Captain
Rick Roberts Lyrics


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Once I was livin' for no one but me
Caught in the current of some restless sea
The tempest still rages,
Butut now I'm all right
'Cause I found the Captain,
And he showed me the light
He is my Captain, I am his crew
I weigh the anchor, he sails me through
And when we are gathered
On that further shore
The Captain will call me
To walk through that door
Somebody told me I was wastin' my time
They said the Captain was all in my mind
But I don't believe it,


I know they're wrong
And though I still haven't seen him,
I know i will later on
Look away starboard, look away west
He is the harbor that shelters you best
And when the stormy night's faded away
We can sail on, we can sail on,
We can sail on to a brighter new day
He is my captain, I am his crew
I weigh the anchor, he sails me through
And when we are gathered
On that further shore




The captain will call me
To walk through that door

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the song "Captain" by Rick Roberts allude to the search for meaning and purpose in one's life but finding solace in a higher power or a spiritual leader, as personified in the captain of a ship. The song's protagonist had been aimlessly living only for himself, and caught up in the chaos of life, but found a way to navigate through it all with the help of the captain. The captain becomes a guiding light, leading the way through rough waters and storms that might come their way. The singer puts their trust in the captain and acts as part of the crew. The lyrics use the image of sailing, with the captain as the navigator, steering towards a "brighter new day" and towards "that further shore," which may represent an eventual crossing over into the afterlife or a sense of enlightenment.


The lyrics also acknowledge that the singer has faced criticism and disbelief from others who tell them that the captain is just a figment of their imagination, but the singer remains steadfast in their faith and belief. The song encourages listeners to let go of their fears and doubts, and to embrace the unknown with the captain, who is described as the "harbor that shelters you best." The lyrics grant a sense of comfort and security, that the unseen captain will ultimately guide the way, and that their journey will lead to something greater.


Line by Line Meaning

Once I was livin' for no one but me
I used to live life only for myself


Caught in the current of some restless sea
I was trapped in a life of chaos and uncertainty


The tempest still rages,
The chaos and uncertainty of my past still haunts me


But now I'm all right
But now, I am okay


'Cause I found the Captain,
Because I found the Captain,


And he showed me the light
And he showed me the way out of the chaos and uncertainty


He is my Captain, I am his crew
I am now the crew of the Captain who helped me find my way


I weigh the anchor, he sails me through
He leads me through life's challenges while I support him


And when we are gathered
And when we are united


On that further shore
At the end of our journey


The Captain will call me
The Captain will beckon me


To walk through that door
To enter the next stage of my life


Somebody told me I was wastin' my time
Someone thought I was wasting my life


They said the Captain was all in my mind
They believed that the Captain was just a figment of my imagination


But I don't believe it,
But I don't agree


I know they're wrong
I know they are mistaken


And though I still haven't seen him,
Even though I have yet to physically see him


I know I will later on
I have faith that I will meet him someday


Look away starboard, look away west
Shift your gaze towards the right and the west


He is the harbor that shelters you best
The Captain is the safest place to be when the storm hits


And when the stormy night's faded away
When the tough times are over


We can sail on, we can sail on,
We can continue on our journey


We can sail on to a brighter new day
We can move towards a brighter future


The captain will call me
The Captain will beckon me once again


To walk through that door
To enter a new phase of life




Contributed by Samantha J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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