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Swimming by Mac Miller II

As we dive deeper into Swimming, no pun intended, more sounds are uncovered and played, leading to different moods. No two songs provide the same feeling, which I personally believe is another factor that makes this album so special.

What’s the Use? is the name of the third song off Swimming, which has all the traits of hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s, while perfectly pulling off the modern touch which Mac has been able to add to it. There are also some notable features on this track, notably Thundercat, who provides the bass guitar throughout the song, and also Snoop Dogg with backing vocals. The synthesiser at the beginning of What’s the Use? is reminiscent of outer space, with its calming aura. The drums then break in, along with Thundercat’s bass and soon after Mac’s chorus, and it becomes instantly impossible to not feel uplifted. What’s the Use? is by far one of the more upbeat and feel-good songs off Swimming. The actual lyrics to this song do generally suit the vibe and Mac talks about some of the better things in his life, however, there always seems to be that dark cloud of drug addiction hanging over him. The chorus’ opening lines are ‘You can love it, you can leave it/They say you’re nothing without it’, which is referring to his relationship with drugs. He does elaborate on this also, saying that when he tries to get clean, there’s always something in him that just craves another while under the influence. Considering that Mac’s death came just 38 days after the release of this album, and the fact that the cause of his passing was an accidental drug overdose, these lyrics become a lot easier to understand, albeit a lot harder to take in. Outside of these references, I find that What’s the Use? is a song that brings endorphins. Because of its catchy chorus and bassline throughout, as the actual music is so uplifting.

Just as What’s the Use? fades out, Swimming’s fourth song, Perfecto begins to fade in. It opens with an ambient and relaxing tone; the drums then break in and it brings an upbeat feel to it. Perfecto has all the credentials of a happy and feel-good song, but similar to What’s the Use?, all becomes more apparent when looking deeper at the lyrics. Some of the lines in the opening chorus, ‘It ain’t perfect but I don’t mind/Cause on the surface I look so fine’ illustrates that from the outside looking in, Mac looks completely fine and that he is really enjoying his life. Whereas in reality, he is struggling with his thoughts and battles with addiction. Once again we see a cleverly used metaphor tied in with the Swimming theme of the album, as the word surface is relating to the ocean, as he is struggling to stay afloat. Another line used in Perfecto is ‘They calling for me from the shore, I need more’, which once again is a reference to water and swimming, as well as a reference to Mac’s ongoing issues. In this case, Mac is in the water, which represents his battle with addiction, and the people calling for him from the shore are his family and friends who are trying to help him get clean. As well as the music, there are a couple of easter eggs found within Perfecto that would bypass many listeners that also contain meanings. For example, just before the outro to the song, you can very faintly hear a door opening, and very shortly after you can hear it close again much louder. The lyrics of the outro are also very hard hitting and I has been debated over time whether Mac is talking about drugs, or a woman. Throughout his career, Mac has personified drugs, referring to them as she or her, and the last line of Perfecto is ‘She put me back together when I’m out of order/Perfect.’ However, the door opening and closing could be someone walking in to a room with him when he is at a low point, and ‘putting him back together’. Astoundingly, this line is also a reworded version of a quote from a Toni Morrison book, which is not only very cleverly done, but shows Mac’s level of intellect and the effort that went into the writing of his music.

Thank you once again for reading this blog. Also, please make sure to follow the blog’s Instagram account @swimmingbyshane to keep informed on any further updates and posts.

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