We spotted the ocean at the head of the trail
Where are we going, so far away
and somebody told me that this is the place
Where everything's better, everything's safe

Walk on the ocean
Step on the stones
Flesh becomes water
Wood becomes bone

And half and hour later we packed up our things
We said we'd send letters and all those little things
and they knew we were lying but they smiled just the same
It seemed they'd already forgotten we'd came

Now we're back at the homestead
Where the air makes you choke
and people don't know you
and trust is a joke
We don't even have pictures
Just memories to hold
That grow sweeter each season
As we slowly grow old


Lyrics submitted by AL_kaline

Walk on the Ocean (Toad the Wet Sprocket cover) song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

13 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    Wow, John Mayer is so great at singing this song. I am totally in love with the acoustics here.

    JohnMayerRockson June 30, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is absolutely my favoriter song right now...I always thought (and still do) that it's about a guy who had this summer fling that just totally touched him but when the summer is over and they leave the beach, it is over too. So think of how many people you have met and said you would write to but just never did, because it isn't the same. ANd then when he gets home, he has been so touched by this person that his entire world is different. And now all he has is his memories.

    jhten4on July 02, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Oh My God, I flipped out when i found out John did a version of this song. Toad the Wet Sprocket is one of my absolute favorite bands and this songs is sssooo great. I fell in love with it years ago and even I have to say that John's voice just does something to this songs and makes it even better than the original

    skibunnie127on August 12, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "now we're back at the homestead where the air makes you choke" i think its saying like im back to where you were in your life and like saying that you dont like it. and "and people don't know you and trust is a joke" like you grew apart from your friends and changed and now you cant trust peoples words. annd " we don't even have pictures just memories to hold" it went by so fast all we have are the memories. i can relate to that cause me and this guy i dated for almost 3 months broke up a few days ago...and we were really serious and he met some girl and 4 days later they are going out. :(

    SkaliciousInPinkon August 29, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i love the beginning of this song when he sings "we spotted the ocean". ahhh it just makes me go crazy happy.

    Sucker4Johnnyon June 10, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i love the guitar on this song and john's voice makes it all perfect- my fave line has to be the 1st one "we spotted the ocean"- too cute!

    pretty_baby17on July 02, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ahhhh... John does something incredible with this song. I could listen to it over and over again. And before he starts, I love how he says, "This song is pretty angry...". It just does something to me. Well done, John.

    katedavison July 05, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    LOVE this song, he sounds amazing

    flyinghorseson May 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    love love love this song, but i believe that he sings it with Nickel Creek, can anyone confirm?

    atarisgirl12on July 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "We don't even have pictures Just memories to hold That grow sweeter each season As we slowly grow old."

    Love this part of the song. I reminds me of those times that can only be remembered in ur mind and heart. You know like when u smell something and remember that one time. Those priceless moments that u hold on to in ur memory and the more the days past u try even harder to hold on to it cus ur afraid u might forget.

    kweenelleon August 12, 2007   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
Album art
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.