Alternative tag The Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

The Ozark Mountain Da… Read Full Bio ↴Alternative tag The Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils started in 1971 in Springfield, Missouri in an attempt by the singer/songwriter members to have a vehicle in which to display and promote their music. At first, they played in bars and on porches. However, a record executive from A&M records discovered the band, and they began their recording path.

The original members of the band consisted of:
John Dillion - (vocals, guitars, mandolin, fiddle, piano, harp, autoharp, dulcimer, jawbone, percussion, keyboards)
Mike "Supe" Granda - (vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, mandolin, percussion, chicken squawks)
Buddy Brayfield - (vocals, oboe, piano, harpsichord, organ, percussion, electric piano)
Randle Chowning - (vocals, lead electric & acoustic guitars, harp, national steel, mandolin)
Steve Cash - (vocals, harp, percussion, harpsichord)
Larry Lee - (vocals, drums, acoustic guitar, synthesizer, piano, percussion, saw, saw & board)

The Daredevils peaked commercially in 1973-1974 and were best known for "Jackie Blue" and "If You Wanna Get To Heaven", which both got national coverage. However, there was a wide range of music that the Daredevils produced that was widely missed. The influences of the locale and the talents of the band members produced some unique sounds that could be related to "rockabilly" influences. There was also a good body of music that could be classified as country, rock, ballads, folk or blues.

The band changed throughout the years, but played prevantly throughout the '70s and gained and lost members during that time. To this day, there is still a loyal and avid fan following. There are discs still being released by the group, mostly of past performances in the '70s. In addition, many of the members are currently still working on other interests including Randle Chowning, Larry Lee ("Beyond Reach") Mike "Supe" Granda, and possibly others.

A reunion concert was held in Springfield, Missouri at the refurbished Gilloiz Theatre, in May of 2007. The three nights they performed were entirely sold out, weeks in advance of the concert.

Out On The Sea
Ozark Mountain Daredevils Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Out on the sea, there is an island
Out on the sea, there is a place
Out on the sea there's a wave
With the power to save
All the sailors from the dark and the deep

We used to dance in the shadows
Under the moon's pale light

Away from home and all alone
Turning away into the night
And she would shine like a diamond

Trapped in a clear crystal ring
And the tears in my eyes
Were the stars in the sky
Fading away when she would sing

Out on the sea, there is an island
Out on the sea, there is a place
Out on the sea there's a wave

With the power to save
All the sailors from the dark and the deep

Overall Meaning

The song Out On The Sea by Ozark Mountain Daredevils tells the story of a place in the sea, an island that is like a paradise. The songwriter paints a beautiful picture of this place which is like a haven for sailors who are lost in the dark and the deep waters of the sea. The waves on this island have the power to save the sailors and bring them to the light. The lyrics also refer to a time when the singer used to dance in the shadows, under the moon's pale light, away from home, all alone. The singer mentions a woman who would shine like a diamond trapped in a clear crystal ring. She had the ability to make the tears in his eyes fade away when she would sing. The island in the sea seems to be a beautiful place where the dark and deep sea can't reach and where there is a ray of hope for lost sailors.

The song's lyrics convey a feeling of freedom, hope, and redemption. The sea can be a dangerous and lonely place, but the island in the song is a symbol of hope and serenity. The woman in the song is also a symbol of hope and solace for the singer. The song is beautifully written and arranged in a way that captures the listener's imagination and takes them on a journey to a beautiful place far away from the mundane reality of life.

Line by Line Meaning

Out on the sea, there is an island
There is a far-off island on the sea, beyond the reach of the city.

Out on the sea, there is a place
There is a vast region on the sea that lies outside of civilization.

Out on the sea there's a wave
There is a wave forming in the sea.

With the power to save
This wave has an incredible force.

All the sailors from the dark and the deep
This wave can rescue the sailors who have lost their way in the deep and dark waters of the sea.

We used to dance in the shadows
They used to dance under the cover of the night.

Under the moon's pale light
The pale light of the moon illuminated their surroundings.

Away from home and all alone
They were out of their usual surroundings and felt alone.

Turning away into the night
They would depart into the darkness of the night.

And she would shine like a diamond
She would sparkle and shine like a precious gem.

Trapped in a clear crystal ring
She was trapped, like a precious gem, in a clear ring.