Ships
Manilow Barry Lyrics
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And the dogs played around on the sand
Winter cold cut the air, hangin' still everywhere
Dressed in gray, did he say, "Hold my hand"
I said, "Love's easier when it's far away"
We sat and watched a distant light
We're two ships that pass in the night
We're still here, it's just that we're out of sight
Like those ships that pass in the night
There's a boat on the line where the sea meets the sky
There's another that rides far behind
And it seems you and I are like strangers a wide ways apart
As we drift on through time
He said, "It's harder now we're far away"
We only read you when you write
We're two ships that pass in the night
And we smile when we say it's alright
We're still here, it's just that we're out of sight
Like those ships that pass in the night
We're just ships that pass in the night
And we smile when we say it's alright
We're still here, it's just that we're out of sight
Like those ships that pass in the night
We're just two ships that pass in the night
And we smile when we say it's alright
We're still here, it's just that we're out of sight
The song "Ships" by Barry Manilow tells the story of two people who are close to one another but also distant at the same time, like two ships passing in the night. The singer walks with his father and dogs along the beach, and sees distant lights in the horizon. As they sit and watch, the singer relates his thoughts on how love seems easier when it is far away, something his father agrees with. They talk about how, although they are far apart, they are still here even if they are out of sight.
The second verse, however, adds a new layer of meaning to the song. Amidst the boats near the horizon, there are two that seem to be drifting together but are actually very far apart. This creates a sense of melancholy, as the singer realizes how he and his father are like strangers who are drifting apart from one another. Even though they smile and say "it's alright," they are not really okay with how distant they have become.
Overall, "Ships" is a poignant reflection on how even people who are close to one another can drift apart like ships passing in the night. It highlights the bittersweet nature of human relationships, and how love can sometimes be easier at a distance.
Line by Line Meaning
We walked to the sea, just my father and me
The singer and his father took a stroll to the coast
And the dogs played around on the sand
As they walked, some dogs were frolicking on the beach
Winter cold cut the air, hangin' still everywhere
In the winter weather, the air was chilly and still
Dressed in gray, did he say, "Hold my hand"
The father, who was wearing gray clothing, asked the singer to hold his hand
I said, "Love's easier when it's far away"
The singer suggested that it's easier to love someone from a distance
We sat and watched a distant light
They sat down and observed a light in the distance
We're two ships that pass in the night
The singer and his father are like two ships passing each other in the darkness
We both smile and we say, "It's alright"
Both the singer and his father put on a happy face and say everything is okay
We're still here, it's just that we're out of sight
Although they may not see each other often, they are both still present in each other's lives
Like those ships that pass in the night
Just like ships that pass by each other in the dark, their interactions are brief and fleeting
There's a boat on the line where the sea meets the sky
A boat is visible where the ocean and the sky appear to meet
There's another that rides far behind
Another boat can be seen trailing far behind the first one
And it seems you and I are like strangers a wide ways apart
The singer and his father feel like strangers who are separated by a great distance
As we drift on through time
As time passes, they both continue to move forward
He said, "It's harder now we're far away"
The singer's father acknowledged that it's harder to maintain a connection now that they are physically distant
We only read you when you write
Their primary form of communication is through writing
We're just ships that pass in the night
Once again, the metaphor of ships passing each other in the dark is used to describe their relationship
And we smile when we say it's alright
Despite their distance, they both still smile and pretend everything is okay
We're still here, it's just that we're out of sight
They may not be physically present, but they are both still in each other's lives
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IAN HUNTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind