You gotta swim
Swim for your life
Swim for the music that saves you
When you're not so sure you'll survive

You gotta swim
And swim when it hurts
The whole world is watching
You haven't come this far
To fall off the Earth

The currents will pull you
Away from your love
Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave
Begging to tear down the dawn
Memories like bullets
They fired at me from a gun
Cracking the armour, yeah

I swim for brighter days
Despite the absense of sun
Choking on salt water
I'm not giving in
I swim

You gotta swim
Through nights that won't end
Swim for your family, your lovers
Your sisters and brothers and friends

Yeah you gotta swim
For wars without cause
Swim for these lost politicians
Who don't see their greed is a flaw

The currents will pull us
Away from our love
Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave
Begging to tear down the dawn
Memories like bullets
They fired at me from a gun
Cracking the armour, yeah

I swim for brighter days
Despite the absense of sun
Choking on salt water
I'm not giving in
I'm not giving in
I swim

You gotta swim
Swim in the dark
There's no shame in driftin'
Feel the tide shifting
And wait for the spark

Yeah you gotta swim
Don't let yourself sink
Just find the horizon
I promise you it's not as far as you think

The currents will drag us away from our love
Just keep your head above

Just keep your head above
Swim

Just keep your head above
Swim

Just keep your head above
Swim



Lyrics submitted by blink715

Track duration: 04:16


Swim song meanings
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49 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:A beautiful inspirational song and really uplifting
    would recommend to anyone :)
    Flag jamez09on January 27, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Jack's Mannequin explained on their website that "within the context of the song, the word 'Swim' is used as a metaphor for 'hope, perseverance, courage, determination and strength."
    Flag FloridaGuyon October 18, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me this song is basically saying
    You gotta LIVE.
    This song makes me feel better whenever I'm upset
    ^___^ I love this song
    Flag MusicandDomoon October 12, 2011   Link
  • -5
    General Comment:So... my boyfriend at the time, now my ex. got the chinese symbol for "Swim" on the inside of his forearm the day after we broke up. He went with my good friend to the tattoo shop. I asked her the meaning of it and she couldnt tell me. a week later she comes up to me and tells me that while her ipod was on shuffle the song "swim" came up by the artist "Jacks Mannequin" which he's completely obsessed with. Like literally, obsessed. Hes IN LOVE with Andrew. I dont see it.
    So i look at the lyrics and i think its fucking ridiculous that he gets this song tattooed onto himself the day after he decides to break up with me.

    So what do i think this song means? apparently when you break up you gotta keep your head up. The memories are going to hurt like bullets but you gotta stay stronger than that. that the world may seem tough now like theres an absence from the sun.. but you gotta keep in mind that time will heal and there will be brighter days in your future.

    how fucking gay. i remember him telling me he wanted to get the starry night tattooed onto his arm like andrew. how unoriginal. but that just goes to show the level of his obsessiveness.
    Flag xxletdownxxon September 27, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is beautiful and not to ruin it or anything but all i can think of when i hear it, is dory from finding nemo singing:

    just keep swimming
    just keep swimming
    just keep swimming, swimming, swimming...

    lol
    Flag ClumsyLittleHearton January 08, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Andrew is my hero.
    Flag xxmodernloveon November 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:favorite song hands down.
    I think he just wanted to give out a positive message, that things will be ok just fight for it. Don't let things pull you under
    Flag starcrashon October 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think he means that you just have to keep persevering even though the world is a rotten place. Maybe he's convincing himself he can make a difference?
    Flag PacificToaston August 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    Memory:this song is my anthem when things get too tough to handle. it's helped me through quite a bit.
    Flag reachinforthesunon July 22, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The lyrics to this song are inspirational, the lyric's to the song reach out so far.
    telling you no matter what you can make it through

    "The whole world is watching
    You haven't come this far
    To fall off the Earth"
    Flag musicspeaks09on April 14, 2009   Link

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