Shipwreck Man
Andrew Combs Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

All the mirrors in the hall's given up the ghost
But it's never been my mind that I miss the most
The stars dress the wind and they're in my clothes
Am I gone for good?

Shipwreck man with a shaky hand
No anchor to the world, no sight of dry land
Shipwreck man, falling out of view...

Once I saw the future, the future don't last
How can you move forward if you can't look back?
The mirror in the hall is broken and black
Am I gone for good?

Shipwreck man with a shaky hand
No anchor to the world, no sight of dry land
Shipwreck man, falling out of view...

Shipwreck man with a shaky hand
No anchor to the world, no sight of dry land
Shipwreck man, falling out of view...

Tell me, am I gone




Tell me, am I gone
Tell me, am I gone for good?

Overall Meaning

The song "Shipwreck Man" by Andrew Combs is a haunting and introspective reflection on the fragility of life and the inevitability of change. The lyrics describe a sense of disorientation and loss, as the character struggles to find his place in a world that seems to have shifted beneath his feet. The opening lines, "All the mirrors in the hall's given up the ghost / But it's never been my mind that I miss the most," suggest that the singer has lost his sense of self, and is struggling to make sense of his place in the world. The reference to the stars dressing the wind in his clothes is a poetic way of suggesting that he has been buffeted by the forces of nature, and that he is at the mercy of forces beyond his control.


The chorus, which features the repetition of the phrase "Shipwreck man," is particularly powerful, as it captures the sense of isolation and despair that the singer is feeling. The image of a shipwreck is particularly poignant, as it suggests that he is adrift, with no anchor to keep him steady. The final lines of the song, "Tell me, am I gone / Tell me, am I gone / Tell me, am I gone for good?" suggest that the singer is seeking confirmation that he is still alive, and that he still has a place in the world.


Line by Line Meaning

All the mirrors in the hall's given up the ghost
All the mirrors in the hallway are damaged beyond repair


But it's never been my mind that I miss the most
The singer misses something other than his mind the most


The stars dress the wind and they're in my clothes
The breeze that carries the stars is felt by the singer


Am I gone for good?
The singer is uncertain about his status


Shipwreck man with a shaky hand
A man who has lost everything and is unstable


No anchor to the world, no sight of dry land
The man feels lost and directionless


Shipwreck man, falling out of view...
The man is disappearing and no one is noticing


Once I saw the future, the future don't last
The singer saw a future that did not come true


How can you move forward if you can't look back?
The singer questions the ability to progress without reflecting on the past


The mirror in the hall is broken and black
The hallway mirror is shattered and reflects nothing


Tell me, am I gone
The singer needs confirmation about whether he has disappeared


Tell me, am I gone
The singer needs confirmation about whether he has disappeared


Tell me, am I gone for good?
The singer needs confirmation about whether he has disappeared permanently




Writer(s): Andrew Combs, Kenny Childers

Contributed by Peyton A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

Sergej Lovrekovic

everything is just soooooooooooooooo pretty

More Versions