Ocean Cloud
Marillion Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

He's seen too much of life
And there's no going back
The loneliness calls him
And the edge which must be sharpened
He's losing it. And he knows.
But there's a fighter in his mind and his body's tough
The years have been unkind but kind enough
The smell of the earth
It's his favourite smell
But he's somehow compelled to the stinging salt hell
To the place where he hurts and he's scared
And there's no one to tell
And no one who doesn't listen

"You can take all the boys and the girls in the world
And I'll trade them this morning for my sweet Ocean Cloud
I've seen too much of life
So the sea is my wife and a sweet Ocean Cloud is a mistress I'm allowed
for now."

"You can take all the boys and the girls in the world
I wouldn't trade them this morning for my sweet Ocean Cloud
I've seen too much of life
So the sea is my wife and a sweet ocean cloud is a mistress I'm allowed
for now."

"Only me and the sea
We will do as we please."

He remembers the day he was marched to the front
By the physical knuckle head teacher of games
"Look lads" he declared, "This boy's a cream puff
No guts and no muscles
No spine and no stuffing"
The whole schoolroom sniggered
And silently thanked God it wasn't them..

But time is revenge. All the bullies grow weak
And must live with faithless women who despise them
I'll be in Barbados in a couple of weeks
With a rum on the table and yarns by the yard
A story to tell and a story to save
..unless she changes her mind
I'll trade them this morning for my sweet Ocean Cloud
I've seen to much of life so the sea is my wife
And the sweet ocean clouds will look down on my boat tonight

The wind changed
I felt it run beneath my ear
Like silk drawn across my neck
A dream of your legs
Defying gravity in love

The medium wave
Brought signals here from far away
Your tender voice riding on the sea spray
Something in the air
For those who know the signs
Something in the air
A storm..

When I was alive
When I was alive
Don't wanna remember
When I was alive

Watch me watch me
Paint this picture
Stretchin Hurtin Cursin
Watch me
Takin it Takin it Takin it Takin it....
Watch me. Watch me. God above..

Between two planets
In between the points of light
Between two distant shorelines
Here am I

Between two planets
In the black daylight of space
Between two heavenly bodies
The invisible man.
Ripping out the radio
I want to be alone

"You can take all the boys and the girls in the world
I wouldn't trade them this morning for my sweet Ocean Cloud
I've seen too much of life
So the sea is my wife and a sweet Ocean Cloud is a mistress I'm allowed
I've seen too much of life




So the sea is my wife
And the sweet ocean clouds will look down on my bones tonight..

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Marillon's song Ocean Cloud tell the story of a man who has seen too much of life, and as a result, he seeks solace in the ocean. He feels a strong connection to the sea, and it is his wife, while the sweet ocean cloud is his mistress. He reminisces about the time when he was bullied by a teacher and how he has now outlived those who made fun of him. The man knows that he is losing it, but he is determined to fight back, and he has the strength to do so. He is haunted by loneliness and knows there is no going back, but he finds comfort in the stinging salt hell because it's where he hurts.


The lyrics suggest that the man is a loner, and his only companion is the sea. He remembers the good memories he shared with the ocean, and how it has been his solace through the years. The man declares that he can trade all the people in the world for his sweet Ocean Cloud, indicating how much he loves and cherishes the sea. The lyrics use powerful imagery and create a sense of nostalgia for a simpler time when life was not as complicated as it is now.


Line by Line Meaning

He's seen too much of life
The singer has experienced a lot and is feeling overwhelmed by it.


And there's no going back
There is no way to undo or forget what the singer has experienced.


The loneliness calls him
Despite feeling overwhelmed, the singer feels drawn towards isolation.


And the edge which must be sharpened
The artist feels the need to mentally and emotionally prepare themselves for whatever comes next.


He's losing it. And he knows.
The artist feels like they are losing control and is aware of it.


But there's a fighter in his mind and his body's tough
Despite feeling overwhelmed, the singer is determined to keep going and persevere.


The years have been unkind but kind enough
While the singer has experienced hardship, they recognize that it has helped shape them.


The smell of the earth
The artist enjoys the scent of nature.


It's his favourite smell
The smell of the earth is something that brings the artist comfort and happiness.


But he's somehow compelled to the stinging salt hell
Despite loving the earth, the artist is drawn towards the harshness of the sea.


To the place where he hurts and he's scared
The sea is a powerful and dangerous place that makes the singer feel vulnerable.


And there's no one to tell
The artist feels like there is no one they can confide in or share their struggles with.


And no one who doesn't listen
Even if there was someone to talk to, the singer feels like they wouldn't understand or care.


You can take all the boys and the girls in the world
The singer is saying that they do not value people or relationships as much as they value the sea and their experiences.


And I'll trade them this morning for my sweet Ocean Cloud
The singer would give up everything and everyone for the peace and solace they find in the sea.


Only me and the sea
The artist feels a deep connection and understanding with the sea, more than they do with any person.


We will do as we please
The artist feels empowered by the ability to make their own decisions and have control over their own life, like they do with the sea.


He remembers the day he was marched to the front
The singer recalls a moment from their past where they were humiliated and shamed by others.


By the physical knuckle head teacher of games
The person who humiliated the singer was someone in power, possibly a teacher or authority figure.


"Look lads" he declared, "This boy's a cream puff
The person shaming the artist was doing so in front of others, drawing attention to their supposed weakness.


No guts and no muscles
The person shaming the artist was targeting their physical weakness.


No spine and no stuffing"
The person shaming the artist was also attacking their character and courage.


The whole schoolroom sniggered
The people around the singer laughed at them and joined in on the shaming.


And silently thanked God it wasn't them..
The other people in the room were relieved that they were not the ones being shamed and humiliated.


But time is revenge. All the bullies grow weak
The singer is saying that over time, those who were once strong and powerful become weak like everyone else.


And must live with faithless women who despise them
The singer is saying that the people who once shamed them will face their own struggles and bad relationships.


I'll be in Barbados in a couple of weeks
The singer plans on leaving and going on a vacation soon.


With a rum on the table and yarns by the yard
The artist looks forward to a relaxing and enjoyable time with good drinks and good stories.


A story to tell and a story to save
The artist is excited to experience new things and have something interesting to share afterwards.


..unless she changes her mind
The singer is relying on someone else (likely a romantic partner) to join them, but they are not sure if they will actually come.


The wind changed
The singer is noticing a shift in the environment and atmosphere around them.


I felt it run beneath my ear
The artist is physically feeling the change in the wind and/or temperature.


Like silk drawn across my neck
The change in the wind feels smooth and sensual to the artist, like a soft piece of fabric.


A dream of your legs
The artist is remembering or fantasizing about someone (likely a romantic partner) they desire.


Defying gravity in love
The singer views their romantic partner as an extraordinary and awe-inspiring force that captivates them.


The medium wave
The artist is describing a type of wave (medium-sized, possibly referring to radio waves).


Brought signals here from far away
The wave the singer is referring to is carrying information and/or communication from a distant source.


Your tender voice riding on the sea spray
The person the singer desires is the source of the voice they hear in the signals, and they imagine it being carried by the waves of the sea.


Something in the air
The singer is sensing something intangible around them, like a feeling or atmosphere.


For those who know the signs
The artist is implying that there is a deeper meaning or understanding to what they are sensing, and it is only known by certain people.


A storm..
The feeling or atmosphere around the artist is building up and becoming more intense, like a brewing storm.


When I was alive
The singer is reflecting on their past self and acknowledging how much they have changed or grown since then.


Don't wanna remember
The singer is avoiding revisiting or dwelling on certain memories from their past.


Watch me watch me
The artist is calling attention to themselves and their actions.


Paint this picture
The artist imagines themselves creating a visual representation of their feelings or experiences.


Stretchin Hurtin Cursin
The artist is expressing the pain and effort involved in their actions or experiences.


Takin it Takin it Takin it Takin it....
The singer is persevering and enduring through whatever they are facing.


God above..
The artist is calling out to a higher power for strength or guidance.


Between two planets
The singer is describing a moment or feeling of being distant and separate from everything else.


In between the points of light
The singer is also referencing the vastness and complexity of space, and how small and insignificant they feel in comparison.


Between two distant shorelines
The singer is imagining themselves as a boat or ship, traveling between faraway locations.


Here am I
The artist is grounding themselves in their present reality and acknowledging their existence and identity.


In the black daylight of space
The artist is describing the contrast between the vastness and emptiness of space with the illumination and visibility that comes with daylight.


Between two heavenly bodies
The singer is feeling pulled and influenced by two different forces or priorities.


The invisible man.
The singer is feeling unnoticed and unseen in the midst of all they are experiencing.


Ripping out the radio
The artist is disconnecting themselves from external influences or distractions that could take them away from their current state of mind.


I want to be alone
The artist desires solitude and privacy in order to fully experience and process their thoughts and feelings.


And the sweet ocean clouds will look down on my bones tonight..
The artist is describing the comfort and familiarity they feel with the ocean and how it will watch over them even after they have passed away.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: IAN MOSLEY (T), MARK KELLY (T), PETER JOHN TREWAVAS, STEVEN HOGARTH (T), STEVEN THOMAS ROTHERY (T)

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@waynehillier

I'm 75 and have only just got into Marillion ABSOLUTELY BRILLANT!! Never too late

@talibe801

Best of Luck in an Ocean of Marillion Music.🤗

@ryanvangent1994

Marillion has a lot of young fans. I'm 18 years old and i really love Marillion. There are still people who listen to real music. Thanks Marillion! This is one of the most beautiful songs ever made. I'm sure of that.

@samjeffs7396

29 or 30 now buddy. I'm just turning 30 and have been a marillion fan since I was a kid.

@oldgriff8559

It's now February 2021 I'm nearly 65 and it's the first time I've heard this masterpiece..what have I been missing for so many years..love Marillion..

@derekgreen2358

Man I'm 88 so keep on listening. It gets even better.

@cockouwehand394

Welcome!!!!!!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

@oldgriff8559

Now nearly February 2024 and my love for this band just keeps growing and growing.

@user-vk7tg3iy7m

Transitions in this masterpiece are just overwhelming...the best I ever heard among the greatest prog rock bands

@stefanmachler8295

My all time favorite Marillion Song! Amazing arrangement, great atmosphere! And some wonderful musicians.

More Comments

More Versions