Paper Boat
Papermill Lyrics


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sailing quietly, no icebergs heaving into sight
only slightly worried over the waves
but as they rose, they fell, true to their name
sailing quietly, happy, trusting, serene

was my radar broken? it did not spot
any of those torpedoes approaching near
running there for weeks, months, even years
with broken masts I lie on the seabed to rot

if you're still willing to read my words
you can write this down, pin them on your wall





if you're still willing to read my words
you can write this down, pin them on your wall

Overall Meaning

Papermill's song Paper Boat is a poignant account of a journey that starts out hopeful and smooth, but ends in tragedy. In the opening verses, we hear of a boat sailing quietly, with no signs of danger, and its occupants feeling happy and serene. However, as the waves start to rise and fall, the tone shifts, and there is a sense of apprehension over what might be lurking beneath the surface. The singer wonders if their radar was broken, as they failed to spot any danger ahead.


As the song progresses, we learn that the boat met its demise at the hands of torpedoes, which had been lurking undetected for weeks, months, or even years. It's a devastating blow, and the singer describes feeling broken and defeated as they lie on the seabed to rot. The final lines of the song are a plea to those who might still be listening - a reminder that even in the face of tragedy, there are still lessons to be learned and memories to be preserved.


The lyrics of Paper Boat are beautifully crafted, and the imagery used throughout is both vivid and evocative. The references to radar, icebergs, and torpedoes add a sense of realism and urgency to the tale, while the repeated refrain of "if you're still willing to read my words" reinforces the idea that the message of the song is one that deserves to be heard.


Line by Line Meaning

sailing quietly, no icebergs heaving into sight
We are sailing calmly and without fear, and we do not see any danger ahead.


only slightly worried over the waves
Although we are a bit concerned about the waves, we remain mostly calm.


but as they rose, they fell, true to their name
The waves behaved as waves normally do, rising and then falling back to the sea.


sailing quietly, happy, trusting, serene
We are sailing peacefully and happily, trusting in each other and in the boat.


was my radar broken? it did not spot
I am wondering if my radar malfunctioned because it did not detect danger.


any of those torpedoes approaching near
None of the torpedoes that were approaching our boat were detected by the radar.


running there for weeks, months, even years
We have been sailing for a long time, maybe even years.


with broken masts I lie on the seabed to rot
Our boat has been destroyed, and I am now lying on the seabed waiting to decompose.


if you're still willing to read my words
If you are still interested in my story...


you can write this down, pin them on your wall
You can document my words and remember them for later.




Contributed by Kaylee C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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All comments from YouTube:

@weebman9762

aight got the boat sorted, now the sushi

@AG-yj1jv

This is the best paper boat video I have seen -- need one for float-testing highly charged grit that sticks to metal & plastic. Thank you for this help with my project!

@rileygrundy5208

me following along well: this is pretty nice
the video: 𝗜 𝗔𝗠 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗗

@taashiomichannel5183

Hello

@itxcloudii1237

Saloni Jindal Hello

@fredycanales4828

@@itxcloudii1237 w

@meme7891

@@fredycanales4828
Everyone who wants a good job

@coconutboy8198

Memes never die in any kind of videos 😂

@xemtube

you should have slow'd down from 1:20 to 1:40, I had to rewatch that 5 times to figure out how you folded it that way

@cantthinkofaname9829

YES EXACTLY

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