Southern Cross
Jimmy and the Parrots Lyrics
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On a reach before a following sea
We were making for the trades on the outside
And the downhill run to Papeete
Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas
We got eighty feet of waterline nicely making way
In a noisy bar in Avalon I tried to call you
(Chorus)
Think about how many times I have fallen
Spirits are using me, larger voices calling
What heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten
I have been around the world
Looking for that woman girl
Who knows love can endure
And you know it will. And you know it will.
When you see the southern cross for the first time
You understand just why you came this way
Cause the truth you might be running from is so small
But its as big as the promise, the promise of a coming day
And I'm heading all the way, my dreams are dying
And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain
I have my ship and all her flags are a-flying
She is all I have left and music is her name
(chorus)
So we cheated and we tried and we tested
And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do
You will survive being bested
Somebody strong comes along, makes me forget, forget about loving you
And the southern cross
The lyrics of "Southern Cross" by Jimmy and the Parrots paints a vivid picture of a sailor's journey towards the southern islands. The song is about leaving everything behind in search of something that may be intangible, but worth the search. The first verse talks about the sailor's journey on a boat in search of the southern islands. The lyrics convey a sense of urgency as the sailor is making his way to Papeete. He is determined to reach his destination despite the challenges that lie ahead.
The second verse talks about his lover and the attempts he made to call her from a noisy bar in Avalon. He realizes why she ran away twice when he was on the midnight watch. The chorus then comes in, with the spirits using him and larger voices calling. He has fallen many times in his quest for love that can endure. He has been searching for the woman who understands that love can survive anything.
The bridge talks about the southern cross, referring to the Southern Cross constellation. When he sees it for the first time, he realizes why he came this way, and he understands that the truth he may be running away from is just as big as the promise of a coming day. The final verse acknowledges the difficulties endured in trying and testing relationships, but he hopes that somebody strong will make him forget about loving his current lover. The song ends with the mention of the Southern Cross, the sailor's symbol of hope and inspiration.
Line by Line Meaning
Got out of town on a boat for the southern islands
We left our town on a boat towards the southern islands
On a reach before a following sea
We sailed effortlessly with the waves helping us move ahead
We were making for the trades on the outside
We set sail to catch wind and head towards new opportunities
And the downhill run to Papeete
We looked forward to sailing smoothly downhill to our destination, Papeete
Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas
We found the right direction for our journey towards the Marquesas, with the wind at our back
We got eighty feet of waterline nicely making way
Our boat had a good length, allowing us to sail smoothly
In a noisy bar in Avalon I tried to call you
In a noisy bar in Avalon, I attempted to get in touch with you
But on the midnight watch I realized why twice you ran away
During my watch in the middle of the night, I understood why you left me twice
Think about how many times I have fallen
I ponder how often I have failed in life
Spirits are using me, larger voices calling
There is a greater power influencing my actions and choices
What heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten
We cannot forget the reason why heaven brought us together
I have been around the world
I have traveled extensively
Looking for that woman girl
I searched for the perfect woman for me
Who knows love can endure
Someone who understands that love is a powerful force that can withstand anything
And you know it will. And you know it will.
We believe that love will endure between us
When you see the southern cross for the first time
The first time you see the constellation the Southern Cross, you understand why you embarked on this journey
You understand just why you came this way
You realize the true purpose of your journey
Cause the truth you might be running from is so small
The truth that we try to avoid may be insignificant and unimportant
But its as big as the promise, the promise of a coming day
Despite seeming small, it is as significant as the promise of a new day
And I'm heading all the way, my dreams are dying
I'm still on this journey, but my dreams are fading away
And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain
My love for you is an unbreakable connection, like an anchor tied with a silver chain
She is all I have left and music is her name
My boat is all I have left, and I call her Music
So we cheated and we tried and we tested
We attempted different tactics to succeed, and we failed too many times
And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do
Failing was easy and the norm for us
You will survive being bested
You will survive being defeated
Somebody strong comes along, makes me forget, forget about loving you
When someone better comes along, I will forget about loving you
And the southern cross
The Southern Cross, a symbol of our journey and realization
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Stephen Stills, Richard Curtis, Michael Curtis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fire At Will!
I think this is some of the best Live JB ever. He brings an incredible new energy to one of the most beautiful songs ever written
Chris Maddox of Jimmy's Buffet
it is SOOSOSOSOSO Good. This is actually one of his best singings of this. He turned me onto this... then I dug into CSN... and wow. I love them now too. They have a version of this song, live, on johnny carson, with just the 3 of them on acoustic guitars, that will blow your mind.
songbird1329
he makes the song his own. I love his version, it's so different from CS& N. Love that version too, it's full of harmonies and depth of meaning.
Roger H Werner
You hit on something interesting. Stills wrote the song in melancholia after a breakup. Buffett took this song and made it into something very different, uplifting and happy with a beat with which one can rock out!
Allagí
Best part about Jimmy is that he made a career about what he truly believes in---never dealt much with the politics of the music business, just played music about relaxing and having a drink on a beach somewhere. Some people call that redundant, I call it being true to yourself and your audience.
Former Marine
I would suggest to do a little history research on jimmy Buffett!
Ray
@RelaxedSoundz hopefully he meets the Flying Spaghetti Monster
redneckin transgender Democrat
Jimmy is a fellow Democrat like myself. Praise God for Jimmy
Bruce Wayne
AHHH YEHSS & AHHMEN !!!
Robert R. Hinkle
RIP to David Crosby. Always loved Jimmy's rendition of this song.