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Fear of Swimming

by Kirsten Opstad

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in a 4-panel Digipak made with recycled-board materials featuring original artwork by Stephanie Cluggish.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Fear of Swimming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Also includes a download of the video about making the album.
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      $8 USD  or more

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 13 Kirsten Opstad releases available on Bandcamp and save 10%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of blood, Eclipse, frost, hunter, harvest, sturgeon, buck, strawberry, and 5 more. , and , .

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1.
Magic Eye 01:16
Dressing up in lovers’ clothes Candid pictures, always posed These plastic plants will never grow We’re not in love I hope you know This shouldn’t come as a surprise Some people can’t be hypnotized Swinging clocks lead willing eyes You’re not in love you’re mesmerized Your nighttime sky is filled with twins and bears and lions When I look up I just see light Everything you see’s a sign We both prefer liquor to wine Coincidence preserved in brine We’re not in love we’re killing time I tell you this by accident It used to be my one secret Now that you know you won’t forget We’re not in love we’re playing it Never seen the pictures in the Magic Eye Though I’ll die cross-eyed trying
2.
Imagine you’re an inventor Build machines to fulfill all our needs so we Don’t have to bother with breathing or eating Or saying things we mean Learn things without reading Make friends without saying our names We could call each other by number, I wonder Would counting feel the same? Say it once, it’s real Granite slabs and steel Assemble how you feel And watch it fall Imagine you’re hotel room With thick covers and mints Strangers sleep inside you and tear through Leave everything a mess They check out in a hurry Slip the key in the sleeve Housekeeping comes at two, made brand new Every time they leave Say it once, it’s real Restock what they steal Compose the way you feel And watch them go And I learned early on that it’s better to let on That you’re better than you are Yeah, I learned early on that it’s better to let on That you’re better than you are Imagine that you’re a father Not the one that you had, but One that eats at the table, who’s stable And never gets mad Try to shelter your children From the world of men Teach your daughters ‘bout numbers and letters And counting to ten Teach them once, it’s real Make that skin like steel Temper how you feel And watch them grow Cause I learned early on that it’s better to let on That you’re better than you are Yeah, I learned early on that it’s better to let on That you’re better than you are I learned early on I learned early on I learned early on Yeah, I learned early on that it’s better to let on That you’re better than you are
3.
While you sleep fast and deep All the secrets you keep Are revealed to the lover on guard Whisper mysterious somethings Listen and wait for the morning Shaken awake, only give never take While the girl you just met sleeps nearby You cannot remember her name And all these poor girls sleep the same Oh the lower I sink The harder I row And the more that we drink The farther we go What a desperately meaningless show To sleep with someone you don’t know Sickly and sweet, stale perfume on my sheets Leaves proof that it happened at all I’ve got bruises in all the right places But I see you in all of their faces Oh the lower I sink The harder I row And the more that we drink The farther we go What a desperately meaningless show To sleep with someone you don’t know Standing in line killing pain, wasting time I tell you that I’m doing fine Standing in line killing pain, wasting time I tell you you’re not on my mind Standing in line killing pain, wasting time And I’m desperate for meaning tonight Standing in line killing pain, wasting time I tell you that I’m doing fine I tell you that I’m doing fine I tell you that I’m doing fine
4.
I’ll fashion you a coat of armor Of clothes that I no longer wear And I’ll wrap it ‘round your arms So no man can do you harm And if one does I’ll kill him like a bear I will brew you an elixir Steep the truest words I know Once swallowed you will glean What people really mean And I will cut the liars in the throat I will fire you a weapon Metaled by the sharpened pain Blade in hand you’ll slay The demons in your way And I will brand their bodies with our name I swear by the God and cloudless sky I will protect you till I die
5.
I hope you’re not hiding purposely Why wouldn’t you want to be seen by me? Where did everybody go? I’d rather not be here alone It’s still too early to go home I hope my friends are asleep right now Alone in their own beds with the lights turned out Having dreams that feature me Swinging heroically from trees Hanging out like we should be There’s a sea between them and me And I’m afraid of swimming I hope that I didn’t miss the bus I woke up too late, so I’m in a rush I run though my shoes are still untied Cold cause my jacket’s still inside And I all I wanted was a ride There’s a sea between them and me And I’m afraid of swimming I hope that I find the guts to cross The body of water separating us And brave the current that’s inside See we can out swim any tide Realize my friends are by my side And I know I won’t drown In any ocean, strait, or sound As long as you’re around me
6.
Broken wings and an audible heartbeat Weak but living, I plucked you from the street Cradled hands, safe and steady stepping Focused on forgetting all I know of death Cotton ears, still hear the doorbell tolling Still see our plaster molding, feel the carpet ‘neath my knees I won’t let you die in this living room I won’t let you die in this living room I’ll fashion you a home A shoebox of your own Wish I weren’t home alone I am young but I feel it coming The low and distant drumming, marching on my chest I won’t let you die in this living room I won’t let you die in this living room I’m keeping you alive Though you may never fly No, you’ll never fly again
7.
Blankets 03:03
Break out the blankets, my hands are getting cold The sun’s been going down since 3pm Don’t need the present, I prefer what’s old And I’ll sleep until the seasons change again Keep my deepest secrets from my friends And find rest in darkness That harmless night Take shelter in shadow Hide from light I can’t remember stories I once knew So I’m interviewing everyone I know ‘Bout last December, the last time I saw you ‘Fore I buried all my memories in the snow When I realized that I liked being alone And find rest in darkness That harmless night Take shelter in shadow Hide from light And the patient waits for his ills to die Patient, waits for his ills to do Hold real still and control your eyes Hold real still and control your eyes And find rest in darkness That harmless night Take shelter in shadow Hide from light
8.
Stay Awake 02:36
I am getting sick, I can feel it in my throat And we are getting older though we tried to take it slow And I can make a guess, but I will never know, Never know If the fire in my chest if either love or respiratory Basing all my choices on what makes a better story And call it what you like, this life is never boring Cosmetic cigarettes, let’s grow this smoker’s lung Here’s to growin’ up too young, yeah Growin’ up too young I can’t control my legs, yeah they run without consent And I can’t afford this place, cause they don’t control the rent And I read every note you wrote, still I don’t know what you meant, What you meant I got pictures of my folks underneath my mattress I won’t forget her face like I forget our address And homes a painted plate, now all I taste is ashes Rent checks and cigarettes, let’s grow this smoker’s lung Here’s to growin’ up too young, yeah Growin’ up too young And you’ve got too much on your mind You’d live if you had time Don’t save my place in line, don’t save my place And run in bare feet beneath street lights Don’t go down without a fight Let’s stay awake all night, let’s stay awake And you’ve got too much on your mind You’d live if you had time Let’s stay awake all night, let’s stay awake
9.
Sorry that I left you, it was so hot inside your bedroom Still sleeping there, new bad news, I flew Cause when I feel it comin’ I instinctively start runnin’ Thanks for the rush of adrenaline, my friend Bated breath and pounding chests Eyes wide and muscles tight No it isn’t love, it’s fight or flight When charged with charming tactics, my affection’s automatic Call it a born-again-romantic’s mistake And if I do not fight it, I’ll fall in love on autopilot Fold me a plane and watch me fly it away Bated breath and pounding chests Eyes wide and muscles tight No it isn’t love, it’s fight or flight Blame it on my chemistry You won’t get what you want from me Happier alone and free They can’t take that away from me Bated breath and pounding chests Eyes wide and muscles tight No it isn’t love, I’m sure it isn’t love, You better thank the stars above, It’s fight or flight
10.
Hurry Up 02:14
I was born with honest eyes I couldn’t tell the whitest lies And I’d blow our cover all the time And you were old and you were wise You’d seen nineteen eighty five And if you were home, things were fine With the straightest face I’d believe everything you’d say You’re royal family would return for you someday And the monsters neath my bed said not to worry Hurry up and sleep before you see real scary things And in my favorite game We’d make like we were runaways Strong willed orphans in a strange place The brown carpet was our stage Where we’d laugh with careless rage Waging war to act our age And the monsters neath my bed said not to worry Hurry up and sleep I will protect you while you dream Parents raised us right Broken doors and screaming fights Just say I love you, cut the lights And you were my only friend Though you terrorized me And when things got really dark Yours was the hand to guide me And the monsters neath my bed said not to worry Hurry up and sleep, I’ll try not to wake you when you leave Hurry up and sleep, cause only time can set you free Hurry up and sleep, while you still believe in me
11.
Baby please go back to sleep It’s only me, I did not mean to wake you I’ll let you get back to that dream It’s just you and me, no one else can get through It’s been a long, long day I wish that we could laugh this one away Let’s get you back on your feet It’s been a week, I’m beginning to worry Walk with me down our old street You need the sun, I can see through your skin It’s been a long, long year Forgotten the reasons we came here And I can’t sleep Knowing you’re out there without me And I can’t move Knowing that you’re moving on Baby please go back to sleep It’s only me, I did not mean to wake you And everything will be all right Go to sleep Say goodnight Go to sleep Close your eyes

about

Recorded November 1-9th at Interstellar Studios. Produced with the support of fans, friends, and family via Kickstarter. Title track written and recorded for the film Rolled, directed by Whit Scott.

credits

released January 10, 2012

All songs written & performed by Kirsten Opstad
Recorded, mixed, and produced by Jon Crawford at Interstellar Studios
Mastered by Mike Burke at Specialized Mastering
Artwork by Stephanie Cluggish
Graphic Design by Jess Sutich


Kirsten Optad on guitar, vocals, bells, whistles, and bass on Hurry Up
Jon Crawford on drums & percussion
Katy Crawford on bass
Wyman Reese on keys

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Kirsten Opstad Los Angeles, California

Kirsten Opstad is a Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter.

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