The Ship Song
Nick Cave/Nick Cave Lyrics


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Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you calling 'round

We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
But when I crawl into your arms
Everything comes tumbling down

Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come 'round

Your face has fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly

Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you calling 'round

Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down




We make a little history baby
Every time you come 'round

Overall Meaning

"The Ship Song" is a beautiful love song that relies heavily on maritime metaphors. The lyrics describe two people who are deeply in love and who are willing to risk everything for each other. The imagery of sailing ships and burning bridges creates a sense of adventure and danger, suggesting that the love between the two people is exciting and intense.


The song's opening line, "Come sail your ships around me," is a clear call to action, asking the other person to come closer and take a risk on love. The metaphor of ships sailing around the singer suggests a sense of protection and safety, as if the other person is creating a shield around the singer. The lines "And burn your bridges down / We make a little history baby / Every time you come around" reinforce this sense of danger and excitement. The idea of burning bridges is often associated with taking a risk, and the fact that the two people are making history every time they see each other suggests that their love is going to change their lives forever.


The chorus, which repeats throughout the song, reinforces the idea of the two people making history together. The lines "Come sail your ships around me / And burn your bridges down / We make a little history baby / Every time you come around" are both a call to action and a celebration of the love between the two people. The fact that the chorus is repeated several times throughout the song gives it a sense of urgency and importance.


Overall, "The Ship Song" is a powerful love song that uses maritime imagery to create a sense of excitement, danger, and adventure. The lyrics suggest that the love between the two people is intense and life-changing, and that they are willing to risk everything for each other.


Line by Line Meaning

Come sail your ships around me
Come to me and be near me, like ships sailing around a harbor


And burn your bridges down
Leave behind your past and fully commit to being with me


We make a little history baby
Together, we create a unique and special bond every time we are together


Every time you come around
You have a profound effect on me every time you are near me


Come loose your dogs upon me
Give me all of your passion and intensity


And let your hair hang down
Be unguarded and authentic with me


You are a little mystery to me
I am fascinated by your complexities and unknown parts


We talk about it all night long
We discuss and debate our beliefs and values throughout the entire night


We define our moral ground
We establish our own set of values and principles to live by


But when I crawl into your arms
When I am with you, all of my walls come down


Everything comes tumbling down
All of my past hurts and fears no longer matter when I am with you


Your face has fallen sad now
You are aware that our time together is coming to a close


For you know the time is nigh
You understand that our relationship is not meant to last forever


When I must remove your wings
When I must let you go and allow you to fly on your own


And you, you must try to fly
You must take a leap of faith and move forward, even without me




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@narellegoddard7672

My hubby and me danced to this at our wedding. I played it at his funeral 20 years later. It makes me ball but i love the memories that come with it. RIP darling Peter, see u soon...

@roswellryan9358

much love to you...this will always remain one of my favourite songs...describes how being in love feels so beautifully

@luidee28

<3 ❤

@bostonsandatot4948

Godspeed to Peter

@4everflyn

Love, love, love....oh always around

@armsiemurthafukendee1487

What a beautiful story. What a beautiful song.

23 More Replies...

@fizzygillespie

Leonard Cohen. Tom Waits. And Nick Cave. The Holy Trinity of Songwriting.

@aliaviviana

Same here 👍👐💙

@viktorsegerstedt

Oh god yes

@jensue3034

💜

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