Not Waving but Drowning: Difference between revisions

"Not Waving but Drowning" is a poem by Stevie Smith published in 1957. Its short, dark story concerns a man whose thrashing – whilst drowning in the sea – is mistaken for waving by people on the shore. It is also clear that this is a metaphor for any situation in which a cry for help is misinterpreted or ignored by friends and family.

Musical references

• British composer Joe Duddell's 30 minute work for orchestra and soprano "Not Waving But Drowning" was commissioned by the BBC, written for Catherine Bott and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and premiered at the 2002 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.
• Singer Tanita Tikaram put the poem to music. It was released as a b-side to her 1996 single "I Might Be Crying".
• The band This Heat uses "Not Waving" as a song title, and references the poem fairly directly in the lyrics.
• This poem has also been recorded by the singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt.
• The poem influenced the name of the Australian band Not Drowning, Waving.
• The poem has also been referenced and quoted in the song "Little Maggots", by The Matches, and was the source material for Julian Cope's "Not Raving but Drowning" on his 1991 album "Peggy Suicide".
• The title of the poem is also referenced and quoted in the song "Love Alone" by the Christian alternative rock band Caedmon's Call.
• The poem was paraphrased in a line ("Are you just waving or drowning?") in the song "Innocence" by Kirsty MacColl.
• An alternative metal band from Missouri signed to Takehold Records in 1999 used the name outright as "Not Waving But Drowning".
• The poem was paraphrased in a line ("Are you drowning or waving?") in the 2001 song "Out of this World" by post-grunge band Bush.
• The song "Waving, Not Drowning" by Ocean Colour Scene was written after the lead singer, Simon Fowler, read the poem.

External links

• Stevie Smith reading "Not Waving But Drowning" (includes poem text and poet's picture)