Water is Wide
Bob Dylan & Eric Clapton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Neither have I wings that I could fly
Build me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row my love and I
There is a ship and it sails on the sea
Loaded deep as deep can be
But not as deep as the love I'm in
I leaned my back up against an oak
Thinkin' it was a trusty tree
But first it bent and then it broke
Just like my own false love to me
Oh, love is gentle, love is kind
Gay as a jewel when first it's new
But love grows old and waxes cold
And fades away like some morning dew
The water is wide and I can't cross over
Neither have I wings to fly
Build me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row my love and I
In The Water is Wide, Bob Dylan and The Rolling Thunder Revue sing of an insurmountable obstacle - the wide water that cannot be crossed by the singer. He does not have wings to fly nor the strength to battle against the ocean before him. Rather, he requests a boat that can hold him and his love. Both would row, and both would venture out to the other side of the water together. The hope of making it to the other side lies in this request - a partnership, a shared effort.
The singer's love for his partner is also apparent. He compares it to a ship on a deep sea. The love the singer feels is as deep as the ocean, and there lies a fear that he may sink or swim. The oak tree he leans on is symbolic of trust, for he trusts his love to remain strong and true, just as he trusts the oak to hold him up. Yet, like the tree that bends and breaks, his false love betrays him, and he is left to understand that love is not always as it seems. The gentle, kind love of youth can turn to a cold and fading love, like morning dew that disappears as the sun rises.
Overall, The Water is Wide is a powerful and reflective song about the challenges of love and the hope of finding a shared path through them.
Line by Line Meaning
The water is wide and I can't cross over
The river is broad and wide, and I am unable to cross it.
Neither have I wings that I could fly
I do not possess wings that allow me to fly over the water.
Build me a boat that can carry two
Please construct a vessel that is capable of carrying two people across the water.
And both shall row my love and I
Both of us will work together to row the boat across the water.
There is a ship and it sails on the sea
There is a vessel that sails on the ocean.
Loaded deep as deep can be
The ship has been loaded to its full capacity.
But not as deep as the love I'm in
However, my love runs far deeper than the ship's load.
I know not if I sink or swim
I am uncertain whether I will survive or perish.
I leaned my back up against an oak
I leaned against an oak tree for support.
Thinkin' it was a trusty tree
I believed the tree to be sturdy and reliable.
But first it bent and then it broke
Yet, it eventually gave way and broke.
Just like my own false love to me
Just like my false lover did to me before.
Oh, love is gentle, love is kind
Love is gentle and benevolent in nature.
Gay as a jewel when first it's new
Like a shiny new jewel, love is full of joy.
But love grows old and waxes cold
With time, love becomes dull and frosty.
And fades away like some morning dew
It fades like morning dew that evaporates in the sun.
The water is wide and I can't cross over
The river is broad and wide, and I am unable to cross it.
Neither have I wings to fly
I do not possess wings that allow me to fly over the water.
Build me a boat that can carry two
Please construct a vessel that is capable of carrying two people across the water.
And both shall row my love and I
Both of us will work together to row the boat across the water.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@StartToContinue
Thanks for stopping by! Please consider SUBSCRIBING and SHARING! A 1000 sub contest is brewing so get the word out and share! This channel has no facebook presence, so I leave that to you folks! (see Lookin Through The Bob Shelves: A 30 Year Collection PT2 for all the doubles that may be part of the aforementioned brew)
Always love hearing musicians instantly gel despite whether they know a song or not, but the real treat hear is studio chat after the song. Amazing trade of respect going on here
@susiefairfield7218
yes! would love more cuts of your bootleg stash 💓🔥🎹🎸⚡⚡🙌💜👥💦🌹✌️💀thank you for sharing
@greengiant9739
Yes sir,. Gotta a smile from ear to ear listening to this .. so cool .. 😎...
@StartToContinue
Absolutely! Gotta find more lost audio like that!
@0otee
‘Water and Wine’ makes me think of ‘When I Paint My Masterpiece’ Lovely Guitars🌹❤️🌺🌷👌Piano🌻🌞 Singing.. Jamming freely as they should!
So exited of what ‘Shadow Kingdom’ will be like... July 18th.. feels like we all will be led via darkey spaces into ‘Sounds of Bob’❣️👌 ... we’ll come to see it💥Thanks Woolhall🌺 🌹Dylan🌹🌺🌞
@StartToContinue
Woolhall??? Yeah he's great, but this is STC!
@mario7frankielee
very wonderful
i had it but couldn’t find it in my chaotic folderworld 😱and now you put it right in front of my eyes🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
@StartToContinue
Stay tuned! More to come!
@Leo-uc8zv
He said I listen to you all the time man haha
@0otee
Good to hear how they’re jamming Relaxed and until its becoming Gems❤️🌹👌🎶💥🌞🌺
Like só many before 1976!!!❤️ And after❤️