Swimming Pool
Kendrick Lamar Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Pour up, drank, head shot, drank
Sit down, drank, stand up, drank
Pass out, drank, wake up, drank
Faded, drank, faded, drank

Now I done grew up 'round some people living their life in bottles
Granddaddy had the golden flask back stroke every day in Chicago
Some people like the way it feels
Some people wanna kill their sorrows
Some people wanna fit in with the popular that was my problem
I was in the dark room loud tunes, looking to make a vow soon
That I'ma get fucked up, fillin' up my cup I see the crowd move
Changing by the minute and the record on repeat
Took a sip, then another sip, then somebody said to me

Nigga why you babysittin' only two or three shots?
I'ma show you how to turn it up a notch
First you get a swimming pool full of liquor, then you dive in it
Pool full of liquor, then you dive in it
I wave a few bottles, then I watch 'em all flock
All the girls wanna play Baywatch
I got a swimming pool full of liquor and they dive in it
Pool full of liquor I'ma dive in it

Pour up, drank, head shot, drank
Sit down, drank, stand up, drank
Pass out, drank, wake up, drank
Faded, drank, faded, drank

Okay, now open your mind up and listen me, Kendrick
I am your conscience, if you do not hear me then you will be history, Kendrick
I know that you're nauseous right now and I'm hopin' to lead you to victory, Kendrick
If I take another one down I'mma drown in some poison abusin' my limit
I think that I'm feelin' the vibe
I see the love in her eyes
I see the feelin' the freedom is granted as soon as the damage of vodka arrived
This how you capitalize
This is parental advice then apparently
I'm over influenced by what you are doin'
I thought I was doin' the most then someone said to me

Nigga why you babysittin' only two or three shots?
I'mma show you how to turn it up a notch
First you get a swimming pool full of liquor, then you dive in it
Pool full of liquor, then you dive in it
I wave a few bottles, then I watch em all flock
All the girls wanna play Baywatch
I got a swimming pool full of liquor and they dive in it
Pool full of liquor I'mma dive in it

Pour up, drank, head shot, drank
Sit down, drank, stand up, drank
Pass out, drank, wake up, drank
Faded, drank, faded, drank

I ride, you ride, bang
One chopper, one hundred shots, bang
Hop out, do you, bang?
Two chopper, two hundred shots, bang
I ride, you ride, bang
One chopper, one hundred shots, bang
Hop out, do you, bang
Two chopper, two hundred shots, bang

Nigga why you babysittin' only two or three shots?
I'mma show you how to turn it up a notch
First you get a swimming pool full of liquor, then you dive in it
Pool full of liquor, then you dive in it
I wave a few bottles, then I watch em all flock
All the girls wanna play Baywatch
I got a swimming pool full of liquor and they dive in it
Pool full of liquor I'mma dive in it

Pour up, drank, head shot, drank
Sit down, drank, stand up, drank




Pass out, drank, wake up, drank
Faded, drank, faded, drank

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Kendrick Lamar's song "Swimming Pools" speak to the concept of drinking and the dangerous consequences it can lead to. Throughout the song, Kendrick grapples with the many roles alcohol plays in society and examines the reasons why people choose to drink. The repetitive nature of the chorus, where Kendrick describes pouring, drinking, passing out, and waking up, suggests a cycle of addiction that is hard to break. Kendrick himself wants to "get fucked up" and "fill up his cup", but he seems to be aware of the dangers of drinking too much.


The first verse tells the story of Kendrick's grandfather, who apparently drank from a "golden flask" every day in Chicago. This demonstrates how alcohol can have negative effects across generations, impacting not only those who drink but also their loved ones. The verse concludes with Kendrick admitting that he struggles with fitting in with the crowd and the desire to numb his pain with alcohol. The second verse depicts Kendrick's conscience, which tries to steer him away from drinking too much. It warns him about the danger of drowning in "poison" and reminds him that he's already exceeding his limits. However, despite his conscience's advice, Kendrick chooses to "dive in" to the pool of liquor and continue drinking until he's "faded."


Overall, "Swimming Pools" is a meditation on the allure of drinking and the perils of addiction. It portrays alcohol as both a source of entertainment and a source of danger, highlighting the way in which it can leave people feeling "faded" and out of control.


Line by Line Meaning

Pour up, drank, head shot, drank
Drink alcohol to the point of unconsciousness.


Sit down, drank, stand up, drank
Drink alcohol excessively while alternating between sitting and standing.


Pass out, drank, wake up, drank
Drink to unconsciousness, then wake up only to continue drinking.


Faded, drank, faded, drank
To feel the effects of alcohol, then continue drinking to maintain that state.


Now I done grew up 'round some people living their life in bottles
I grew up around people who drank to escape their problems.


Granddaddy had the golden flask back stroke every day in Chicago
My grandfather always drank, and it was a normal part of his life.


Some people like the way it feels
Some people enjoy the effects of alcohol and how it makes them feel.


Some people wanna kill their sorrows
Some people drink to forget their problems and pain.


Some people wanna fit in with the popular that was my problem
I used to drink to fit in with popular people, but I realized it was a problem for me.


I was in the dark room loud tunes, looking to make a vow soon
I was listening to loud music in a dark room, trying to make a promise to myself about my drinking.


That I'ma get fucked up, fillin' up my cup I see the crowd move
I promise to get drunk and fill up my cup, while watching others party around me.


Changing by the minute and the record on repeat
The party and music is constantly changing, but some things remain the same.


Took a sip, then another sip, then somebody said to me
I continued to drink, then someone commented on my behavior.


Nigga why you babysittin' only two or three shots?
Why are you drinking so little? Let me show you how to party harder.


I'ma show you how to turn it up a notch
I will teach you how to drink more and party harder.


First you get a swimming pool full of liquor, then you dive in it
To party hard, one should fill a pool with alcohol and swim in it.


Pool full of liquor, then you dive in it
Once the pool is full, dive in and drink to your heart's content.


I wave a few bottles, then I watch 'em all flock
I bring out a few bottles of alcohol, and people immediately come to drink.


All the girls wanna play Baywatch
All the women at the party want to be like lifeguards in the TV show Baywatch.


Okay, now open your mind up and listen me, Kendrick
Listen to me, Kendrick, and try to understand my message.


I am your conscience, if you do not hear me then you will be history, Kendrick
I am your conscience, and if you do not listen to me, your drinking will be the end of you.


I know that you're nauseous right now and I'm hopin' to lead you to victory, Kendrick
I know you feel sick from drinking, but I hope to guide you towards success and happiness.


If I take another one down I'mma drown in some poison abusin' my limit
If I keep drinking, I will reach my limit and be consumed by the poison.


I think that I'm feelin' the vibe
I feel the energy of the party and get lost in it.


I see the love in her eyes
I see love and acceptance in the eyes of someone I am attracted to or interested in.


I see the feelin' the freedom is granted as soon as the damage of vodka arrived
I feel a sense of freedom once I start drinking vodka, even though it causes harm.


This how you capitalize
This is how you make the most of a situation, by drinking and having fun.


This is parental advice then apparently, I'm over influenced by what you are doin'
This advice may seem parental, but I am being influenced by your actions.


I thought I was doin' the most then someone said to me
I thought I was having the most fun, but someone questioned my behavior.


I ride, you ride, bang
Let's both party hard and have a good time.


One chopper, one hundred shots, bang
I have a lot of alcohol and I'm planning to drink heavily.


Hop out, do you, bang?
Let's party together, and do what makes us happy


Two chopper, two hundred shots, bang
Now we have even more alcohol, and the party can continue.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tyler Williams, Kendrick Lamar, Nikhil Shanker Seetharam

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@redwax584

It's been 6 years now that I lost the love of my life because of my alcoholic and drug habits at this period of my life.

I was into deep struggle and depression, stopped working (I was a pharmaceutical engineer, irony), did some psychiatric hospital... lost all my confidence and didn't know who I was, lost friends, disappointed my parents...

Today I'm sober and I'm so proud of me, even if I have ofc regrets about this situation, but I handled it, as I could.

This song is just the song of my life.

When I started to listen to this song I was beginning the worst, and today I'm listening to it and ending the cycle.

It's not about yesterday, not about tomorrow, it's NOW !

Even if you're 6 feet deep, remember, you can do it. So stay blessed. And be aware of your environment.
The solution won't come from nowhere, but from yourself.

Thank you Kendrick.



All comments from YouTube:

@lestaticjames9568

Swimming Pools starts playing on the radio

me: lemme just drive around the city until the song ends

@devinwhiplash4493

I just did this 10 minutes ago

@alenardecchia9255

yaa bro that’s so real

@Yungantenna124

Fr

@snoopdagg7900

who tf listens to the radio

@certifiedrob1

@@snoopdagg7900 pretty sure they’re talking about GTA😂

102 More Replies...

@dandyjacoby

Ironic how this songs message is about Kendrick's demons pushing him to drink.

Yet this song is constantly played at parties.

@BrainchildDnB

Where better to remind people about the dangers of alcoholism?

@arantxawilliams8592

I would probably get so depressed and leave that party lol

@heathlewis7911

Kinda like "hey Ya" or "Wicked Game" at weddings

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