Whales
Set Sail Lyrics


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I went for a swim
a swim in the deep blue sea
and I saw a whale
and he spoke to me
he said he had lost,
lost a sense of direction
there was something in the water
yeah, a murky affliction

they really messed it up again
they really messed it up, my friend
but can we start again
yeah, starting up to beat the end
but where do I begin

I took a deep breath and I went down under
show me the stars and the sky from under water
oh oh water
where the waters clear
mating grounds are near
pacific migration
no hesitation
but now the water is rising
and the stars they aint shining no more

they really messed it up again
they really messed it up, my friend
but can we start again
starting up to beat the end
but where do I begin

cause its all happening
where do I begin
cause if you start to get used to
then your feelings start to lose you

but don't you know you're gonna mess it up again
you're gonna mess it up my friend
but can we start again
starting up to beat the end
you're gonna mess it up again
you're gonna mess it up my friend
but we can start again




starting up to beat the end
but where do I begin

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Set Sail’s “Whales” describe a swim in the deep blue sea where the singer comes across a whale who speaks to him. The whale is lost and confused due to something murky in the water, which has disturbed his sense of direction. The song portrays a sense of environmental warning about pollution and its detrimental effects on sea creatures.


The lyrics also suggest that there might be a possibility to make a new beginning and turn things around. The singer wishes to show the stars and sky from under the water and describes the beauty of mating grounds in clear waters. However, the water has become murky and the stars are not shining anymore, which might indicate how far things have worsened.


The song ends with an acknowledgment of the possibility of mistakes and failure but also with the hope that we can start again and try to do better this time. The lyrics suggest that despite the damage already done, there is still time for redemption if we act now.


Line by Line Meaning

I went for a swim
I immersed myself in the deep blue sea


a swim in the deep blue sea
I swam in the vastness of the ocean


and I saw a whale
I encountered a massive marine mammal


and he spoke to me
The whale communicated with me


he said he had lost,
The whale expressed being directionless


lost a sense of direction
The whale was unsure where to go


there was something in the water
The ocean had become contaminated


yeah, a murky affliction
The water was polluted and causing harm


they really messed it up again
People caused the ocean's problems in the past


they really messed it up, my friend
Humans caused harm to the environment, knowingly or unknowingly


but can we start again
Can we have a fresh start?


yeah, starting up to beat the end
We need to do something to prevent further harm and improve conditions


but where do I begin
The situation is overwhelming, where do we start?


I took a deep breath and I went down under
I held my breath and dove underwater


show me the stars and the sky from under water
I wanted to see the beauty of the sky while underwater


oh oh water
The beauty and importance of water


where the waters clear
In a part of the ocean where the water is clear


mating grounds are near
A place where marine life mates


pacific migration
The migration route in the Pacific Ocean


no hesitation
Without delay or reluctance


but now the water is rising
The sea level is increasing


and the stars they aint shining no more
The stars are no longer visible due to pollution and environmental damage


cause its all happening
Things are changing fast


cause if you start to get used to
When you become accustomed to


then your feelings start to lose you
Your emotions become numb and indifferent


you're gonna mess it up again
There is a risk of repeating the same mistakes


you're gonna mess it up my friend
We have caused environmental harm and it will continue to happen


but can we start again
Can we reset and make a difference?


starting up to beat the end
We must act against environmental degradation before it's too late.


where do I begin
How can we go about making a positive change?




Contributed by Bailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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