Thao Nguyen – Swimming Pools

General Comment"And we splash our eyes full of chemicals
Just so there's none left for little girls"

The best part of the song. A reference, if you don't know, to the fact that in many less-civilized nations, especially in South Asia women sometimes have acid thrown on their faces to injure and disfigure them. It is done by women due to competition over a male, or it is done by a male to retaliate against a woman. (Thao is, if I remember correctly, of Vietnamese ancestry, so it is unsurprising that this issue would be close to her.)

The whole song is about women (forgive the term) "manning up" to fight for further generations of women. They are doing things which do not fit the traditional idea of what is "girly."

They brave bee stings (Take pain and harm) in a world where women are supposed to be too fair to handle pain. They cannonball rather than dive (Make a splash, make a change, make themselves known) in a world where women are supposed to be unobtrusive and complacent. They throw acid on their own faces (welcome the fight against systems of sexual oppression) in a world which allows others to throw acid on their faces. It's all done so there's none left for little girls- so that a new generation of women won't have to face the same fight.

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  @evan117339

General CommentThis is a fun song that seems to be about getting out and having a good time. I'm not sure about why your doubts would be in your mouth or why you would need to push them to the side...

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  @gcilley

General Comment"And we don't dive, we cannonball" is such a great line =D nice song

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  @moky

General Comment'Roll, roll, roll up your denim
We've got to pedal 10 hours south
They pour it down from their balconies
You've got to push all the doubt to the side of your mouth'

Fantastic. I think the song is mainly about teenagers around the age where they feel like they are growing up to fast and just go on a childish adventure to reclaim that youth. I love the reference to rolling up the denim of your pant leg so it doesn't get caught in your bike chain.

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  @U4ia

Song Meaning"I'm not sure about why your doubts would be in your mouth or why you would need to push them to the side..."

You're taking it too literally. She just means not to doubt yourself, and push any doubts you might have out of your mind.

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  @iambones

General CommentI initially thought this song was just about summer fun too, but there was an audio clip of Thao describing it as a Women's Advocacy song, and the line "we splash our face full of chemicals/just so there's none left for little girls" meaning "as impossible as it sounds, let's absorb all of this bad stuff in the world so hopefully the next generation of women won't have to deal with it." Whether that was the original intent of the song or she just added that interpretation for an attempt at sophistication later on I don't know, but it added a level of understanding for me, and I like the song better now.

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  @prevatius
  0

  Thanks for posting that. I was just listening to this song and was going to post my interpretation and just got what I was thinking confirmed. Feels good, haha

  Flag leshistoireson December 15, 2009  

Song MeaningI think the song is about being a teenager too, only trying to balance growing up with wanting to stay young.
"We are sore the length of our bodies" Is about trying too hard to fit into society's idea of an adult.
"We restore the water we cry" Is about trying to make up for our childish moments.
"We are nothing if not your granddaughters, We've been nothing but dignified" Is about trying to make your older relatives proud and see you as an adult.
"We, we brave bee stings and all" Is about getting through the times when you get 'stung' by people's words.
"We don't dive we cannonball" Is saying they'd rather be fun and childish (cannonball) than be adult and conformed (dive).
"We splash our eyes full of chemicals, Just so they're is none left for little girls" Is saying that as teenagers, we'll be the adults so the little kids don't have to go through the pain of adulthood yet.
"Roll, roll, roll up your denim, We've got to pedal 10 hours south" Is talking about giving up your adult looks and going 'south', or regressing into your childhood ways. Also a biking reference.
"They pour it down from their balconies" Is talking about trying to smother you with adult ideas and principles when you're a teenager.
"You've got to push all the doubt to the side of your mouth" Is about pushing your adult worries away and being a kid again.
That's just what I got from listening to the song for hours on end. I love this song!

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  @whatevermanhorse