Cash released her first single in 1979, a duet with Bobby Bare called "We Don't Need No Memories Hangin' 'Round". Two years later, she had her first country No. 1 (and the biggest commercial hit of her career), "Seven Year Ache". Although Cash was a prominent country star throughout the '80s, alongside fellow decade-defining artists Emmylou Harris, Juice Newton, and Dolly Parton, her music was anything but traditional: She topped the charts with songs written not only by herself, but by her father ("Tennessee Flat Top Box"), John Hiatt ("The Way We Make a Broken Heart"), Tom Petty ("Never Be You") and the Beatles ("I Don't Want to Spoil the Party"), "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me", which won her a Grammy in 1985, and "It's Such a Small World", a 1987 duet with Rodney Crowell on his album Diamonds & Dirt, provided further hits. A sampling of these songs and more are included on the compilation Hits 1979-1989. In 1979, she married Rodney Crowell, who was to produce most of her hit records. Their stormy marriage lasted until 1992; its break-up is chronicled in Cash's Interiors and in Crowell's album Life Is Messy. Cash later married John Leventhal, who produced her albums The Wheel, 10 Song Demo, Rules of Travel, and Black Cadillac.
To date, Cash has had more than twenty top 40 country singles, including eleven chart-toppers, but none since 1990, and she has left Nashville in both spirit and body to pursue her artistic vision. Although she had recorded all of her hits for Columbia Records' Nashville division, she released 10 Song Demo for the pop division of Capitol. Cash resurfaced in 2003 with Rules of Travel. The album features guest appearances by Sheryl Crow and Steve Earle, as well as a tune penned by Joe Henry and the Wallflowers' Jakob Dylan. Cash's latest album, entitled Black Cadillac, was released by Capitol Records in January 2006 to critical acclaim. Many of the songs were written by Cash and address the losses (within a 24-month span) of her step-mother, her father, her step-sister (Rosey Nix Adams) and then finally her mother on Cash's fiftieth birthday.
Sea Of Heartbreak
Rosanne Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm like a lost ship adrift on the sea
Sea of heartbreak, lost love, loneliness
Memories of your caress so divine
I wish you were mine again my dear on this sea of tears
Sea of heartbreak
Why did you leave me always to sail?
Sea of heartbreak, lost love, loneliness
Memories of your caress so divine
I wish you were mine again my dear on this sea of tears
Sea of heartbreak
Oh, what I'd give to sail back to shore
Back to your arms once more
Come to my rescue, oh, come here to me
Take me and keep me away from the sea
Sea of heartbreak, lost love, loneliness
Memories of your caress so divine
I wish you were mine again my dear on this sea of tears
Sea of heartbreak
Sea of heartbreak, lost love, loneliness
Memories of your caress so divine
I wish you were mine again my dear on this sea of tears
Sea of heartbreak, sea of heartbreak
The sea of heartbreak
In "Sea of Heartbreak," Rosanne Cash portrays a character who is lonely and lost in the midst of an ocean of heartbreak. The first two lines of the chorus reveal the depth of her emotional turmoil; the harbor lights, a symbol of guidance and hope, don't shine for her. She feels stranded and hopeless, like a lost ship adrift on the sea. The sea itself is a metaphor for her emotional state, emphasizing the emptiness and vastness of her heartbreak.
The second verse reveals a self-reflective side to the character as she wonders how she lost her love and why she failed. The third verse then shifts towards the desire to be rescued from the sea of heartbreak. The woman yearns to return to her lover's arms and be comforted by the affectionate caress she once received.
Overall, "Sea of Heartbreak" is a poignant message of longing, regret, and heartbreak. Rosanne Cash articulates the pervasive feeling of being lost in the sea of deep despair in a metaphorical way that translates to any person who has ever suffered from heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
The lights in the harbor don't shine for me
I feel alone and lost, with no guiding light to lead me to happiness.
I'm like a lost ship adrift on the sea
I'm wandering aimlessly, unsure of where to go or what to do with my life.
Sea of heartbreak, lost love, loneliness
I'm surrounded by a vast ocean of pain, heartache, and isolation.
Memories of your caress so divine
I can't forget the way you used to touch me, the warmth and tenderness of your embrace.
I wish you were mine again my dear on this sea of tears
I long for your love and companionship once more, to help me navigate my way through this difficult time.
Sea of heartbreak
I'm drowning in a sea of heartbreak, struggling to keep my head above the waves.
How did I lose you? Oh, where did I fail?
I'm tormented by the memory of losing you, desperate to know where I went wrong in our relationship.
Why did you leave me always to sail?
Why did you abandon me to a life of loneliness and uncertainty, without any direction or purpose?
Oh, what I'd give to sail back to shore
I would do anything to return to a place of safety and stability, where my heart and soul can rest in peace.
Back to your arms once more
I yearn to be wrapped in your loving embrace, to feel your warmth and comfort again.
Come to my rescue, oh, come here to me
I'm pleading for your help and support, to rescue me from the sea of heartbreak that threatens to consume me.
Take me and keep me away from the sea
I want you to lift me up and carry me to a place of safety, where I can find peace and fulfillment in your love.
Sea of heartbreak, lost love, loneliness
I'm trapped in a cycle of misery and despair, unable to escape the feelings of loss and isolation that haunt me.
Sea of heartbreak, sea of heartbreak
I'm reminded of my pain and sorrow every day, constantly struggling to overcome the emptiness and longing that fill my heart.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Hal David, Paul Hampton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@HeartlandTuber
Singing harmony seems to be a lost art. They do it to perfection.
@fred78988.
Hi 👋
@hevans2110
Roseanne just improves with age like a fine red wine. Props to hubby as well, of course. 💯
@wildwoodflowerroos3672
Your Father Sings it too It 's Beautiful
@rosannecash1701
Hi there🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
Thanks for your love and support that has brought me this far, it has been a hard time for me going through this but your love and support keeps me going and standing strong in this difficult times. I do read your heartwarming comments and I truly appreciate all you’ve done for me throughout the years.
It’s a season of love😍❤️❤️ for me and so I decided to put a smile on the faces of my fans by going through my YouTube channel and checking out on my fans, so I can get to communicate with my fans better through discussion of depth and humor listening to o and criticism of my career.💞💞🙏💖💕💕
@littleredrose6254
I love the way she pronounces, 'memories and caress'. x
@marioizzo5214
There is one hell'uva story in that face, Damn I love her!!!
@tomthomas8472
Thank you Roseanne and John. Gorgeous.
@m2xvdXfs
Her husband is a phenomenal guitarist & adds immeasurably to her great vocal performance. Wish she would do a CD or DVD of this performance & the others in her postings....far exceed any studio performance!!!!
@briartlaw
You are so right 5**,