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The Swimmer Lyrics
in the wake of his chariot
you swam toward the latitudes
leaving for happier times
florida far behind
trying your best you were
ignoring the rescuers
you'd gone so very long
you were so very strong
the scene was so tragic
but that was the magic
will you never drown?
will you learn to use
some forgotten part some forgotten part?
are you going down where the ballyhoos and the tritons are?
you were so incredible
finding all the edible
prize of the sea
prize of the sea
in the wake of his chariot
he swam toward the latitudes
leaving for happier times
florida far behind
in the division pelagic
you where coragic
you swam toward the latitudes
leaving for happier times
florida far behind
trying your best you were
ignoring the rescuers
you'd gone so very long
you were so very strong
the scene was so tragic
but that was the magic
will you never drown?
will you learn to use
some forgotten part some forgotten part?
are you going down where the ballyhoos and the tritons are?
you were so incredible
finding all the edible
prize of the sea
prize of the sea
in the wake of his chariot
he swam toward the latitudes
leaving for happier times
florida far behind
in the division pelagic
you where coragic
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I'd like to know what this is about, no doubt it's something about a tragic case with a swimmer...I'm good at detecting the obvious
I think this is related to Thallasocracy. A guy is swimming into the past to be what he once was cos he wants to detach himself from this world and return to the sea: pelagic = oceans, choragic = leader
This is one of my favorite FB&TC songs. I initially liked it for the musicianship and the beautiful sadness of the steel guitar over the unconventional chord progression that somehow work perfectly, as most FB&TC songs do.
After many listens, I think I finally realized what the song is about. Frank is singing about someone with a persecution complex, or victim complex. They have gone through a painful experience, but now removed from it, they continue to struggle and insist that they are being persecuted. Frank is describing that help is available, but the swimmer refuses to grab the hands of those who have reached out to rescue her (him?). Frank wonders how the swimmer is able to stay afloat, yet not make any progress with their problem. Frank wonders if the swimmer will figure it out, or if they will ultimately sink to the bottom of the sea.
I took it to be about a whale (metaphorically speaking one presumes). Leaving Florida for the latitudes, being pelagic and choragic all seem to fit that. And being the 'prize of the sea.
Frank Black has said this song was about a real event, but it's not clear if he was serious.
I remember when this came out thinking back to an event where an extreme long distance swimmer was lost, I've always felt it was about that.
Frank has a few songs with the same theme, Angels Come to Comfort You is one, where a tragic death is contemplated in a fantastical way, possibly as an allegory to a potential afterlife, or as a eulogy showing his admiration.