This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
I am stuck in L.A through the week, and can?t get away
And you?re alone on the pier in West Palm Beach on your holiday
Stormy nights re-awake the stomachache that I?ve acquired
From feeling down, things look grim and I?m so sick, of being tired
Apartment lights go dark, and it?s depressing but what can I do?
Midnight streets feel dead, when I am so used to driving with you
Brighter lights fill the nights and bluer skies reflect in your eyes
As I inspect and analyze all these dreams I don?t recognize
If you?re still up when the ships in the port, prepare to set sail
Comb the beach and put those blue flowers up in your ponytail
Inside my head your voice is still resounding but what can I do?
The empty rooms feel cold when I am so used to being with you
Count the stars, watch the waves, absorb the summer sun and think of me
When you explore hidden coves and tiny island chains throughout the sea
Can you still hear my voice when I?m outside from over the phone?
For what its worth darling dear, I wish you were here ?cause I feel alone
When you were home, wed sing but since you?ve left I don?t hear anything
And though I feel so sad I can?t believe things are really that bad
Old captains and brand new cruise ships
Sailing over the briny sea
When I crash my beloved desk job
And swim through the debris
I?ll cut loose and leave this madhouse
Bound for the Atlantic blue
I?ll stroll down your tree-lined driveway
And sail the ocean with you
And you?re alone on the pier in West Palm Beach on your holiday
Stormy nights re-awake the stomachache that I?ve acquired
From feeling down, things look grim and I?m so sick, of being tired
Apartment lights go dark, and it?s depressing but what can I do?
Midnight streets feel dead, when I am so used to driving with you
Brighter lights fill the nights and bluer skies reflect in your eyes
As I inspect and analyze all these dreams I don?t recognize
If you?re still up when the ships in the port, prepare to set sail
Comb the beach and put those blue flowers up in your ponytail
Inside my head your voice is still resounding but what can I do?
The empty rooms feel cold when I am so used to being with you
Count the stars, watch the waves, absorb the summer sun and think of me
When you explore hidden coves and tiny island chains throughout the sea
Can you still hear my voice when I?m outside from over the phone?
For what its worth darling dear, I wish you were here ?cause I feel alone
When you were home, wed sing but since you?ve left I don?t hear anything
And though I feel so sad I can?t believe things are really that bad
Old captains and brand new cruise ships
Sailing over the briny sea
When I crash my beloved desk job
And swim through the debris
I?ll cut loose and leave this madhouse
Bound for the Atlantic blue
I?ll stroll down your tree-lined driveway
And sail the ocean with you
Lyrics submitted by JetstyleArmada
Captains and Cruise Ships Lyrics as written by Adam R. Young
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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this song is simpy radical. easily one of my favorites by Owl City. I think Captains and Cruiseships is about two people in a relationship taking a break/exploring new options. the person "in LA" probably didn't really want to take a break, but is doing it for the sake of his partner. He stays in LA to wait for her to get back from "west palm beach", hoping that she realizes that there isn't anyone better for her out there than him. in the meanwhile, he feels lonely and lost without her. my favorite part of this song:
Old captains and brand new cruise ships Sailing over the BRINY sea Wwhen I crashed my beloved desk job And swim through the DEBRIS Ill cut loose leave this mad house all for the atlantic blue Ill stroll down your treelined driveway, and sail the ocean with you.
He eventually starts going crazy without her with him, so he's considering instead of waiting for her to "come back to LA", that he should go to "West Palm Beach" and make a better effort and show her that they belong together.
this song is so nostalgic...i wish I could go back to when it was first released..things were so simple back then...so many songs nowadays are about drugs, sex, etc..songs like this are so under appreciated.
@mysterzz i very much agree with you
this song is amazing, simply amazing. Can't get over how great adam young is!
I see it as a legitimatly sad song. He misses his girl so much, that nothing he does is the same. From driving the streets at night, to simply being alone in his appartment.
i live in west palm beach and my g/f suggested this song to me and she said i would know why immediately. she was right. :) cute song.
i live in west palm beach too :]<br /> i love all theyre songs they relate to me soo well.<br /> <br /> amazing band :]
i used to live in west palm beach for three months out of the year because of my parents odd line of work, and after they got divorced, my dad ended up still going, and my mom and i stayed on our farm in nc. and although a lot of it is about a girl obviously, lines of it remind me of how i used to miss being with my family all together doing what we do in West Palm
I love this song a lot. Right now I can relate to it a lot. :]
go owl city.
its a beautifull song [': owl city make magical music, the music does something with my feelings dunno what but it gives me a special feeling ='D
i know exactly what you mean. i feel the same way
I imagine a boy who misses his girl who left, and now everything feels empty and lifeless. Hes reflecting on the times they spent together and just lonely :( He is waiting for her to realize they were made for each other and when she does they can sail the ocean together :)
i am obsessed with this song right now. i love love love the lyrics. i think its about a boy and girl. The boy is missing the girl so much. She is out doing things and experiincing things. He really wants to do this too.
"Wwhen I crashed my beloved desk job And swim through the depris"