Wife & Boat
Mighty Sparrow Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I lost meh boat, brother lose he wife
Tragedy in the family
Now this old woman who could hardly see
Giving me sympathy for he

She told me she heard about it and how she felt so sad
She tell me she was so shocked when she heard the news
"Oh meh boy, I know how you must be feeling sad
Ever you′ll think about the treasure you lose."

Knowing fully well I didn't give a damn ′bout the boat
My reply was blunt, I quote: "Not really!"

She was an old wreck from the beginning
She bottom was totally smashed up
She body was mucked up and scratched up
She wasn't good for anything!

Anytime I get inside her
She uses to make more water
Faster than anyone
It's a great relief now she gone!

Well, by and by she began to cry
Shedding tears like if she in pain
I dried her eyes but when she tried
To rebuke me I start again:

Seven sailors did rent she from me one night by chance
A seaside party they had here in Port of Spain
The fools, and them tried to get inside of she all at once
Not realising that she couldn′t take the strain

When she was returned to me I saw naturally




She just wasn′t good again - naturally!

She had a bad crack and a nasty hole
Inside she was smelling of dead fish
For she didn't wash when she finish
So shamed I couldn′t tell a soul!

You see that night I tried to use she,
She began to leak like crazy
Now it's all said and done,
I′m just glad the nastiness gone!

Last Saturday down in the bay
I didn't know really what′s wrong
Why she get so hot and I didn't know what
Was to do just to cool she down

She was never, never a faithful proposition to me
She drained meh pocket for every penny she get, huh!
And brother,
All who come out to play used to come out and play with she
She's gone but she leaves me shamed and heavy in debt

A damn parasite she was,
I′m glad she finished
Good riddance to the old witch!
So you see...

She was an old junk and a worthless thing
Her figure was totally ugly
Her motions erratic and clumsy
Which was most embarrassing

That is why I let meh brother
Turn she over in front meh neighbor
And dab she bottom with paint...
At this point the old lady faint!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mighty Sparrow's "Wife and Boat" seem to be a story of two tragic losses that are not taken too seriously by the singer. He tells the story of losing his boat while his brother loses his wife, and how the old woman gives him her sympathy for his brother's loss. He goes on to explain that the boat was never really worth anything and was a terrible investment even though he tries to make it seem important. In fact, the loss was actually a relief as it had drained him financially, and was always leaking water.


The lyrics seem to suggest that the singer may not be a reliable narrator, as he tries to play down the significance of the two losses, and seems unconcerned for the wife's death or his brother's feelings. His criticism of the boat extends beyond its appearance and performance, and he seems to suggest that it was somehow cursed, with instances of people renting his boat and returning it in a terrible state.


The song is an interesting commentary on how possessions can be seen as more valuable than relationships, and how people can become attached to things that have no real value, either financially or as an important part of their lives. It also expresses how easy it is to detach from people when we feel they no longer serve our interests or when they are a burden.


Line by Line Meaning

I lost meh boat, brother lose he wife
There has been a tragedy in the family - I lost my boat and my brother lost his wife.


Now this old woman who could hardly see
An elderly woman, who had difficulty seeing, gave me sympathy for my loss.


Giving me sympathy for he
The elderly woman was giving me sympathy for my brother's loss.


She told me she heard about it and how she felt so sad
The woman told me that she had heard about the loss and was very saddened by it.


She tell me she was so shocked when she heard the news
The woman told me that she was very surprised to hear the news.


Oh meh boy, I know how you must be feeling sad
The woman empathized with me and knew that I must be feeling very sad.


Ever you'll think about the treasure you lose.
She encouraged me to think about the things that I had lost.


Knowing fully well I didn't give a damn 'bout the boat
I was aware that I didn't actually care about losing the boat.


My reply was blunt, I quote: Not really!
I responded with an abrupt 'Not really!' to the woman's condolences.


She was an old wreck from the beginning
The boat was in poor condition from the start.


She bottom was totally smashed up
The underside of the boat was badly damaged.


She body was mucked up and scratched up
The hull of the boat was dirty and scratched.


She wasn't good for anything!
The boat was practically useless.


Anytime I get inside her
Whenever I got inside the boat.


She uses to make more water
The boat had a tendency to take on water.


Faster than anyone
The boat would take on water more quickly than any other boat.


It's a great relief now she gone!
I felt a sense of relief that the boat was gone and I didn't have to deal with it anymore.


Well, by and by she began to cry
The woman began to cry as I told her about the boat.


Shedding tears like if she in pain
The woman was crying as if she was in pain.


I dried her eyes but when she tried
I tried to comfort the woman, but she was resistant.


To rebuke me I start again:
I started to tell her more about the boat.


Seven sailors did rent she from me one night by chance
One night, seven sailors rented the boat from me.


A seaside party they had here in Port of Spain
They had a party by the ocean in Port of Spain.


The fools, and them tried to get inside of she all at once
The sailors foolishly tried to climb into the boat all at once.


Not realising that she couldn't take the strain
They didn't realize that the boat couldn't handle the weight.


When she was returned to me I saw naturally
When the boat was returned to me, I realized that it was in terrible shape.


She just wasn't good again - naturally!
The boat was ruined and couldn't be fixed.


She had a bad crack and a nasty hole
The boat had a large crack and a hole in it.


Inside she was smelling of dead fish
The inside of the boat smelled terrible, like dead fish.


For she didn't wash when she finish
The boat wasn't cleaned after it was used.


So shamed I couldn't tell a soul!
I was too embarrassed to tell anyone about the state of the boat.


That night I tried to use she
I tried to use the boat that night.


She began to leak like crazy
The boat started to leak uncontrollably.


Now it's all said and done
Now that everything is over and dealt with.


I'm just glad the nastiness gone!
I'm relieved that the boat is no longer around.


Last Saturday down in the bay
Last Saturday, by the water.


I didn't know really what's wrong
I was unsure what was going on.


Why she get so hot and I didn't know what
I didn't know why the boat was overheating.


Was to do just to cool she down
I didn't know how to cool the boat down.


She was never, never a faithful proposition to me
The boat was never reliable for me.


She drained meh pocket for every penny she get, huh!
The boat was expensive to maintain and repair.


And brother,
And, you know,


All who come out to play used to come out and play with she
Everyone who wanted to have fun would do so on the boat.


She's gone but she leaves me shamed and heavy in debt
Although the boat is gone, I still feel embarrassed and in debt because of it.


A damn parasite she was,
The boat was a complete burden.


I'm glad she finished
I'm happy that the boat is no longer a part of my life.


Good riddance to the old witch!
I'm glad that the boat is gone forever.


She was an old junk and a worthless thing
The boat was essentially garbage and not worth anything.


Her figure was totally ugly
The boat was physically unattractive.


Her motions erratic and clumsy
The boat moved around in an unpredictable and awkward way.


Which was most embarrassing
This was highly embarrassing for me.


That is why I let meh brother
This is why I allowed my brother to do what he did.


Turn she over in front meh neighbor
My brother turned the boat over in front of our neighbor.


And dab she bottom with paint...
And painted the bottom of the boat.


At this point the old lady faint!
The elderly woman fainted at this point in the story.




Contributed by Nolan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@stephensheppard908

Story telling in song at its best. He uses picture words so you actually see what is happening. The pure definition of double entendre.

@valramsingh8360

the very best example of top class double entendre