Lost Coastlines
Okkervil River Lyrics

Packed and all eyes turned in, no one to see on the quay
Leaving on a ship with no one there to bid farewell

No one waving for me, just the shoreline receding
Departing from the shore without any goodbyes

Ticket in my hand, I'm thinking "Wish I didn't hand it in"
Regretting giving up the chance to stay on land

'Cause who said sailing is fine?
Questioning the idea that sailing is enjoyable

Leaving behind all the faces
Saying goodbye to people left behind

That I might replace, if I tried on that long ride
Thinking of potential new faces to replace the old ones

Looking deep inside but I don't want to look so deep inside yet
Avoiding introspection for the time being

Sit down, sit down on the prow to wave bye
Sitting at the front of the ship to wave goodbye

There might not be another star further on the line
There may not be any more opportunities to make a new start

Look out, look out at each town that glides by
Observing each new town and location passing by

And there's another crowd to drown in crying eyes
Seeing new crowds of people who are sad and emotional

And see how that light you love now just won't shine
Noticing how something previously cherished has lost its luster

There might just be another star that's high and far in some other sky
Holding onto the possibility of finding something new and better

We sing, "Is that marionette real enough yet
Questioning the reality of a situation or circumstance

To step off of that set to decide what her hands might be doing?
Considering the possibility of changing course and taking control

Ruining the play, to in the ensuing melee escape"
Causing a disruption in order to escape from the current situation

We packed up all of our bags
Collecting all the belongings and getting ready to leave

The ship's deck now sags from the weight of our tracks
The ship is weighed down by the passengers' baggage

As we pace beneath flags black and battered
Feeling anxious and uncertain as we sail

Rattling our swords in service of some faded foreign lord
Serving a distant, outdated cause that no longer matters

And we sail out on orders from him but we find
Following orders blindly, without a clear sense of direction

The maps he sent to us don't mention lost coastlines
The maps are incomplete, lacking important information

Where nothing we've actually seen has been mapped or outlined
Experiencing new locations and situations that are unfamiliar

For we don't recognize the names upon these signs
Encountering names and places that are unknown to us

And every night finds us rocking and rolling on waves wild and wide
Experiencing tumultuous and unpredictable conditions on the open sea

Well, we have lost our way, nobody's gonna say it outright
Feeling lost and uncertain, with no one acknowledging the problem

Just go la la la-la-la-la la-la-la-la
Distracting ourselves from our problems by singing

La-la la-la-la la-la-la la
Continuing to sing and ignore our troubles

Oh-oh oh
Making an exclamation of frustration or confusion