The Water Is Wide
Órla Fallon Lyrics
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And neither have I wings to fly
Give me a boat that can carry two
And we shall sail, my love and I
When love is gentle, and love is kind
The sweetest flower when first it's new
But love grows old and waxes cold
There is a ship, and she sails the sea
She's loaded deep, as deep can be
But not as deep as the love I'm in
I know not how I sink or swim
The water is wide, I can't cross o'er
And neither have I wings to fly
Give me a boat that can carry two
And we shall sail, my love and I
Orla Fallon's song The Water Is Wide delves into the theme of love and its fleeting nature. The opening line, "The water is wide, I can't cross o'er," refers to the enormity of the challenges that prevent the singer from reaching their love. The line "And neither have I wings to fly" indicates that the singer also lacks any supernatural abilities to overcome their obstacles.
The chorus, "Give me a boat that can carry two, and we shall sail, my love and I," expresses the singer's desire to overcome their obstacles with their partner. The verses then move on to express a more despondent view of love. The verse "When love is gentle, and love is kind, the sweetest flower when first it's new" expresses the emotions of a relationship in its initial stages. However, the verse "But love grows old and waxes cold, and fades away like morning dew" indicates that the initial emotional intensity of the relationship subsides, leaving only memories.
Further, the verse "There is a ship, and she sails the sea, she's loaded deep, as deep can be, but not as deep as the love I'm in, I know not how I sink or swim" compares the singer's love to a ship sailing into the vast and unknown sea. The deep love of the singer is compared to the depth of the sea, but the singer is unsure whether they will survive or sink in the journey.
Line by Line Meaning
The water is wide, I can't cross o'er
The vastness of the obstacle in my path is too great for me to overcome
And neither have I wings to fly
I lack the ability to soar over this challenge
Give me a boat that can carry two
Provide me with a means to navigate through this difficulty, together with someone I hold dear
And we shall sail, my love and I
Together, we will brave this trial and emerge triumphant
When love is gentle, and love is kind
At its inception, love is the epitome of tenderness and kindness
The sweetest flower when first it's new
Love, like a fresh flower, is at the height of its beauty and perfection when it first blooms
But love grows old and waxes cold
However, as time passes, love can grow stale, and lose its warmth and vibrancy
And fades away like morning dew
Love can dissipate just as easily and quickly as dew evaporates in the morning sun
There is a ship, and she sails the sea
There exists a vessel, sailing the vast ocean
She's loaded deep, as deep can be
She is carrying a heavy burden, as much as she can hold
But not as deep as the love I'm in
However, the load she carries pales in comparison to the depth of the love I feel
I know not how I sink or swim
Despite my love's strength, I cannot predict whether I will succeed or fail in this endeavor
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEAN-PAUL CABRIERES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JosephAlanMeador
Such a wonderful rendition, these two were meant to go together! The gospel singers in the background gave me chills.
@luisfilipe1603
Mrs. Órla God bless you and your beautiful voice. Take care. From Lisbon 🇵🇹 with love.
@agnbusiness567
Beautiful and still one of my favorite singers of all time.
@gary7264
Beautiful music from a beautiful lady, in every way. Orlagh is a true Lady, all the way.
@thepoetsmuse
Gorgeous! You have got one of the most beautiful voices in the world! ❤️❤️❤️
@shigeruoono5871
💖😘 🤗🤗 i love your singing voice And the gentle melody and beautifully finished herbal tone. This is my lullaby. Thank you, Órla Fallon.
@lanacain
Beautiful song.She has a lovely voice.
@Isaiah_13x
Beautiful song, love it. Thanks for sharing
@aneta73diana
Angel voice 💕
@juju_abacate9753
SO beautiful! You are really amazing! I would love to see you singing with Aline Happ, Malinda, Patty Gurdy and the Harp Twins someday.