy, her lyrics plainspoken and delivered like she’s making them up on the spot.
Barnett was originally a part of several bands, including Immigrant Union and The Olivettes before focusing on her solo work. In 2012, Barnett started her own record label, Milk! Records, and recorded her debut EP I've Got A Friend Called Emily Ferris in a friend's lounge room and released it later that year. Late 2012 also saw the release of a new single, "History Eraser," which was backed with Jen Cloher's "Mount Beauty" for a split seven-inch release.
In 2013, Barnett released her second EP, How to Carve a Carrot Into a Rose. Along with "History Eraser," the EP spawned a second single, "Avant Gardener." Her second EP received international acclaim, taking her and the band, Dave Mudie (drums), Bones Sloane (bass) and Dan Luscombe (guitar) all around the world.
Barnett would later combine those two EP releases into one for The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, which was released internationally on 20 May 2013 via House Anxiety/Marathon Artists. It was named the album of the week by Stereogum.
Barnett's debut LP, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, was released in 2015 to widespread acclaim. At the 2015 ARIA Music Awards, she won four awards from eight nominations. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards and International Female Solo Artist at the 2016 Brit Awards.
In 2017, she released Lotta Sea Lice, a collaborative album with Kurt Vile.
Barnett's second album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, was released in 2018.
Aqua Profunda!
Courtney Barnett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were doing freestyle, then you switched it around
To a little bit of backstroke
I couldn't see underneath
Your swimming cap, but it appeared that you had
Dark colored hair, maybe it was blonde for all I know
I had goggles on
They were getting foggy
I tried my very best to impress you
Held my breath longer than I normally do
I was getting dizzy
My hair was wet and frizzy
Felt my muscles burn, I took a tumble turn
For the worse, it's a curse
My lack of athleticism, sunk like a stone
Like a first owner's home loan
When I came to, you and your towel were gone
The lyrics of Courtney Barnett’s “Aqua Profunda!” tell a story of admiration and uncertainty, as the singer describes her experience at a public swimming pool. The song begins with her noticing a swimmer in the lane next to her, who she watches intently as they switch between freestyle and backstroke. However, the singer remains unsure of the swimmer’s appearance due to the swimming cap covering their hair, leading her to speculate that they might have dark or blonde hair.
As the song progresses, the singer turns her attention to impressing the swimmer, likely in hopes of catching their attention. She pushes herself to hold her breath longer than usual and perform difficult swimming maneuvers, resulting in feelings of dizziness and burning muscles. Despite her efforts, the singer notes her lack of athleticism as a hindrance, likening it to sinking “like a stone” and “like a first owner’s home loan.” When she regains her composure, the swimmer has already left the pool area.
Through the playful and introspective lyrics, “Aqua Profunda!” explores themes of self-doubt and admiration, presenting a relatable and light-hearted perspective on the complexities of human interaction.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw you in the lane next to me
The singer noticed someone in the adjacent swimming lane.
You were doing freestyle, then you switched it around
The person was initially swimming freestyle and then changed to backstroke.
To a little bit of backstroke
The person started doing backstroke.
I couldn't see underneath
The artist was unable to see the person's hair underneath their swimming cap.
Your swimming cap, but it appeared that you had
Despite the swimming cap, the artist thought the person had dark or blonde hair.
Dark colored hair, maybe it was blonde for all I know
The singer wasn't sure if the person had dark or blonde hair.
I had goggles on
The singer was wearing goggles to help visibility and reduce water irritation.
They were getting foggy
The goggles were becoming steamy and difficult to see through.
I much prefer swimming to jogging
The artist enjoys swimming more than jogging as a form of exercise.
I tried my very best to impress you
The artist attempted to impress the person in the adjacent lane.
Held my breath longer than I normally do
The singer tried to hold their breath for an unusually long period.
I was getting dizzy
The artist felt dizzy, likely from holding their breath for too long.
My hair was wet and frizzy
The singer's hair was wet and had become frizzy due to being underwater.
Felt my muscles burn, I took a tumble turn
The singer's muscles were starting to feel fatigued, and they did a tumble turn to save time turning around.
For the worse, it's a curse
The tumble turn did not go according to plan and made the situation worse for the singer.
My lack of athleticism, sunk like a stone
The artist felt that their lack of athleticism was negatively impacting their swimming performance.
Like a first owner's home loan
The analogy is unclear, but it may refer to a burden or mistake that cannot be reversed.
When I came to, you and your towel were gone
When the singer recovered from their mishap, the person they were trying to impress had already left.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Courtney Barnett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nineties Forever
on Untogether
It’s a cover, originally by Belly, written by Tanya Donnelly.