Swimming to Cambodia

< Back to All Songs

Download Song

Epic Bundle

Want the full-quality FLAC version of this song, and 250+ more, with gobs of bonus material for $40? (more info)

Royalty-Free License

Want to buy a license to use this song in your video projects and advertisements, attribution-free, for $20? (more info)

Lyrics

(formerly known as "Spalding Gray is Missing")

the flicker of the tv and a long forgotten memory
are the only things you'll ever leave behind
the dust that's on the floor, there's noone at your door
now tell me, do you really think you're free?
the war is done, my friend, you fought until the end
you threw your white flag down
morning, noon and night, you always seemed to lose the fight
spalding, where the hell are you?

    the pull of the ocean is set into motion and now you're on your way
    today is the day where you're going to swim to cambodia

you once were lit ablaze with the fire of your younger days
you blinded everyone you met
you never were the same, since dublin's night consumed your flame
and stole the matches from your pocket
the hudson's freezing, but your braincells keep on squeezing 'round the
thought that you must swim away today
from the staten island ferry on the coldest night in january
it's cambodia or bust

you once had feared the man who held you in his hand
and controlled you when you sleep
but now the end's your friend, you're reaching to extend
your white flag to the sky you once had cursed 
the sun is sinking and your frozen eyes are blinking
at the cold atlantic nothingness ahead
you take a deep sigh as you wave a passing goodbye
and you set your course and swim away

    the pull of the ocean is set into motion and now you're on your way
    today is the day where you're going to swim to cambodia

Tablature & Chords

Tuning: DADGAD, but down a whole step (so, CGCAGC)

The fingerpicking pattern of the song is like this, with T = Thumb, 
M = Middle finger, I = Index finger:

    ----------
    --M---M---
    ----I---I-
    ---T---T--
    -T---T----
    ----------
    
Intro:  x1330x  x2450x  x3550x x4760x

Verse:
    
    Flicker..  long forgotten.. only thing.. behind 
    0x800x     0x700x           0x808x       0x708x 0x707x
    
    Dust that's..  noone..   tell me..     free..
    0x800x         0x700x    9 x 9 10 0 x  8x890x
    
    War is..   fought until..   threw your white flag down
    0x800x     0x700x           0x808x     0x(10)00x  0x(12)(10)(12)x

    Morning..        always..         Spalding.. are you..
    0x(12)(12)(13)x  0x(12)(10)(12)x  8x870x         7x760x 7x76x0

Chorus:  x1330x  0x320x  x1330x  1x330x

Post-Chorus 1:  0x320x  0x530x

Solo:  1x330x  3x550x  5x030x

Song Data