Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning Lyrics
Always needs to be mentioned
Who does she
Think she should be ?
The shrill cry through darkening air
Doesn't she know he's
Had such a busy day ?
Somebody tell her ... sshhh
Oh, no way, no way, there's no movement
Oh, oh, hooray
Slowest ...
But she swam too far
Against the tide
She deserves all she gets
The sky became marked with stars
As an out-stretched arm slowly
Disappears
Oh hooray
No, oh, oh, woh, there's no movement
No, oh, hooray
Oh, hooray
There'll be no fuss
She was ... nobody's nothing
(What's your name ?)
(What's your name ?)
(What's your name ?)
The sea was calm
And another day passes like a dream
There's no ... no way
(What's your name ?)
(What's your name ?)
(What's your name ?)
(What's your name ?)
(What's your name ?)
(What's your name ?)
(What's your name ?)
(What's your name ?)
I've always thought of the girl drowning, being ignored by the sleeping lifeguard and partially dismissed by the narrator as a metaphor. That is, a symbol for those in society who struggle to get their voice heard, or have their cries for help ignored as a result of society's self-absorption and the dismissive attitude of some other individuals or groups. I have similar theories about 'November Spawned A Monster' and 'Mute Witness': a lot of Morrissey's songs of this type could be interpreted as an extended metaphor or allegory which can be generalised to more than one individual, at least to a degree. But hey, that's just me. :)
@PlunderingDesire I agree glad I'm not the only one who sees the song that way
@PlunderingDesire I agree glad I'm not the only one who sees the song that way
@PlunderingDesire I agree glad I'm not the only one who sees the song that way
@PlunderingDesire I agree glad I'm not the only one who sees the song that way
Regardless of how you interpret the lyrics, this is one of the greatest songs Morrisey ever recorded... the (I think it is) tenor sax (sounds like a clarinet at times, but then they can) provides a simple 'voice' for the girl swimming, while the rhythm guitar plays an almost lullaby like tune for the lifeguard... all while the lead guitar gives the narrator's voice a perfect counterpoint. Add the synth, restrained drums that come to the front when needed and the almost constant tambourine and you have these wildly disparate 'voices' all melding together perfectly with Morrisey's own voice to produce a truly remarkabke and beautiful soundscape.
Upon further research it turns out to be BOTH a tenor sax and clarinet in the wind "girl's voice" section... @0:08 you can hear them both but @1:44 you can clearly hear them together...
Upon further research it turns out to be BOTH a tenor sax and clarinet in the wind "girl's voice" section... @0:08 you can hear them both but @1:44 you can clearly hear them together...
The bassline, tho heavily mixed down (such a shame!), is actually super complex and if you mix it up really adds to the dreamlike sound of the lifeguard...
The bassline, tho heavily mixed down (such a shame!), is actually super complex and if you mix it up really adds to the dreamlike sound of the lifeguard...
This is probably my favourite Morrissey song, or certainly in the top 5. When I first heard it, I thought it wasn't Morrissey. The singing style is so unusual to his normal style. The whole song is like something between Bryan Ferry and Pink Floyd!
I love how he goes to a whisper at times and the lines "the sky became mad with stars"..."she was nobody's nothing"...."and another day passes like a dream".
It's quite strange how sings "horray" and "oh no" like he's a third person specutator of this scene, this girl fighting for her life in the sea. Very spooky. She's just swallowed up by the sea which becomes calm after and nobody notices she was there or existed.
Only Morrissey could come up with such lyrics and ideas for songs.
@roxyfan - yeah... the detached third person view of the scene and his complete lack of sympathy for the woman, “there’ll be no fuss, she was nobody’s nothing”, with the clarinet and his and other voices make it an awesome song... good comment !!!!
@roxyfan - yeah... the detached third person view of the scene and his complete lack of sympathy for the woman, “there’ll be no fuss, she was nobody’s nothing”, with the clarinet and his and other voices make it an awesome song... good comment !!!!
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People want life free of responsibility and do not want to get involved, reminds me of 'The Lazy Sunbathers' [Too jaded to question stagnation]
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well, what an imaginative interpretation. I see no reference to homicide in this song and I always thought he felt sympathy for the girl and NOT for the lifeguard, who is shown to be insensitive and lazy (the ironic line 'doesn't she know he had such a busy day?'); and that it was one of those songs where Morrissey identifies with the tragic female heroine (as in This Night Has Opened My Eyes, What She Said, November Spawned A Monster...) - she 'swam too far against the tide' = she dared to be different, she wanted too much... The line 'Don't worry, she was nobody's nothing' sounds so tragic.
But if you want to read stories of "Sal Mineo-like obsessions" into it, then that's what it means for you. I do wonder why the lifeguard seems so unsympathetic, if he's supposed to be the object of love, and why the girl seems so tragic - but that's just me...
@nightandday - Please don’t worry, there’ll be no fuss, she was nobody’s nothing...
@nightandday - Please don’t worry, there’ll be no fuss, she was nobody’s nothing...
That line always confirms the woman as being the unsympathetic character in the song... funny thing, I’ve used that line twice in conversation and no one knew the reference...
That line always confirms the woman as being the unsympathetic character in the song... funny thing, I’ve used that line twice in conversation and no one knew the reference...
Yeah... I think it's very simple. Girl wants attention from lifeguard, fakes drowning, lifeguard's asleep, she drowns. Depressing. Ironic. Morrissey.