Swimming Song chords by Loudon Wainwright Iii

Loudon Wainwright III - The Swimming Song

All the covers I see on YouTube of this song are transcribed to G...this song in the key of G with capo
on 2nd fret...let's just go with A, eh? This way you are able to 1) still play along with the recording and 2)
play the main hook of the song.

To play the main hook of the song, start by strumming a standard A chord (x0222x) and immediately
hammering onto the 5th fret of the B string (probably using your pinky). Then you walk back down to the
standard fingering: x0222x -> x0225x -> x0223x -> x0222x). Listen to the song to get the feel
of the melodic line throughout the hook.


Some specific chord voicings you will need:

A   F#m  F#m7  E6   D6
x0225x 244222 242222 022120 xx0432

Intro: A A E6 F#m F#m7 D6 E F#m E A

   A              E    E6     F#m
This summer I went swimming, this summer I might have drowned
   F#m7  F#m     D6    D      E    E6   F#m
But I held my breath and I kicked my feet, and I moved my arms a-round.
 E    E6   A
I moved my arms a-round.

   A                 E     E6    F#m
This summer I swam in the ocean, and I swam in a swimming pool
F#m7    F#m      D6    D      E    E6    F#m
Salt in my wounds, chlor-ine in my eyes, I'm a self-de-structive fool,
 E    E6    A
A self-de-structive fool.


Solo/Interlude: A A E6 F#m F#m7 D6 E F#m E A


   A                  E     E6    F#m
This summer I did the backstroke, and you know that thats not all.
      F#m7 F#m      D6   D      E    E6   F#m
I did the breast stroke and the butter-fly, and the old Au-stralian crawl,
  E   E6    A
The old Au-stralian crawl.

   A                   E   E6   F#m
This summer I swam in a public place and a reser-voir to boot,
    F#m7  F#m   D6   D    E    E6   F#m
At the latter I was in-formal, at the former I wore my suit,
 E    E6    A
I wore my swimming suit.


Solo/Interlude: A A E6 F#m F#m7 D6 E F#m E A


   A              E     E6   F#m
This summer I did swan dives, and jackknives for you all.
  F#m7   F#m     D6   D  E   E6  F#m
And once when you weren't looking, I did a cannon-ball
 E   E6   A
I did a cannon-ball.

   A              E    E6     F#m
This summer I went swimming, this summer I might have drowned
   F#m7  F#m     D6    D      E    E6   F#m
But I held my breath and I kicked my feet, and I moved my arms a-round.
 E    E6   A