Press play on Frank Ocean’s video for “Swim Good” and you’ll have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into. By the time it fades to black, you’ll still feel the same… but in the best way.
“Swim Good” not only defies musical genres, but seasoned critics can’t even decide what the song’s actually about – leaving a damaged past behind to start fresh? Denying his relationship’s inevitable doom? A vaguely implied murder-suicide? True to nature, the reclusive but prolific 2-time winning, 5-times nominated Grammy artist is mum. Whatever conclusions drawn are fine with him, as long as you let him tell the story. Easy enough with his mysterious croon and dynamic vocal range that keep you waiting for every next note.
Ranked as one of Vimeo’s Top Staff Picks, it’s hard to say whether the video makes the song or vice versa. The beautiful cinematography manipulates your expectations. You think you’ve seen it all before, until some totally unexpected element makes the scene extraordinary. (You really haven’t seen a car explode until that car’s a tangerine orange limousine.) Ultimately, “Swim Good” is a choose-your-own-adventure. Stick to the song for windows-down Sunday cruising music, or let the video and Samurai Frank steer you all the way down the gorgeously-shot rabbit hole. Either way, say goodbye to any preconceived notions you might have had about African-American music and videography. You won’t need those where we’re going.
𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘:
“That’s a pretty big trunk on my Lincoln Town Car, ain’t it?
Big enough to take these broken hearts and put ’em in it
Now I’m drivin’ round on the boulevard, trunk bleedin’
And every time the cops pull me over they don’t ever see them
They never see them”