Sailing On
Adam Jacobs Lyrics
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The sea rocked me to sleep.
And simple dreams would float to me
Like bubbles from the deep.
And sleep was like some opium
I smoked on foreign shores.
And dolphins saw me safely on
as my heartstrings pulled the oars.
And the ship was my bed,
and the waves were my pillow,
and the dark sky breathed,
and the sheets used to billow.
And I'd go sailing on,
Sailing on,
I'd go sailing on my dreams!
Seagulls ricoched against
the diamond-hard blue sea.
Mermaids sang and flying fish
would dance on air for me.
I made it home by sunrise,
as daylight filled the air.
My face was wet with brine and foam
and sand spilled from my hair.
And the ship is my bed,
and the waves are my pillow,
and the dark sky breathes,
and the sheets, they all billow.
And I go sailing on,
Sailing on,
I go sailing on my dreams!
The north wind took me to
God knows where!
Oceans uncharted, drunk with salt air!
Every now and then,
I feel the need to take to sea,
To give myself to whining winds
and just go sailing free,
I only need to lay me down,
breathe so mild and then,
The ocean's rhythm sweeps me up,
and I'm a child again.
And the ship is my bed,
and the waves are my pillow,
and the dark sky breathes,
and the sheets they all billow.
And I go sailing on,
Sailing on,
I go sailing on my dreams!
Sailing on,
Sailing on,
I go sailing on my dreams!
In Adam Jacobs's song "Sailing On", the lyrics describe the singer's childhood memories of being rocked to sleep by the sea and dreaming of sailing in a ship. The first stanza talks about how the singer's dreams were like bubbles from the sea and how they were safely guarded by dolphins. The second stanza talks about how seagulls and flying fish danced for the singer as he sailed on his dream ship. He would always make it back home by sunrise, with sand and foam in his hair.
The third stanza talks about the singer's current need to let himself go and sail free again. He finds solace in being out at sea, swept up by the ocean's rhythm and feeling like a child again. The overall theme of the song seems to be the idea of escapism and finding a sense of freedom and peace within oneself.
Overall, the lyrics are very poetic and vivid, and do an effective job of transporting the listener to the singer's world of dreams and the sea.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was 4 or 5 or 6
When I was a young child
The sea rocked me to sleep.
The ocean made me feel calm and carried me to sleep
And simple dreams would float to me
Like bubbles from the deep.
I would have peaceful dreams that felt effortless and natural
And sleep was like some opium
I smoked on foreign shores.
Sleep felt like a powerful drug that transported me somewhere foreign and unknown
And dolphins saw me safely on
as my heartstrings pulled the oars.
Dolphins, as imaginary companions, protected and guided me as I navigated my dreams
And the ship was my bed,
and the waves were my pillow,
and the dark sky breathed,
and the sheets used to billow.
In my dreams, I was surrounded by the elements of the sea and sky, which felt like a cozy, familiar bed
And I'd go sailing on,
Sailing on,
I'd go sailing on my dreams!
I would fully immerse myself in my dreams and let them take me on a journey
Seagulls ricocheted against
the diamond-hard blue sea.
The sounds of seagulls echoed off the sparkling, crystal-clear water
Mermaids sang and flying fish
would dance on air for me.
In my imagination, mythical creatures would enchant me with their songs and performances
I made it home by sunrise,
as daylight filled the air.
I would return to reality feeling refreshed and energized as a new day began
My face was wet with brine and foam
and sand spilled from my hair.
The remnants of my dream sea journey reemerged in the tangible world
The north wind took me to
God knows where!
Oceans uncharted, drunk with salt air!
Sometimes my dreams would take me to unknown destinations, lost in the wildness of the ocean
Every now and then,
I feel the need to take to sea,
To give myself to whining winds
and just go sailing free,
Occasionally I still crave the adventure, freedom, and wildness of the sea and desire to experience it again
I only need to lay me down,
breathe so mild and then,
The ocean's rhythm sweeps me up,
and I'm a child again.
By relaxing and letting my mind wander, the calming rhythm of the ocean can transport me to a simpler, more childlike state of being
And the ship is my bed,
and the waves are my pillow,
and the dark sky breathes,
and the sheets they all billow.
Once again, the familiar elements of my dream world envelope me and offer comfort
And I go sailing on,
Sailing on,
I go sailing on my dreams!
I surrender myself to the dream world and continue to sail on, always exploring new horizons
Sailing on,
Sailing on,
I go sailing on my dreams!
I repeat the chorus, emphasizing the joy and fulfillment I find in exploring my imagination through my dreams
Contributed by Miles F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.