Six Months In A Leaky Boat
Tim Finn;Bic Runga;Dave Dobbyn Lyrics

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When I was a young boy
I wanted to sail around the world
That's the life for me, living on the sea
Spirit of a sailor, circumnavigates the globe
The lust of a pioneer, will acknowledge no frontier
I remember you by, thunderclap in the sky
Lightning flash, tempers flare,
'round the horn if you dare

I just spent six months in a leaky boat
Lucky just to keep afloat

Aotearoa, rugged individual
Glisten like a pearl, at the bottom of the world
The tyranny of distance, didn't stop the cavalier
So why should it stop me, I'll conquer and stay free
Ah c'mon all you lads, let's forget and forgive
There's a world to explore, tales to tell back on shore
I just spent six months in a leaky boat
Six months in a leaky boat

Ship-wrecked love can be cruel
Don't be fooled by her kind
There's a wind in my sails
Will protect and prevail

I just spent six months in a leaky boat
Nothing to it leaky boat.

Overall Meaning

The song "Six months in a leaky boat" by Tim Finn, is about a young man who wants to sail around the world, living on the sea, navigating the globe, and acknowledging no frontier. He is full of energy, dynamism, and passion for life. The song points to the difficulties and challenges of long voyages and the harsh realities of life at sea. The lyrics recount the experience of someone who spent six months in a leaky boat, struggling to keep afloat, trying to conquer and stay free.

The verses describe how distance did not stop the cavalier from exploring and tales to tell back on the shore. The tyranny of distance, however, is acknowledged as being real and imposing, yet, it did not stop the singer from pushing the boundaries of his adventure. The chorus repeats several times that the sailor has spent six months in a leaky boat, lucky just to keep afloat, and that there is nothing to it, a leaky boat. The last verse warns that shipwrecked love can be cruel, but the wind in the sailor's sails will protect and prevail.

"Six months in a leaky boat" is a metaphor for life's journey, reflecting that life can be full of hardships, difficulties and challenges, but that it is also about the spirit of the adventurer and the courage to face and explore the unknown. The song is full of energy and the exuberance of youth, yet, it also hints at the harsh realities of life at sea, and the unpredictability of life's journey.

Line by Line Meaning

When I was a young boy
In my youth, I dreamt of sailing around the world

I wanted to sail around the world
I aspired to circumnavigate the globe

That's the life for me, living on the sea
Sailing and living on the sea is my desired way of life

Spirit of a sailor, circumnavigates the globe
A sailor's adventurous spirit takes him around the world

The lust of a pioneer, will acknowledge no frontier
The intense desire of a pioneer knows no bounds or limitations

I remember you by, thunderclap in the sky
I associate the memory of you with a loud thunderclap in the sky

Lightning flash, tempers flare,
In times of lightning flashes, tempers tend to flare

'round the horn if you dare
Sail around the dangerous Cape Horn if you are a daring sailor

I just spent six months in a leaky boat
I recently spent half a year sailing on a boat that had leaks

Lucky just to keep afloat
I was fortunate to have kept the boat afloat despite the leaks

Aotearoa, rugged individual
New Zealand, a nation with a rugged identity

Glisten like a pearl, at the bottom of the world
New Zealand shines brightly like a pearl at the southern end of the world

The tyranny of distance, didn't stop the cavalier
The great distance did not deter the brave adventurer

So why should it stop me, I'll conquer and stay free
If others have conquered the distance, so can I, and I will remain free to do so

Ah c'mon all you lads, let's forget and forgive
Let's put aside our differences and move on, my friends

There's a world to explore, tales to tell back on shore
We have a whole world to explore and stories to share once we're back on land

Ship-wrecked love can be cruel
Love that has failed can be heart-wrenching

Don't be fooled by her kind
Do not be deceived by her pleasant demeanor

There's a wind in my sails
I am propelled forward by the wind in my sails

Will protect and prevail
I am confident that I will overcome any obstacles and succeed

Nothing to it leaky boat.
In the end, a leaky boat is not that big of a deal to overcome

Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, PFIVE Entertainment Mexico
Written by: Tim Finn, Nigel Philip Griggs, Anthony Rayner, Geoffrey Crombie, Neil Finn

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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