Waterbound
Michael McGoldrick Lyrics


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I went out late one night
moon and the stars were shining bright
storm come up and the trees came down
tell your boys i was waterbound

waterbound on a strangers' shore
river's rising to my door
carried my home to the field below
waterbound nowhere to go

carve my name on an old barn wall
noone would know i was there at all
stable's dry on a winter night
(you) turn your head you can see the night

black ant crawling on an old box car
(it's) a rusty door and a fallen star
(ain't) got a dime in my nation sack
(i'm) waterbound and i can't get back

it's all gone and i won't be back
don't believe me count my tracks
river's long and the river's wide
(i'll) meet you boys on the other side

(so) say my name and don't forget
the water still ain't got me yet




nothing but i'm bound to roam
waterbound and i can't get home

Overall Meaning

In "Waterbound," Michael McGoldrick tells the story of a person who is trapped and bound by the water. The song opens with the singer describing how he went out late at night, and he found himself drawn to the moon and the stars shining bright in the sky. Suddenly, a storm breaks out, and the trees came down. The storm was so severe that the singer finds himself water-bound on a stranger's shore, with no place to go.


The chorus brings the idea that being waterbound had trapped him, as the river's water starts to rise to his door. He is carried to the field below, with nothing to do. He muses on his situation, as he cannot write his name on an old barn wall as no one would know he was ever there.


In the third verse, the singer is wandering aimlessly and sees a black ant crawling on an old boxcar, and he is surrounded by desolate things. He mentions how he's become penniless and carries nothing but a nation sack. He is water-bound and cannot return home. The song concludes with the singer accepting his situation, realizing that he cannot go back. He assures his friends that the water still hasn't caught him, and one day he will meet them on the other side.


Line by Line Meaning

I went out late one night
One night, during the late hours of the darkness, I departed my home.


moon and the stars were shining bright
The light of the moon and stars were shining magnificently.


storm come up and the trees came down
A storm suddenly broke out, causing trees to fall down.


tell your boys i was waterbound
Inform anyone you know that I was trapped by water.


waterbound on a strangers' shore
I am stranded on an unfamiliar shore surrounded by water.


river's rising to my door
Due to intensifying floods, the water level is rising to my door.


carried my home to the field below
My home was swept away by the water and left in the field below.


waterbound nowhere to go
I am stuck and have nowhere to go due to the overwhelming amount of water surrounding me.


carve my name on an old barn wall
I etched my name onto an old barn wall to create evidence of my existence.


noone would know i was there at all
I assumed nobody would become aware of my existence.


stable's dry on a winter night
Despite the winter night's harshness, the stable remains dry and comfortable.


turn your head you can see the night
Turning one's head provides a spectacular view of the nocturnal landscape.


black ant crawling on an old box car
A black ant is crawling on a decrepit boxcar.


(it's) a rusty door and a fallen star
There is a rusted door and a fallen star nearby.


(ain't) got a dime in my nation sack
I am penniless and empty-handed.


(i'm) waterbound and i can't get back
I'm trapped by water, and I can't find my way out.


it's all gone and i won't be back
Everything is lost, and I cannot come back again.


don't believe me count my tracks
If you don't trust me, keep track of my footsteps to confirm my story.


river's long and the river's wide
The river is long and vast, and the other side is out of reach.


(i'll) meet you boys on the other side
I will reunite with you on the opposite side of the river.


(so) say my name and don't forget
Don't neglect to mention my name and remember me always.


the water still ain't got me yet
The water hasn't managed to defeat me just yet.


nothing but i'm bound to roam
I have nothing, and I'm forced to wander aimlessly.


waterbound and i can't get home
I'm confined by water and incapable of reaching my home.




Contributed by David D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@sandraward7512

I went out late one night
Moon and the stars were shining bright
Storm come up and the trees came down
Tell your boys i was waterbound

Waterbound on a strangers' shore
River was rising to my door
Carried my home to the field below
Waterbound nowhere to go

Carve my name on an old barn wall
Noone would know i was there at all
Stable's dry on a winter night
(You) turn your head you can see the night

Black ant crawling on an old box car
(It's) a rusty door and a fallen star
(Ain't) got a dime in my nation sack
(I'm) waterbound and i can't get back

It's all gone and i won't be back
Don't believe me count my tracks
River's long and the river's wide
(I'll) meet you boys on the other side

say my name and don't forget
The water still ain't got me yet
Nothing but i'm bound to roam
Waterbound and i can't get home



All comments from YouTube:

@sandraward7512

I went out late one night
Moon and the stars were shining bright
Storm come up and the trees came down
Tell your boys i was waterbound

Waterbound on a strangers' shore
River was rising to my door
Carried my home to the field below
Waterbound nowhere to go

Carve my name on an old barn wall
Noone would know i was there at all
Stable's dry on a winter night
(You) turn your head you can see the night

Black ant crawling on an old box car
(It's) a rusty door and a fallen star
(Ain't) got a dime in my nation sack
(I'm) waterbound and i can't get back

It's all gone and i won't be back
Don't believe me count my tracks
River's long and the river's wide
(I'll) meet you boys on the other side

say my name and don't forget
The water still ain't got me yet
Nothing but i'm bound to roam
Waterbound and i can't get home

@MrJeffreyromain

The live version with Dirk Powell, Jerry Douglas and company remains my favorite rendition of this song, but this is absolutely lovely too!

@alan56q

I don't usually like Irish/Folk music but this is exceptional...like it a lot

@MorbusCQ

Such a gorgeous tune and the lyrics are just as beautiful.

@mardijohns

I was playing this in my shop yesterday from the Putumayo collection "Celtic Cafe'"...got a call from a guy who had heard it in my shop...he said he had it stuck in his brain for the past 24 hours and was going crazy trying to find out who it was! He just heard it that one time and he was hooked! Great song!

@apm77

For me it came up on an autogenerated Spotify playlist on the weekend and it suited my mood perfectly. It's a great example of a song with layered meanings, the geographical and the psychological. I also felt a resonance with lyrics I've composed myself for never-finished songs (I'm not a professional musician).

@om77bz

I can relate !- i too fell in love with this tune the very first time i heard it

@MrSnod

Absolute masterpiece! such a lifting song.

@dominikpokorny

Love it ♥♥♥

@radharcanna

That's beautiful. Never knew that Mike sang. Who's doing the backing vocals?

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