BTS’s ‘Swim’ Lyrics Say a Lot About Where They Are in Their Careers Right Now

3 min read

THE RUNDOWN

• BTS released their comeback album, ARIRANG, on March 20.
• The album featured “SWIM” as its comeback single.
• The track highlights the members’ commitment to keep moving forward in their careers.

BTS is officially back. After a nearly four-year hiatus, the K-pop group released their highly anticipated comeback album, ARIRANG, on March 20 and debuted a music video for “SWIM,” the lead single from the project.

The video for the track sees the group—which consists of RM, V, J-Hope, Jin, Jimin, Suga, and Jungkook—looking inward while out on a boat at sea. Riverdale actress Lili Reinhart also makes a cameo in the video and follows the group along their journey to self-discovery. The choice of setting is intentional and folds directly into the meaning of the song, which “centers on the resolve to keep swimming onward through life’s many tides,” a press release for the album revealed. “Rather than resisting the current, the song frames the choice to move ahead at one’s own pace as an expression of love for life itself.”

Ahead of the release of ARIRANG, Jimin shared that “SWIM” reflects where BTS is at now within their career, and signifies their commitment to keep evolving their artistry.

“If the album speaks about our roots, and deep emotions, “SWIM” represents ‘present’—where we are right now,” he said in a decoded message shared with fans on Spotify. “I think this track marks the beginning of a whole new chapter for BTS. Like a current that never stops flowing, we wanted to show that we are still moving forward, at our own pace. The track truly connects our past stories with our future dreams, so please look forward to it. Love you always!”

In a statement, BTS explained that “SWIM” is “a song that mirrors life itself. [We] hope it resonates with many people as they move through each day, taking each moment as it comes, splashing along and continuing to swim forward. The more you listen, the warmer it feels, so [we] hope it becomes a source of strength as people go through their lives. Also, just like the folk song ‘Arirang,’ which has been passed from mouth to mouth and stayed with people through generations, [we] hope “SWIM” will remain close to people’s hearts for a long time to come.”

Watch the video and read the lyrics to the track below.

Swim, swim
Water falling off your skin
Swim, swim
I could spend a lifetime watching you
Swim, swim
This is how it all begins
Swim, swim
I just wanna dive, I just wanna dive

Bad world, gone away and I still wake up in this mad world
Name a place that I could breathe on this map, world
Lookin’ like a goody, goody in this bad world, bad world
Don’t know how to act, girl
I’m in the deep, tell me where the hell you at, girl?
Oh, you ain’t even gotta love me bad, girl
You know that I’m never holdin’ back, girl
Yeah

So easy, don’t make it so hard
Nights like these, I just wanna get lost
Right here with the moon and the sharks
I ain’t gotta think ’bout a thing, baby, I just

Swim, swim
Water falling off your skin
Swim, swim
I could spend a lifetime watching you
Swim (Swim), swim (Swim)
This is how it all begins
Swim, swim
I just wanna dive, I just wanna dive

Water, water so deep, water so deep
Take it off the ground, I ain’t never gettin’ cold feet
Yeah, you know me, yeah, you know me
Sittin’ on the shore, now I’m ready for the whole sea
I can feel the high waves comin’ (Yeah)
Why you run away? You can run in (Yeah)
Salt on my tongue, she’s stunnin’ (Oh)
You’re the only place that I wanna be, yeah

Swim, swim
Water falling off your skin
Swim, swim
I could spend a lifetime watching you
Swim (Swim), swim (Swim)
This is how it all begins
Swim, swim
I just wanna dive, I just wanna dive

Splash (Splash), drift (Drift)
I make waves with my two fins (Two fins)
Splash (Woo), drip (Drip)
I just wanna take it across the line
Under here, we don’t chase the time
Baby, everything can’t be so sad (So sad)
Turn my face from the land
I just wanna dive, I just wanna dive

Swim, swim
Water falling off your skin
Swim, swim
I could spend a lifetime watching you
Swim (Swim), swim (Swim)
Let it all begin
Swim, swim
I just wanna dive, I just wanna dive