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Swans – What Is This? (2019) | Track profile | Dork

Tracks
Swans
leaving meaning.
What Is This?

TRACK

What Is This?

Release date: 25th October 2019

From leaving meaning.

About This Track

"What Is This?" is a track by Swans, from the album leaving meaning., released 25th October 2019. Full lyrics are available below.

About the Artist

Swans

Swans

Lyrics

What Is This?

[Verse 1: Michael Gira]

There is a star in my throat

In a void there is hope

In a space in between

Runs the milk of release

If motion is time

I am water, I will rise

To your bed on a cloud

Where you stand, where you writhe

Painted red, bleeding gold

Your sword guts the sun

Flesh is torn

Oceans disgorge your love

We are swimming through

Your moonlight pools

The phosphene tides

The writing on your eyes

[Verse 2: Michael Gira]

We drift through stone

We sift our own powdered bones

We wash, we are clean

What is it now that is thinking this thing?

Oh where are you?

What can you do to prove you exist?

Oh what is this?

Who is this singing that which no longer exists?

[Outro: Jennifer Gira]

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Nothing can stop us from becoming nothing now

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From leaving meaning.

2019

Listen

Album

leaving meaning.

Release year

2019

—Cathedrals of Heaven
—Amnesia (leaving meaning.)
—Some New Things
—Sunfucker
—My Phantom Limb
—The Hanging Man
—The Nub
—Annaline
—Hums
—What Is This?
—Leaving Meaning

Watch the music video

Swans — What is This?

Swans — What is This?

What is This?

More from Swans

Albums & EPs

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Soundtracks for the Blind

White Light from the Mouth of Infinity

White Light from the Mouth of Infinity

Children of God / World of Skin

Children of God / World of Skin

The Seer

The Great Annihilator (Remastered)

The Great Annihilator (Remastered)

The Burning World

The Burning World

Explore

More tracks by Swans

Paradise Is Mine (Live)

Newly Sentient Being (Live)

Little Mind (Live)

The Merge (Live)

A Little God in My Hands (Live) (2025)

Guardian Spirit

The Man With The Silver Tongue

The End of Forgetting (Live)

Leaving Meaning (Live)

The Hanging Man (Live)

Cathedrals of Heaven (Live)

Birthing (Live)

The Memorious (Live)

The Beggar (Live)

Michael Is Done

Why Can't I Have What I Want Any Time That I Want?

No More of This

The Beggar Lover (Three)

Los Angeles: City of Death

Paradise Is Mine

Los Angeles: City of Death (Demo)

The Memorious (Demo)

The Parasite (Demo)

No More of This (Demo)

Unforming (Demo)

Paradise Is Mine (Demo)

Why Can’t I Have What I Want Any Time That I Want? (Demo)

Michael Is Done (Demo)

The Beggar (Demo)

Cathedrals of Heavenleaving meaning.

Amnesia (leaving meaning.)leaving meaning.

Some New Thingsleaving meaning.

Sunfuckerleaving meaning.

View all tracks by Swans →

A Little God in My Hands (Live) (2025)
Amnesia (leaving meaning.)leaving meaning.
Away
Away (Live)
Birthing
Birthing (Live)
Cathedrals of Heavenleaving meaning.
Cathedrals of Heaven (Live)
Don't Go
Ebbing

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Credits

Production & Engineering

Writer: Michael Gira
Producer: Michael Gira