The New York Dolls were a rock group formed in New York City in 1971, now f… Read Full Bio ↴The New York Dolls were a rock group formed in New York City in 1971, now famous as a proto-punk band. Though they found limited success during their initial run, the New York Dolls prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era, particularly among other NYC bands such as the Ramones. And, even later; the Dolls' over-the-top crossdressing and sexual tone influenced the look of many glam metal groups, especially that of early Mötley Crüe and Poison, and their shambling and sloppy but highly energetic playing style set the tone for many later rock n roll bands.

Their self-titled album was an underground sensation, particularly with smooth 70s easy listening ruling the airwaves back then. Chrissie Hynde once commented that every punk band ("And I knew them all") had both New York Dolls albums, illustrating the Dolls' influence. Still, the original line-up experienced many problems, particularly with the mainstream record industry that didn't know what to do with the wild group. Upon their break-up, frontman David Johansen had a moderately successful solo career.

In 2004, the three surviving members reunited for some sporadic touring. In 2006, now down to two surviving members, the band released a new album, 'One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This'. Two albums followed after this: 'Cause I Sez So', in 2009, followed up by a revamped lineup for 2011's 'Dancing Backward in High Heels'.

Sylvain Sylvain died on January 13, 2021. He was 69 years old.

Final lineup
* David Johansen - vocals, harmonica (1971-1977, 2004-2011)
* Sylvain Sylvain - guitar, bass, piano (1971-1977, 2004-2011; died 2021)
* Claton Pitcher - guitar (2011)
* Kenny Aaronson - bass (2021)
* Brian Delaney - drums (2005-2011)

Past members
* Johnny Thunders (deceased) - guitar, vocals (1971-1975)
* Rick Rivets - guitar (1971)
* Arthur Kane (deceased) - bass guitar (1971-1975, 2004)
* Billy Murcia (deceased) - drums (1971-1972)
* Jerry Nolan (deceased) - drums (1972-1976)
* Blackie Lawless - guitar (1975)
* Peter Jordan - bass (1975-1977)
* Chris Robison - keyboards (1975-1977)
* Tony Machine - drums (1976-1977)
* Gary Powell - drums (2004)
* Steve Conte - guitar (2004-2010)
* Sami Yaffa - bass (2005-2010)
* Frank Infante - guitar (2010-2011)
* Brian Koonin - keyboards (2005-2006)
* Earl Slick – guitar (2011)
* Jason Hill – bass (2010–2011)

Drowning
New York Dolls Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I swam out too far from the shore
Afraid you won't see me anymore
Out in the middle of a rolling sea
With the waves and the water washing over me

Mama!
Don't let me down
I love you more than I did before

So don't let me drown

I'm drowning in this sea of love
Can't see the land or the sky above
Hurry up, baby, get a hold of me
'Fore the devil in this water set my soul free

Mama!
Don't let me drown
If I still mean anything to you
Don't let me down
Mama!

I'm drowning
I'm not waving hello
I ain't clowning around wit'cha, baby
Don't let me go

If you see me lost and drifting around
Reach out for me, don't let me pull you down
It's over my head, mama, don't let me drown
It's getting so quiet I can't hear a...

MAMA!
Don't let me drown
You swim so much better than me
Don't let me drown

Yeah, mama!
Don't let me drown
Yeah, mama!
Mama!

Don't let me drown...

Overall Meaning

The New York Dolls' song "Drowning" is an emotionally charged plea for love, affection and support. The ballad-like song is driven by a despairing narrative of a protagonist caught in the middle of an overwhelming sea of love. The opening lines of "I swam out too far from the shore, afraid you won't see me anymore" are rendered in a falsetto voice and convey a sense of yearning and vulnerability. The lyrics express the fear of losing love and being forgotten by someone the singer cares about, and his fears crescendo as he repeats "Mama, don't let me drown" throughout the song. The line "you swim so much better than me" calls for the one he loves to lend him their strength and support to save him from the overwhelming feelings he's experiencing.

The song title's obvious metaphor of water and drowning reflects the singer's desperation and existential crisis. He feels as if he's drowning in the overwhelming emotions he feels, and without the guidance of his lover, he could perish in the metaphorical waters that he's swimming in. The song presents a kind of salvation that is at the mercy of the one he loves, who he is imploring to save him from the void of loneliness.

Line by Line Meaning

I swam out too far from the shore
I went too deep into this relationship and I fear you will abandon me if I show you who I truly am

Afraid you won't see me anymore
I fear that if I reveal myself to you, you will leave me and I'll be lost forever

Out in the middle of a rolling sea
I'm out in the open, in a relationship that is uncertain and dangerous

With the waves and the water washing over me
I'm overwhelmed by my feelings and emotions

Mama!
I need someone I can rely on to guide me through this

Don't let me down
Please don't abandon me when I need you the most

I love you more than I did before
I value your love and support more than ever

So don't let me drown
Please help me through this difficult time and keep me afloat

I'm drowning in this sea of love
I'm overwhelmed by the depth of my feelings for you

Can't see the land or the sky above
I'm so consumed by my emotions that I can't see beyond them

Hurry up, baby, get a hold of me
Please help me before I lose control of myself

'Fore the devil in this water set my soul free
Before my emotions consume me and I lose myself entirely

If I still mean anything to you
If you still care about me and our relationship

I'm drowning
I'm overwhelmed by my emotions

I'm not waving hello
I'm not reaching out for you out of joy or playfulness

I ain't clowning around wit'cha, baby
I'm serious and in need of your help

Don't let me go
Please don't leave me alone in this difficult situation

If you see me lost and drifting around
If you see that I'm struggling and lost

Reach out for me, don't let me pull you down
Please help me before I pull you down with me

It's over my head, mama, don't let me drown
I'm in over my head and I need your help to stay afloat

It's getting so quiet I can't hear a...
My emotions are overwhelming me to the point where I can't even hear my own thoughts

MAMA!
I need you to help me

You swim so much better than me
You are better equipped to navigate this difficult situation than I am

Yeah, mama!
I'm relying on you to help me through this

Don't let me drown
Please help me stay afloat and guide me through this difficult time

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN DELANCY, DAVID JOHANSEN, SAMI TAKAMAKI, STEVE CONTE, SYLVAIN MIZRAHI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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