Swamp Song - Tool

Artist: Tool
Song: Swamp Song
Year: 1993
Album: Undertow

When I worked at K-Mart for ten months, mostly in 1995, I made a few work friends. It was my first job in a store environment. I worked on the overnight stocking crew. We had the place to ourselves and most of us bonded over music.

One worker who had a lot of seniority, but was still under the supervisor, turned me on to a band called Tool. I had heard Tool before. I even owned the Undertow album. I had never heard anyone talk so passionately about the band before. I gave them another listen, this time with open ears. I was not disappointed.

I started to hear the songs for what they really were. Rich and complex. It really prepared me for the album that was to come out in 1996. One of the songs that grew on me during my open ear listening session was "Swamp Song". There was something about the voice and the music that lifted me in the air, while holding me down. The words sounded simple. Some words were crude, but there was an intelligence woven into the language that made me stand up and take notice.

I had failed to hear these subtle nuances before. The difference was like a tin can and a pair of headphones. Sure, you can hear out of both, but the headphones give the richer experience of the sounds. You can pick up the slightest variation. Everything sounds muddled in a tin can.

Lyrics:
My warning meant nothing
You're dancing in quicksand
Why don't you watch where you're wandering?
Why don't you watch where you're stumbling?
You're wading knee deep and going in
You're wading knee deep and going in

This bog is thick and
Easy to get lost in
'Cause you're a stupid
Belligerent fucker

This bog is thick and
Easy to get lost in
'Cause you're a dumb-ass
Belligerent fucker
I hope it sucks you down
Down
Down
Down

My warning meant nothing
You're dancing in quicksand
Why don't you watch where you're wandering?
Why don't you watch where you're stumbling?
You're wading knee deep and going in
And you may never come back again

This bog is thick and
Easy to get lost in
'Cause you're a stupid
Belligerent fucker

This bog is thick and
Easy to get lost in
'Cause you're a dumb-ass
Belligerent fucker
I hope it sucks you down

My warning meant nothing
You're dancing in quicksand
Why don't you watch where you're wandering?
Why don't you watch where you're stumbling?
You're wading knee deep and going in
And you may never come back again

This bog is thick and
Easy to get lost in
'Cause you're a stupid
Belligerent fucker

This bog is thick and
Easy to get lost in
'Cause you're a dumb-ass
Belligerent fucker

I hope it sucks
I hope it sucks
I hope it sucks you, fucker
I hope it sucks
I hope it sucks
I hope it sucks you down

Wandering, wandering
No one even invited you in
Still stumbling
Suffocate, suffocate
Why don't you get away?

Wandering around and wandering
No one even invited you in
You're still stumbling
Suffocate, suffocate
Why don't you get out while you can?

No one told you to come

My warning meant nothing
You're dancing in quicksand
Why don't you watch where you're wandering?
Why don't you watch where you're stumbling?
You're wading knee deep and going in
And you may never come back again

This bog is thick and
Easy to get lost in
'Cause you're a stupid
Belligerent fucker

This bog is thick and
Easy to get lost in
'Cause you're a dumb-ass
Belligerent fucker

I hope it sucks
I hope it sucks
I hope it sucks you, fucker
I hope it sucks
I hope it sucks
I hope it sucks you