Strawberry Swing

I got what mostly everyone else did out of this song: the nostalgic feeling of looking back upon childhood as an adult.

I would like to point out the clapping sounds at the beginning, and how they are replaced by drums gradually. I think this is symbolic of how primitive turns into rhythmic and routine.

I believe the "strawberry" is not literal, but symbolic of the sweetness of being on swings as a child with his childhood crush.

Then I think he goes back to an adult perspective on the situation when he refers to "they" as he is referring to him and his childhood crush.

The cold water is symbolic of memories and the things they entail. His "feet won't touch the ground" because he is now grown up and unable to feel how he felt as a child. The alarm-ish sounding noise in the background of "It's such a perfect day" is a realization that he has woken up and gotten to see the world for the truth and not for its beauty.

He goes back to being a child in the fourth stanza.

In the fifth stanza, he is feeling really nostalgic. He is aware that things have changed and everything is "straight"; boring. He wants to change, do something childish.

When he says, "I don't mind" in reference to the sky, he is essentially saying that he doesn't care about anything, he doesn't see that "perfect day" anymore without her. He wants to feel that perfect day again, but he can't do it without her.

Such a lovely, upbeat track. It reminds me of being a kid - looking wide-eyed at the world, admiring the beauty of nature...when you mature and become adults, everything is so thought-out and calculated, it's hard to take solace in what's around you.

My personal favorite off of Viva la Vida.

This song makes me happy. That's all the description that needs. But it definitely seems to follow the war theme on Viva la Vida. It feels like one last goodbye between a pair of lovers before one of them goes off to war, but the lovers refuse to let the time between waste away. "Everybody was for fighting, wouldn't want to waste a thing" The cold water seems to bring him 'round to reality, but even then, he denies it, saying it's a perfect day, let's get on with it!

But the day does come. The lyrics become memory: "I remember we were...Strawberry Swing" And I always heard the line to be: "I can wait until the morning," like he's dreaming about his days on Strawberry Swing. The line "People moving inside a perfectly straight line, don't you want to curve away" seems to refer to the soldier marching in formation, but wanting to leave, curve away because "It's such, its such a perfect day", Like it was when he was with his love.

The last part "The sky could be blue, I don't mind, without you it's a waste of time" Feels like the soldier, not caring how good the weather is, just that everything is a waste of time without his love.

But the whole while, the song is still happy. Hopeful. It's wholesome and sweet. The beat entices dancing and bring visions of summer. I feel like Death and All of His Friends (the next track on the album) is a continuation of the Two lover's story. And a good one at that.

I believe this song is still along the lines of the war theme this album is about.

The first thing that came to my mind is a picture of couple just on a swing during a sunny day. They're both just savoring up their time together it seems because the man is about to leave for war, whether by draft or by volunteering to go as a soldier, the song doesn't really say but the lack of this indication makes it all the more romantic.

The next stanza keeps on with how everyone is about keeping things the way they are. People want to fight for what they have.

"Cold, cold water bring me 'round" brings to mind how the man is sailing away and but he is wanting to go back. "[He's] feet won't touch the ground" feels like he's kind of losing touch. He continues his musings and feels like that day is such a perfect day but in a homesick kind of feeling. In his mind, he still wants to be on that swing, soaking up sun with his love.

The next stanza is still about the man's musings. "Morning" to me sounds like the time when he's to come back, and hoping that nothing has changed: that him leaving to fight has preserved what he had on that swing. He continues to look around at him at the soldiers who "move all the time inside a perfectly straight line," but he really cannot help but want to "curve away." Maybe, while he looks on at the line of soldiers, the sun is bright and again its a perfect day, like those days he spent on that swing.

The last stanza is amazing. It leaves you hanging because it doesn't say that the man returns. It does however bring us to the conclusion of his thoughts. He finally realizes that this "perfect day" doesn't really have anything to do with the swing or anything around him, but it's all centered around his love. He remembers the swing and notices how perfect the weather can be, but what it all comes down to is that everything is naught "without [her]." He's reason to fight is her. Its almost implying that he doesn't care for any patriotic or political reason as to why he's fighting, its all a waste of time without her. He doesn't mind that he's missing out on blue skies or getting grey skies, its all worth it with her.

I really enjoyed how the song put so much emphasis on the "perfect day" and at the end, it really had nothing to do with the weather.

i swear when i hear this song i can taste strawberries and feel sand between my toes and even hear the ocean. to me it's about last summer. i don't know what "strawberry swing" is supposed to mean but to me it's the feeling i got from spending an amazing summer with someone i won't forget. I remember We were walking up to strawberry swing I can't wait 'til the morning Wouldn't wanna change a thing

it's one of those songs that helps me 'smile because it happened rather than cry because it's over.' it just seems so pure

i can't even tell if i like the other songs because i can't stop playing this one. i love coldplay.

I think he is saying that strawberry swing is your imagnation a place where you can be your self and be happy "they were walking up to strawberry swing, they were talking the strawberry swing" i love this song so much

Producer Brian Eno provides the handclaps at the beginning of this number. Chris Martin told MTV News "If you listen very closely, you can hear him complaining about the tempo at the beginning of that song."

Such a lovely, upbeat track. It reminds me of being a kid - looking wide-eyed at the world, admiring the beauty of nature...when you mature and become adults, everything is so thought-out and calculated, it's hard to take solace in what's around you.

My personal favorite off of Viva la Vida.

This is the perfect summer song for me on this album.

The drums add a good, effective touch. Great listen.

this song is how music should feel, and holds all of my faith in coldplay. beautiful.

i instinctually had the feeling that the beginning is about chris martin watching his two children on strawberry swing.