Swans

two points: 1) swans look graceful as they swim but they are paddling furiously underneath - it's a popular saying. I think the song is partly about the masks that we put up, where we try so hard to project a certain image of ourselves.

2) To anyone that went to church sunday school as a child, the melody in the intro is very reminiscient of a popular song "this is the day, this is the day, that the lord has made, that the lord has made". i can' thear swans without breaking into "this is the day" too.

okay, any suggestions? I'm not really sure about the first two stanzas.

i thought "and a boat that might sell" yeah no idea on the 'never quite'

i think it could be about independance,about not having an anchor in your life or foreign land-drifting aimlessly (from a previous CO song: "where do drifters go,wonder if they know there's no limit?") and yearning silently for companionship

From the booklet with the CD: "No surprises in my record collection"

Also, redwood and deer (just the first usgae of deer) should be capitalized.

The first letter of them I mean.

"a deer, a deer, dear"

Correct version: "A deer, a deer, a deer"

You know, here's a complete transcription of the lyrics from the booklet, so we can get the "official" formatting of the stanzas and what not. Parts in brackets were erronesouly left out of the booklet lyrics despite obviously being a part of the song. Parts enclosed in parentheses are in the booklet lyrics despite not actually being in the recorded version. Sans the bracketed and parenthetical parts, everything else from the booklet checks out to my ears.

There are flowers in my house [And] I bought them myself No surprises in my record collection You must have thought I was someone else I'm still afraid to get lost in a city I might explore But I'm not afraid to have an eloquent boy at my door At my door, at my door, at my door

You want to be a writer Fantastic idea You say you've never seen America I really think you'd like it there

Maybe you should travel with me Is this the best idea? Because you've never seen a Redwood And you've never touched a Deer A deer, a deer, a deer A deer, a deer, my dear

Are swans deceiving us all? I for one should know I've never felt myself so graceful And I've never swam so slow So slow, [so] slow, so slow So slow, so slow, so slow [So slow, so slow, so slow]

Swans are fierce assholes. They are not nice creatures. When they're not trying to bite your face off, they're gorgeous and graceful, but they really do have a remarkable way of deceiving all those who adore them. Not sure if that's what the song "means", but I tend to think so.

Three things.

1. I agree that swans are beautiful on the outside but really unpleasant on the outside, so there's something there.

2. You really don't want to touch a deer, because they carry ticks, and you can get lyme disease, which can be horrible.

3. This is my favorite CO song. It's incredibly complex and beautiful.