I Never
Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons Lyrics
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It was gonna take me home
I was never meant for life on the land and I cant make it on my own
Oh captain, My captain
You must turn this thing around
For my charter telling me we are about to run aground
The law they dont abide
Well woman cant burn down your home when you're inside it
Sir you taught me how to hold my breath
And patiently accept my death
It's this my friend I cannot repel
But suddenly you make no sense
And this mutiny it shall commence
If you insist on heading on west, I must slay you
Well I'd never gotten on this ship if I'd known
It was gonna take me home
I was never meant for life on the land and I cant make it on my own
Give me a pot of coffee and a paper bag full of opiates
And I stop my crime and write a book on how to get through it
But until that time, you must agree this plan's look good for you or me
When the sun don't fall-off at sea, I'll manage
Well I give up my world Of concrete and steel
For a book of naught and spinning wheel
And if you think I'm gonna turn back now, you can forget it
Well I'd never gotten on this ship if I'd known
It was gonna take me home
I was never meant for life on the land and I cant make it on my own
The lyrics to Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons's song "I Never" depict the struggles of a character who discovers too late that the ship he boarded is going to take him back home instead of the life on sea he was hoping for. The singer never belonged on land and is unable to make it on his own, which is why he joins the ship. However, upon realizing he is going back to land, he calls out to the captain, asking him to turn the ship around. The singer even threatens to slay the captain if he insists on heading west.
The song captures the frustration and desperation of someone who feels like they are at the mercy of their circumstances. The character has given up his normal life to pursue a life on the sea, but now that it seems that he is heading back to the life he wanted to escape from in the first place, he doesn't know what to do. He longs to go back to the place of pirates, where the law does not abide, but feels trapped on the ship.
The chorus of the song, "Well I'd never gotten on this ship if I'd known it was gonna take me home / I was never meant for life on the land and I cant make it on my own," is repeated throughout the song and highlights the idea of being stuck in a situation that was not expected or desired.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'd never gotten on this ship if I'd known
If I'd known that this ship was going to take me home, I would have never gotten on it.
It was gonna take me home
I didn't want to go home, I wanted to be on the sea.
I was never meant for life on the land and I cant make it on my own
I don't belong on land and I can't survive there without help.
Oh captain, My captain
I respect and trust you as my leader.
You must turn this thing around
You need to change our course.
For my charter telling me we are about to run aground
I have information that we are in danger of crashing.
This is the place of pirates
This is a lawless and dangerous area.
The law they dont abide
Pirates don't follow the law.
Well woman cant burn down your home when you're inside it
You can't be harmed if you're not present when something bad happens.
Sir you taught me how to hold my breath
You taught me important survival skills.
And patiently accept my death
To accept the possibility of dying while at sea.
It's this my friend I cannot repel
I can't fight against my own fate.
But suddenly you make no sense
Your actions are confusing and concerning me.
And this mutiny it shall commence
I'm going to lead a rebellion against you.
If you insist on heading on west, I must slay you
If you don't change our course, I may have to resort to violence.
Give me a pot of coffee and a paper bag full of opiates
I need some caffeine and drugs to cope with the stress of the situation.
And I stop my crime and write a book on how to get through it
If I had the right tools, I could overcome my illegal actions and even teach others how to avoid my mistakes.
But until that time, you must agree this plan's look good for you or me
We need to come up with a plan that works for both of us until I can figure out a better solution.
When the sun don't fall-off at sea, I'll manage
Once the storm passes and things calm down, I'll be able to handle the situation better.
Well I give up my world Of concrete and steel
I left behind the predictable and mundane world of land for the unpredictable and exciting world of the sea.
For a book of naught and spinning wheel
I've exchanged modern comforts for old-fashioned tools and a simpler way of life.
And if you think I'm gonna turn back now, you can forget it
I'm not turning back, I'm committed to this new way of life and the challenges that come with it.
Contributed by Lily W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@OldFumbler
Dude is good. Real good.
@chrisrand675
saw these guys live, opened for The Devil Makes Three, who I wanted to see very badly. Joe Fletcher and the Wrong Reasons were right on par with DM3, maybe even better due to their fresher and grittier sound.