The Kooks formed at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music, where they were all students. Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Luke Pritchard, got bassist Max Rafferty involved in a college project, which formed the base of the band. After getting lead guitarist Hugh Harris and drummer Paul Garred involved, they took their name from the song Kooks on the 1971 David Bowie album Hunky Dory. When they tried to trademark the name, they found that in the late/mid 1990s a Swedish band by the same name released an album in Sweden called Too Much is Not Enough.
The Kooks released a debut EP and played gigs around Brighton, where they were based at the time. They were signed to Virgin Records.
2. Swedish indie rock/alternative band - It consisted of members Henrik Berglund, Leo Dahlin, Michael Lohse and Josef Zackrisson, and was active between 1998 and the early 2000's. Micke Lohse and Henrik Berglund are currently members of the band Atomic Swing.
Watching The Ships Roll In
The Kooks Lyrics
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Hoping that I will still be his friend
In the morning
Watching those ships roll by
Wishing that I could move this earth
If I could
For you I would do
I've got nothing to lay at your feet
I just keep hoping
Hope that you will be the man
That I couldn't be
Still watching the oceans move
If only I could show you my soul
And places I've been
Watching the ocean come
And little girls playing in the sand as I walk
Longing to listen to you talk
But I've got nothing to say
And I've got nothing to lay at your feet
I just keep hoping
Hope that you will be the man
That I couldn't be
I've got nothing to say
And I've got nothing to lay at your feet
I just keep hoping
Hope that you will be the man
That I couldn't be
This song by The Kooks, "Watching the Ships Roll In," is a melancholic ballad that expresses regret and longing for a lost friend. The singer watches the ships roll in and wishes that he could still be friends with the person he has lost. He hopes that the person will become a better man than he was and expresses a desire to move the earth for them. The lyrics suggest that the singer has something he wants to share but is unable to articulate it. He longs to listen to the other person talk but feels like he has nothing to contribute to the conversation.
The imagery of watching the ships roll in and the ocean moving is a metaphor for the passage of time and how life moves forward, even if we wish it could slow down. The little girls playing in the sand represent the future and how the singer wants to be a part of it. However, the fact that the singer has nothing to say or lay at the other person's feet suggests that he has already lost the opportunity to be a part of their future.
Line by Line Meaning
Watching the ships roll in
Observing the arrival of the ships at the harbor
Hoping that I will still be his friend
Wishing to maintain a friendship with someone
In the morning
During the early hours of the day
Watching those ships roll by
Observing the passing of the ships from a distance
Wishing that I could move this earth
Desiring to be able to do something significant
If I could
Expressing a hypothetical scenario
For you I would do
Willingness to do anything for someone
I've got nothing to say
Lack of words or conversation topics
I've got nothing to lay at your feet
Not having anything significant to offer or give
I just keep hoping
Holding onto faith or optimism
Hope that you will be the man
Desire for someone to become a better version of themselves
That I couldn't be
Acknowledgment of personal limitations or shortcomings
Still watching the oceans move
Continuing to observe the natural movement of the sea
If only I could show you my soul
Desire to reveal one's true self to someone
And places I've been
Highlights of personal experiences and travels
Watching the ocean come
Observing the tide as it approaches the shore
And little girls playing in the sand as I walk
Noticing the innocent fun and joy of children
Longing to listen to you talk
Yearning to hear someone's thoughts, feelings, or stories
But I've got nothing to say
Once again acknowledging the lack of conversational topics
And I've got nothing to lay at your feet
Reiterating the inability to offer anything significant
I just keep hoping
A recurring sense of optimism
Hope that you will be the man
Repeating the wish for someone to improve themselves
That I couldn't be
Acknowledging the inability to meet certain expectations or standards
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LUKE PRITCHARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind