The Longest Johns formed in June 2012 after first singing together at a friend's barbecue. The original line up consisted of Josh Bowker, Andy Yates, Jonathan Darley and Dave Robinson. About a week later, they posted their first video on YouTube, singing "Haul Away Joe." They released their debut EP, Bones in the Ocean, in 2013, the title track of which is still one of their most popular. Their first full album, Written in Salt, was released in 2016, featuring tracks such as Drunken Sailor, Old Maui and Randy Dandy-O.
In June 2018 they released their second album, Between Wind & Water, which contained the smash hit "Wellerman". This recording, as well as the one used in the bands' Sea of Thieves series "Open Crewsing" would go on to cause the viral sensation in the years to come.
In October 2019, the band announced that Anna Cornish would be leaving the band to focus on her other band, The Norfolk Broads.
In March 2020, they released a song titled "Flatten the Curve", urging people to stay indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June 2020, the band released their third studio album, Cures What Ails Ya. This album was the Johns' first album featuring a full array of instruments on half of the songs.
In March 2023, The Longest Johns released a collab album, The Longest Pony, featuring collabs with the Barcelona folk group, El Pony Pisador. The album features the song "Al Pirata Joan Torrellas" which sung only in Catalan.
On 1 May 2023, the band announced the departure of founding member Dave Robinson.
Bones in the Ocean
The Longest Johns Lyrics
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And I paddle away from brave Englad's white sands
To search for my long ago forgotten friends
To search for the place I hear all sailers end
As the souls of the dead fill the space of my mind
I'll search without sleeping 'till peace I can find
I fear not the weather, I fear not the sea
I remember the fallen, do they think of me?
Plot a course thro' the night to a place I once knew
To a place where my hope died along with my crew
So I swallow my grief and face life's final test
To find promise of peace and the solice of rest
As the songs of the dead fill the space of my ears
Their laughter like children, their beckoning cheers
My heart longs to join them, sing songs of the sea
I remember the fallen, do they think of me?
When their bones in the ocean forever will be
When at last before my ghostly shipmates I stand
I shed a small tear for my home upon land
Though their eyes speak of depths filled with struggle and strife
Their smiles below say I don't owe them my life
As the souls of the dead fill the space of my eyes
And my boat listed over and tried to capsize.
I'm this far from drowning, this far from the sea,
I remember the living do they think of me?
When my bones in the ocean forever will be.
Now that I'm staring down at the darkest abyss
I'm not sure what I want but I don't think it's this
As my comrades call to stand fast and forge on
I make sail for the dawn 'till the darkness has gone
As the souls of the dead live for'er in my mind
As I live all the years that they left me behind
I'll stay on the shore but still gaze at the sea
I remember the fallen and they think of me
For our souls in the ocean together will be.
I remember the fallen and they think of me,
for our souls in the ocean together will be
The Longest Johns’ “Bones in the Ocean” is a haunting and evocative song about the journey of a sailor searching for lost friends and a place where all sailors end their journey. The singer bids farewell to the port and the land, paddles away from England’s white sands to find a place where he believes his long lost friends are. The songs describe the sailor’s journey through the dark, turbulent waters where the soul of the dead fills his mind, and he searches without sleeping till he finds peace. The sailor remembers his fallen comrades and wonders if they think of him when their bones in the ocean forever will be.
The song portrays the sailor's longing to find the place where his lost hopes die along with his crew, seeking peace and solace of rest. The songs of the dead fill the space of his ears, and their laughter like children’s, their beckoning cheers make his heart long to join them and sing songs of the sea. He shed a small tear for his home upon land when he reaches the ghostly shipmates he stands before them. The sailor is this far from drowning, trying to make sense of his life and what it all meant. He ultimately stays on the shore but still gazes at the sea, remembering the fallen, and they think of him.
Overall, the song tells the story of a sailor's final journey, the perilousness of the sea and the inevitability of death, and the profound meaning of comradery and the importance of remembering the dead.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, I bid farewell to the port and the land
I am leaving behind my homeland, sailing away from the shore.
And I paddle away from brave England's white sands
I am rowing away from the white sandy beaches of England.
To search for my long ago forgotten friends
I am searching for friends I have not seen in a long time but cannot forget.
To search for the place I hear all sailors end
I am searching for the place that all sailors eventually end up in.
As the souls of the dead fill the space of my mind
I am constantly thinking about the souls of the dead.
I'll search without sleeping 'till peace I can find
I will not rest until I find peace.
I fear not the weather, I fear not the sea
I am not afraid of the weather or the sea.
I remember the fallen, do they think of me?
I remember those who have died, but I wonder if they remember me.
When their bones in the ocean forever will be
Even though they have passed away, their bones will remain in the ocean forever.
Plot a course thro' the night to a place I once knew
I am charting a course in the dark to a place I have been before.
To a place where my hope died along with my crew
I am going to a place where I lost hope and where my crew died.
So I swallow my grief and face life's final test
I am trying to overcome my sadness and confront life's greatest challenge.
To find promise of peace and the solace of rest
I am searching for a place of peace and rest.
As the songs of the dead fill the space of my ears
I can hear the songs of the dead in my ears.
Their laughter like children, their beckoning cheers
Their laughter is like that of children, and they are encouraging me to join them.
My heart longs to join them, sing songs of the sea
My heart wants to join them and sing songs of the sea.
When at last before my ghostly shipmates I stand
When I am finally united with my deceased shipmates.
I shed a small tear for my home upon land
I cry a little for my home on land.
Though their eyes speak of depths filled with struggle and strife
Even though their eyes show that they have been through struggles and difficulties.
Their smiles below say I don't owe them my life
Their smiles suggest that they don't hold me responsible for their deaths.
And my boat listed over and tried to capsize.
My boat tilted to one side and almost capsized.
I'm this far from drowning, this far from the sea,
I am very close to drowning and being lost at sea.
Now that I'm staring down at the darkest abyss
Now I am facing the darkest abyss, the unknown.
I'm not sure what I want but I don't think it's this
I am not sure what I want, but I know it's not this.
As my comrades call to stand fast and forge on
As my fellow soldiers call me to persevere and continue moving forward.
I make sail for the dawn 'till the darkness has gone
I raise my sails and set course towards the sunrise until the darkness is gone.
As the souls of the dead live for'er in my mind
The souls of the dead will live forever in my mind.
As I live all the years that they left me behind
As I continue to live the years that they did not have a chance to live.
I'll stay on the shore but still gaze at the sea
I will remain on the shore but will still look out at the sea.
For our souls in the ocean together will be.
Eventually, our souls will be together in the ocean.
I remember the fallen and they think of me
I remember those who have died, and they remember me.
When my bones in the ocean forever will be.
My bones, like theirs, will remain in the ocean forever.
Contributed by Camden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.