Gordie's musical genius is applauded by audiences and industry players alike. From his national debut in the early 90's to his presence today on the Nashville writing scene where international recording stars are discovering and recording his material including Faith Hill “Paris” , George Canyon “ My Name”, Keith Urban covering “The Hard Way” and “ You (or Somebody Like You) and the #1 Billboard single and Grammy winner by Carrie Underwood “Jesus Take The Wheel”.
Sampson’s certainly no stranger to the music scene. As a co-writer, guitarist and singer, Sampson played a key role in the Canadian Top 20 success of pop/rock band Realworld in the early 1990s. Gordie then shifted his attention to the more traditional music of his native Cape Breton Island and soon found himself working with the top traditional acts of the day. He continued to expand his horizons by working as musical director for stage and television productions and honing his skills in the studio.
Gordie’s fourth solo album titled “Almost Beautiful” is available now.
Waves
Gordie Sampson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She got no shoes on her feet
She sings for her supper and starves
She's just one voice but it's her only choice
Still nobody puts a nickel in the jar
There ain't nobody changing their ways
They're all just looking for a free ride anyway
That's the thing about waves
Some of them will rest,
In the safety of the harbour
Drifting like a boat without an oar
Some of them will spare a man
And some will take him under
Some of them won't ever see the shore
That's the thing about life
Everything comes in waves
There's a preacher on tv
He's got some good news for me
He's holding the bible like a gun
I say "hey man what gives
If you're so sure that Jesus lives
Why do you take all his money and run"
There ain't nobody changing their ways
They're all just looking for a free ride anyway
The tide keeps on changing, rearranging
That's the thing about waves
Some of them will rest,
In the safety of the harbour
Drifting like a boat without an oar
Some of them will spare a man
And some will take him under
Some of them won't ever see the shore
That's the thing about life
Everything comes in waves
If you are juxtaposition
A theif and a politician
tell me who will forgive you now
Cause you can't go to church on Sunday
Monday go and break the law
Without it all coming back to somehow
There ain't nobody changing their ways
They're all just looking for a free ride anyway
The tide keeps on changing, rearranging
That's the thing about waves
Some of them will rest,
In the safety of the harbour
Drifting like a boat without an oar
Some of them will spare a man,
And some will take him under
Some of them won't ever see the shore
That's the thing about life
Everything comes in waves
It comes in waves
The song "Waves" by Gordie Sampson talks about the ups and downs of life; how life is unpredictable, how we experience things in phases, and that everything comes in waves. The song highlights different characters such as the lady on the street begging for money, the preacher on TV taking money and running, and the politician who is not forgiven even in the church. Each of these characters is facing a different wave, some of them are getting rest while some are being taken under.
The song portrays that people are always looking for a free ride, not wanting to change their ways. The line "There ain't nobody changing their ways, They're all just looking for a free ride anyway" reflects the reality of society. The song also touches on themes of forgiveness and hypocrisy.
In the end, the song concludes that everything in life comes in waves, and some will rest in the harbor while some will take you under. The song seems to be about accepting that life has its ups and downs, that it is unpredictable, but we should keep moving on.
Line by Line Meaning
Little miss lady on the street
A homeless lady on the street being referred to as 'little miss lady'
She got no shoes on her feet
She doesn't have any shoes to wear
She sings for her supper and starves
Her only choice is to sing on the streets since she has no money for food
She's just one voice but it's her only choice
Singing on the street is her only option to survive
Still nobody puts a nickel in the jar
Despite her singing on the street for food, no one is giving her any money
There ain't nobody changing their ways
People are set in their ways and not willing to change
They're all just looking for a free ride anyway
People are always looking for an easy way to get by without putting in much effort
The tide keeps on changing, rearranging
Life keeps changing, which can be unsettling
That's the thing about waves
Life is like the constant waves that keep changing
Some of them will rest,
Some people will have a stable and peaceful life
In the safety of the harbour
They will find refuge in familiar and safe environments
Drifting like a boat without an oar
Some people will go through life without direction, like a boat without control
Some of them will spare a man
Some waves will be kind and help someone in need
And some will take him under
Other waves will be destructive and harm someone
Some of them won't ever see the shore
Some people will struggle and never reach their goals
That's the thing about life
This is just how life is
Everything comes in waves
Life is full of highs and lows
There's a preacher on tv
A preacher on TV preaching his message
He's got some good news for me
He claims to have some positive news for the listener
He's holding the bible like a gun
The preacher is using his bible to try and control others, like a weapon
I say "hey man what gives
The artist is questioning the preacher's motives
If you're so sure that Jesus lives
If the preacher is so sure about his faith
Why do you take all his money and run"
Why does the preacher have to collect so much money?
If you are juxtaposition
If you are a combination of two contrasting things
A theif and a politician
A thief and a politician, two unlikely pairings
tell me who will forgive you now
Who would be willing to forgive such a combination?
Cause you can't go to church on Sunday
The thief still cannot attend church despite his wrongdoings
Monday go and break the law
The thief will still act unlawfully
Without it all coming back to somehow
His actions will come back to haunt him
It comes in waves
This is just how life is, full of highs and lows
Writer(s): Fred Lavery, Gordie Sampson
Contributed by Mia C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.