I'm just here for dictation
I don't want to be a sensation
Bein' on 60 Minutes
Wasn't worth your 15 minutes

Don't touch my breast
I'm just working at my desk
Don't put me to the test
I'm just doing my best

Shopping at MaxFields
Power for you to wield
Dreams of going to the Grammys
Till you poked me with your whammy

You spin the discs,
Now you're moving your wrist
I'm just from Encino
Why are you so meano?

I'm just here for dictation
And not your summer vacation
You really like to shmooze
Well now you're on the news

I'm from Sherman Oaks
Just a wheel in the spokes
But I ain't giving you head
In a Sunset bungalow

Roshumba, Judith, Paulina, Kathy,
Vendella, Naomi, Ashley, Angie, Stacey, Gail
I'm swimming
I'm swimming
I'm swimming


Lyrics submitted by shut, edited by syjohnny, MulhollandJr, johnnywa

Swimsuit Issue song meanings
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19 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    The lyric at the end is definitely "I'm swimmin'". The correct lyrics are up on the SY website.

    It seems pretty clear that this song is a rebellion against the image of the modern woman as a means and not an end in herself, as an object and not a person.

    sygirl10on March 13, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think the lyric at the end is "US woman", not "ICE women". To me, it's about sexual harassment... she's working an office job and her boss is feeling her up and propositioning her for sex. The "us women" part at the end is a declaration of solidarity.

    vaguelyhumanoidon August 04, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    According to the David Browne bio, this is about a sexual harassment case at Geffen Records where a top executive made a secretary watch him masturbate.

    megasmackyon September 08, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I always thought it was "us women" because of the nature of the song, but it probably is "I'm swimming", which also makes sense, albeit less on-the-nose (it is called Swimsuit Issue...). Fascinating song to listen to now, in the era of Weinstein and Trump; SY were always so far ahead of their time, both musically and lyrically.

    spaceotteron March 21, 2018   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree with peacefrog. This song is great. Kim is amazing. I love the whole feminist thing behind it.

    YoungxForxEternityon March 14, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    FUCK YEAH POWER TO THE WOMEN!

    quietwaron September 18, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i am not sure but sonic youth lyrics are mostly about drugs i think swimmsuit issue for swimming in the drugs?

    greatbeyoundon October 01, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The lyric at the end is definitely "I'm swimmin'". The correct lyrics are up on the SY website.

    It seems pretty clear that this song is a rebellion against the image of the modern woman as a means and not an end in herself, as an object and not a person.

    sygirl10on March 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    Kim's making it clear to a guy that she isn't just a typical fuck-around-with-me-anytime girl. She isn't any of those girls.

    V1NYLon May 19, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree with SYGIRL..... i think kim is delivering that message by using the perspective of a woman stuck in a typical LA 'industry' job...in this case an asst to some asshole record exec..... the refs to encino and sherman oaks furthers the notion that the voice is coming from a chick who is just trying to work and do a job, getting by living in the valley which isn't exactly luxury if you're making the typically shit kind of wages an assistant gets paid...... and the naming of all the sports illustrated models at the time is just the amazing kim gordon knowing how to show the media's obliteration of what a woman is supposed to look like.... something like that.

    joeydementoon June 01, 2009   Link

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