Swimming
Phil Manzanera Lyrics
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In our Hockney pool
Ten palms are swaying
The water's feeling warm
Sun light shimmers
Through a crystal lens
Dancing patterns flicker
On mosaic below
Walk to the lighthouse
Waves splashing down
Eyes on the horizon
Out from Cadiz town
Let's not waste this precious life
As time keeps slipping away
Let's not waste
This time
This time
It's you and me
From the start
Right on down
The line
This time
This time
It's you and me
Church bells are ringing
In Bathampton lane
Kingfishers flying
The clouds begin to rain
Stroll on the towpatch
Climb up to the town
Right around the circus
Where we gather up
What's lost and found
Back to the cottage
Sun streaming through
On and on together
In bluebell woods
Let's not waste this precious life
As time keeps slipping away
Let's not waste
This time
This time
It's you and me
From the start
And right on down
The line
This time
This time
It's you and me
This time
This time
It's you and me
This time
This time
It's you and me
The lyrics of Phil Manzanera's "Swimming" are a celebration of simple joys and moments shared with a loved one. The opening lines invite the listener to join in the pleasure of swimming in an Hockney pool, referencing the works of David Hockney, an artist famous for his vibrant paintings of Californian swimming pools. The imagery of the palms swaying and the warm water create a paradise-like atmosphere that invites the listener to forget about the outside world and immerse themselves in the moment.
The second verse takes us to the sea, where the singer and his partner look out to the horizon from the lighthouse. The sense of freedom and connection with nature is palpable, as the waves splash down and the sun shines through a crystal lens, creating a kaleidoscope-like pattern on the water's surface. The chorus is a reminder that, in the face of time's passage, moments like these are precious and not to be wasted.
The third verse takes us to Bathampton lane, where church bells are ringing and kingfishers are flying. The rain that starts to fall doesn't detract from the beauty of the moment, and the couple take a leisurely stroll on the towpath and climb up to the town. The reference to the circus and the gathering up of what's lost and found suggests a sense of community and belonging. The final lines take us back to the bluebell woods, where the sun streams through the trees and the couple are on and on together.
Overall, "Swimming" is a celebration of the value of simple pleasures and moments of connection with a loved one. The imagery of water and nature adds to the sense of freedom and timelessness that the song creates.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's go swimming
Let's not sit and waste our time, let's go take a dive
In our Hockney pool
In our artful pool made by David Hockney
Ten palms are swaying
Ten palm trees sway gently in the breeze
The water's feeling warm
The water is perfect and warm to the touch
Sun light shimmers
The sun reflects on the water and sparkles like diamonds
Through a crystal lens
The water refracts light into beautiful patterns
Dancing patterns flicker
Patterns made by the refracted light move and dance underwater
Miro
The patterns resemble the artwork of Joan Miro
On mosaic below
The patterns dance on the bottom of the pool which is covered in mosaic tiles
Walk to the lighthouse
Take a walk to the nearby lighthouse
Waves splashing down
The waves crash against the shore and make a splashing sound
Eyes on the horizon
Look out to the horizon where the sea meets the sky
Out from Cadiz town
Cadiz is a nearby town from which one can see the horizon
Let's not waste this precious life
Life is fleeting, let's not waste it by sitting around
As time keeps slipping away
Time passes us by quickly, so let's make the most of it
This time
This moment
It's you and me
The two of us together
From the start
From the beginning of our time together
Right on down
Through all the ups and downs we've shared
The line
The timeline of our lives together
Church bells are ringing
The nearby church is chiming its bells
In Bathampton lane
This lane is located in the village of Bathampton
Kingfishers flying
The bright blue birds called kingfishers soar through the air
The clouds begin to rain
Rain begins to fall from the clouds in the sky
Stroll on the towpath
Take a leisurely walk on the path alongside the river
Climb up to the town
As you walk, climb up the hill to the nearby town
Right around the circus
Walk around the circular square called a circus in the town
Where we gather up
This square is a place where lost and found items are collected
What's lost and found
Lost and found items that have been gathered up
Back to the cottage
Return to the little cottage we call home
Sun streaming through
The sun shines brightly through the windows of the cottage
On and on together
We continue our journey through life together
In bluebell woods
We walk through a forest filled with beautiful bluebells
This time
This moment
It's you and me
The two of us together
From the start
From the beginning of our time together
And right on down
Through all the ups and downs we've shared
The line
The timeline of our lives together
This time
This moment
It's you and me
The two of us together
Contributed by Caden M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dom Blanchette
This is a hit
Dom Blanchette
By the way phil, i wish you could give me your thoughts on that first verse. How did you came to think about those paintings!?