Ships In The Night
Jack Bruce Lyrics


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Ships in the night
Searching for day
Beckoning lips
So far away
Shadows adrift
Hiding from light
Ships in the night
Sometimes you feel
Then again you can't
Morning comes down
Soon after the dance
Time slowly drowns
Streets so unreal
Needing to heal

Harbors of love
Shining so calm
Far beyond pain
Outside of harm
Why must we move
Into the rain
Again

Ships in the night
Riding the waves
Yesterday slips
Into the haze
Memories ripped
Sliding from sight
Ships in the night

Maybe you win
Maybe you lose
Future seems like
Just another ruse
Sirens invite
Us to begin
Come right on in

Harbors of love
Shining so calm
Far beyond pain
Outside of harm
Why must we move
Out of the sun




Into the rain
Again

Overall Meaning

The song "Ships in the Night" by Jack Bruce is a melancholic representation of the all-too-familiar feeling of two individuals passing each other by, like ships in the night, without ever being able to truly connect. The metaphor of ships in the night is used throughout the song to describe the frustration and longing of two people who are searching for a deeper connection. The first verse speaks of how the ships are searching for daylight, highlighting the idea that perhaps the two individuals are searching for a sense of clarity or direction in their lives that they cannot seem to find without the other. The second verse speaks of "harbors of love" that are shining calm and free of harm, they are a symbol of a place where the two individuals can find a safe haven with one another, but they always seem to move "into the rain" again.


The chorus of the song talks about the ships riding the waves and yesterday slipping into the haze, while memories are ripped away and slide from sight. This emphasizes that the ships and the individuals they represent are caught up in the current of daily life and the passage of time, unable to hold on to the moments they shared together. The final verse speaks of the uncertainty of the future, as the ships and individuals may win or lose, and the siren's invitation to begin anew.


All in all, "Ships in the Night" is a poignant and deeply introspective piece of music that portrays the fleeting nature of life and relationships.


Line by Line Meaning

Ships in the night
Navigating through life without direction or purpose.


Searching for day
Endeavoring to find meaning and direction in one's life.


Beckoning lips
The allure of life's pleasures and temptations which distract us from our true desires.


So far away
Elusive and difficult to grasp.


Shadows adrift
Uncertainty and confusion regarding one's path in life.


Hiding from light
Avoiding the truth and trying to hide from reality.


Sometimes you feel
Periods of self-reflection and introspection.


Then again you can't
Difficulty in achieving a clear understanding of oneself and the world around us.


Morning comes down
A new day brings new opportunities to find purpose and direction.


Soon after the dance
The fleeting nature of life and how time seems to pass quickly.


Time slowly drowns
The overwhelming feeling of being lost and alone.


Streets so unreal
Feeling like an outsider in a world that seems fake and unauthentic.


Needing to heal
The desire to find peace and resolution in life's struggles and challenges.


Harbors of love
The hope and comfort provided by close personal relationships.


Shining so calm
The serenity and solace found in the love and care of others.


Far beyond pain
The transformative power of love to overcome life's trials and tribulations.


Outside of harm
Finding protection and safety in the love and care of those closest to us.


Why must we move
The fear of losing the stability and security provided by loving relationships.


Into the rain
The harsh realities of life that threaten to wash away our sense of comfort and security.


Riding the waves
Navigating life's unpredictable challenges with resilience and determination.


Yesterday slips
The fleeting nature of time and the inevitability of change.


Into the haze
The uncertainty and ambiguity of what lies ahead in life.


Memories ripped
The sadness and pain of losing the past and letting go of cherished memories.


Sliding from sight
The fading of cherished memories and the inevitability of change.


Maybe you win
The possibility of finding success and happiness in life.


Maybe you lose
The possibility of experiencing failure and disappointment in life.


Future seems like
The uncertainty and unpredictability of what lies ahead in life.


Just another ruse
The disillusionment and skepticism that can arise when facing life's challenges.


Sirens invite
The allure and temptations of life's pleasures and distractions.


Us to begin
Encouragement to explore life's possibilities with enthusiasm and excitement.


Out of the sun
The difficulty of finding optimism and hope in the face of life's struggles and challenges.


Into the rain
The harsh realities of life that threaten to wash away our sense of stability and security.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JACK BRUCE, PETER H. BROWN, PETER RONALD BROWN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Eugenio Mikolji

Hi Riley. Belated thanks for posting this classic.
Searching for day
Beckoning lips
So far away
Shadows adrift
Hiding from light
Ships in the night
Sometimes you feel
Then again you can't
Morning comes down
Soon after the dance
Time slowly drowns
Streets so unreal
Needing to heal
Harbors of love
Shining so calm
Far beyond pain
Outside of harm
Why must we move
Into the rain
Again ...
Ships in the night
Riding the waves
Yesterday slips
Into the haze
Memories ripped
Sliding from sight
Ships in the night
Maybe you win
Maybe you lose
Future seems like
Just another ruse
Sirens invite
Us to begin
Come right on in
Harbors of love
Shining so calm
Far beyond pain
Outside of harm
Why must we move
Out of the sun
Into the rain
Again ...



All comments from YouTube:

Ed Mace

Incredibly beautiful. Thank you Jack. Let’s not forget Pete Brown’s magically touching lyrics once again.

stlrockn

It's a shame that Jack never enjoyed the kind of commercial success that Clapton did. Eric could not sing like this. This is a masterpiece. I will say though that the outro is one of Clapton's most beautiful recorded moments on guitar. Incredible tone. So simple yet so beautiful.

Phil Egan

Jack Bruce is a musical genius. I have always loved his ability to write original songs. He earned his credentials in Cream and West Bruce and Laing and all his brilliant solo albums. This guy is so underated. My hat goes off for him. Maybe one day a lot more people will catch up and enjoy his tremendous talent.

Charles Shreenan

Cant believe this has only 3490 hits. This is a masterpiece folks !

Jeanne Quintile

Clapton always played his best with Jack.......his solo is so damn sweet and lovely...........<3 to Jack

PietroRumenta

This song is a little piece of paradise, a musical wonder.

Paul Craig

A masterpiece Jack, I followed your music for near on 50 years.

warbird uk

This is SO good Jack with Maggie Reilly It still sends shivers down my spine!

kajmy13

''In 1992, Eric Clapton joined Bruce in the studio. The session resulted in two tracks, “Willpower” and “Ships In the Night”. They can be found on Bruce’s 1992 solo album Something Else as well as his career retrospective, Willpower. In 2001, they re-recorded “White Room” and “Sunshine Of Your Love” from their Cream-days for Bruce’s album, Shadows In The Air.''

Gaby Tiger

R.i.p. Dear Jack ! Wonderful song, amazing

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