Magic Man was a band from Providence, Rhode Island and later from Boston, M… Read Full Bio ↴Magic Man was a band from Providence, Rhode Island and later from Boston, Massachusetts that formed around 2009. They began as a duo who grew out of idle hours during a summer in France spent volunteering on different organic farms. Their self-produced debut album Real Life Color was released in 2010. Three years since the release of Real Life Color, Magic Man has evolved from two college students behind a laptop into a five-person band. The band, originally comprised of Alex Caplow and Sam Lee, added Justine Bowe, Daniel Radin, and Joey Sulkowski into the mix, and have added a new indie pop/rock style to their synth-pop roots. Magic Man released their new EP, You Are Here , last September and are planning to release an album soon. Radin left in early 2014, to play with his other band, The Novel Ideas, and he was replaced by Gabe Goodman. Alex previously played with a band called gulls, Sam writes music under the name The Tumbled Sea, and Justine writes music as Photocomfort. You can find their official site at http://magicmanmusic.com/
After years of speculation that the band has split, on August 8th, 2019, the band announced their split via posts on social media.

Like Sailors
Magic Man Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

the eye of a single storm
it has your gaze like i recall from the olden days
why not love this rain, but it's how you feel
after all, after all

like lightning striking ground
i'll name this flood, and paint the town with the things i've found
why not wait for rain, you'll know its real

after all,

i can do what i did; i'll fall asleep for islands

we burned up all the colors, made sure they got our names
drowning just like sailors, learning how to breathe

and all our older brothers took their notes from the shore
shaking their umbrellas under the building roar

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Magic Man's song Like Sailors paint a picture of an intense storm and the emotions that come with it. The metaphor of the eye of the storm represents a significant person in the singer's life, with their gaze capturing their attention like it did in the past. The singer questions why they can't love the rain, possibly meaning the difficult times in their relationship, but then acknowledges that it's about how they feel, and they can't control that.

The lightning striking the ground refers to the realization of the singer's feelings, which they will express in a flood of emotion. They will paint the town with the things they've found, possibly meaning their discoveries about themselves and their relationship. The singer urges the person they're addressing to wait for the rain, as it will help them know what's real after all. In the final lines, the singer implies that they can change the situation, saying that they'll fall asleep for islands, possibly meaning that they'll let go of their relationship to find a better future.

Line by Line Meaning

the eye of a single storm
You have the power to control everything in your life, just like the calm center of a storm.

it has your gaze like i recall from the olden days
I remember the way you used to look at me and now I see that same look in your eyes.

why not love this rain, but it's how you feel
You may not like the obstacles and struggles that come with life, but they are part of your journey and make you who you are.

after all, after all
Despite everything that has happened, at the end of the day, you still have yourself.

like lightning striking ground
The intensity of our love is like a sudden burst of electricity.

i'll name this flood, and paint the town with the things i've found
I have learned so much from you and I want to share it with the world.

why not wait for rain, you'll know its real
Sometimes you have to wait for the right moment to truly understand and appreciate something.

i can do what I did; I'll fall asleep for islands
Whenever life is too overwhelming, I can escape to my own personal paradise.

we burned up all the colors, made sure they got our names
We made a mark on the world and left an impact, even if it was only temporary.

drowning just like sailors, learning how to breathe
We may feel overwhelmed by life's challenges, but we will learn to adapt and grow stronger.

and all our older brothers took their notes from the shore
People have been through similar struggles before us and we can learn from their experiences.

shaking their umbrellas under the building roar
Despite the chaos and noise around us, we can find ways to protect ourselves and stay grounded.

Contributed by Claire T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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