The Water Is Wide
Charlotte Church. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And neither have I wings to fly
Give me a boat that will carry two
And both shall row... my love and i.
Their love is plentive... o'er there it grows
It grows and blossoms like a rose
It has a sweet and pleasant smell
The ship there is and she sails the sea
She's loaded deep as deep can be
But not so deep as the love I'm in
I know not if I sink or swim.
Oh, love is handsome and love is fine
And loves a jewel when it is new
But rain it above it grows so cold
And fades away like morning dew.
The Water Is Wide is a traditional Scottish folk song that has been covered by countless musicians. Charlotte Church's version is a poignant rendering of the song's meaning, as she presents the lyrics with a clear and powerful soprano voice. The first verse speaks of a love that is both fulfilling and yet unattainable. The singer cannot cross the wide water, and cannot fly to the other side, but asks for a boat that can carry two people. The boat symbolizes the relationship between the singer and her lover, and the fact that they must navigate life's challenges together. This verse is a metaphor for the challenges that many relationships face - the obstacles that can seem insurmountable, and the need for two people to work together to overcome them.
The second verse is a celebration of love - its beauty, its strength, and its endurance. The singer describes the love they share as a flower that grows and blossoms like a rose, with a sweet and pleasant fragrance that surpasses all other flowers. This love is something precious and rare, and the singer recognizes this by saying that no flower on earth can surpass its excellence.
Line by Line Meaning
The water is wide, I can not get o'er
The distance between us is vast, and I cannot cross it.
And neither have I wings to fly
I don't possess the supernatural ability to fly over to you.
Give me a boat that will carry two
I wish for a way to reach you, and I'm willing to have us both travel together.
And both shall row... my love and i.
We will work together to overcome this distance and unite in love.
Their love is plentive... o'er there it grows
Their love is abundant and flourishing, despite the distance.
It grows and blossoms like a rose
Their love thrives and matures like a beautiful flower.
It has a sweet and pleasant smell
Their love is attractive and pleasing to the senses.
No flower on earth can it excel.
Their love is unrivaled and incomparable to any other flower on earth.
The ship there is and she sails the sea
There exists a ship that sails the vast ocean.
She's loaded deep as deep can be
The ship is heavily loaded with cargo.
But not so deep as the love I'm in
The love I possess for you is much deeper than even the cargo-filled ship.
I know not if I sink or swim.
I'm uncertain of the outcome of pursuing this love and crossing the distance.
Oh, love is handsome and love is fine
Love is attractive and admirable when it's fresh and new.
And loves a jewel when it is new
In its early stages, love is a precious and valuable gem to cherish.
But rain it above it grows so cold
However, love can become distant and chilly over time.
And fades away like morning dew.
Eventually, love can fade and disappear, like dew evaporating in the morning sun.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@maddiethomas5892
This is so wonderful. I'm learning, but I'll NEVER be that good! The tone!
@jonmison
She is quite extrondinary. But, keep singing and fill your soul! Yay!
@daviladesante2875
I Love Singing This Song with Charlotte Church ♡ in the shower, in my car, in my house when I'm alone to my cats as they run away ♡
@marcellino1956
Voice of an angel
@brianmcd9492
Nice balance between singing and the virtuoso violin's🙂lovely Charlotte well done👍
@roycehipolito9872
Life changing rendition...
@UTU49
I love the live performance of this song by Indigo Girls, Jewel, and Sarah MacLachan... but this version (arrangement and performance) is really nice too.
@buckjohnson1119
The Seekers in the 1960’s sang with Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Keith Potger, and
Bruce Woodley, had beautiful
harmonies in their Folk version, and hit.
@josephbitton2586
She was in Guinness book of world records. She visited place held to be where Jesus was born. She did concert at place where Old temple was in Jerusalem.
@user-ny2el4wb8n
Шарлотка черч поющая иконка богиня