Story Behind The Song
While walking around a marina, I saw a bunch of sailboats off to the side. They had been stripped of their sails and rigging, and looked completely forlorn and forgotten. I thought it was one of the saddest things I'd ever seen.
Song Description
An examination of the "throwaway" culture, and the sadness of things forsaken.
| Song Length |
3:59 |
Genre |
Rock - Easy Listening, Folk - Country |
| Tempo |
Slow (71 - 90) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Poignant, Moving |
Subject |
Existence, Boats |
| Similar Artists |
Jimmy Buffett, Woody Guthrie |
Language |
English |
| Era |
2000 and later |
| |
Lyrics
They sit in the harbor
Their masts are all bare
There's no one to steer 'em
There's no one to care
Their hulls are still sound
And their lines are still clean
They should be out runnin'
with the wind full a-beam
[CHORUS]
But they're lying at anchor
No master, no mate
Drifting along on the currents of fate
They've hurdled the reefsa, and they've weathered the gales
But there's nothing so sad as boats without sails
The fair-weather sailors who motor on by
Just run down the channel
And pass these boats by
A ship in the harbor is safe from the storm
But that's not the reason a ship is built for
[CHORUS]
And they're lying at anchor
No master, no mate
Drifting along on the currents of fate
They've hurdled the reefsa, and they've weathered the gales
But there's nothing so sad as boats without sails
[BRIDGE]
If you're going nowhere, it don't matter much where you've been
Your glory's behind you and you can't sail on yesterday's winds
[INSTRUMENTAL BRIDGE]
[CHORUS]
Now they're lying at anchor
No master, no mate
Drifting along on the currents of fate
They've hurdled the reefsa, and they've weathered the gales
But there's nothing so sad as boats without sails
They've hurdled the reefsa, and they've weathered the gales
But there's nothing so sad as boats without sails