In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Cursed your captain and stow me below
Hold me amongst all your cards
Oh we were sea bound, and aimless at best
Clutching to the wheel and those charts
But that sea was just a gambler at heart
Oh there we were, the sun hit the starboard
And we were as free as we could be
We waited for land, oh we waited for thee
We aimed to stay calm and cool
But that sea was just a gambling fool
Come to me mary come, you know you once were queen
The ocean is holding all the kings
And tossed aside the weary
How i'd love to steer you straight into those waters
While those daunting clouds above began to pour
And when we're found, we'll kiss that ground
And roll around on that lovers floor
Come to me mary come, you know you once were queen
The ocean is holding all the kings
And tossed aside the weary
The ocean holding everything
And tossed aside the weary
Aw that dreadful, gambling sea
Hold me amongst all your cards
Oh we were sea bound, and aimless at best
Clutching to the wheel and those charts
But that sea was just a gambler at heart
Oh there we were, the sun hit the starboard
And we were as free as we could be
We waited for land, oh we waited for thee
We aimed to stay calm and cool
But that sea was just a gambling fool
Come to me mary come, you know you once were queen
The ocean is holding all the kings
And tossed aside the weary
How i'd love to steer you straight into those waters
While those daunting clouds above began to pour
And when we're found, we'll kiss that ground
And roll around on that lovers floor
Come to me mary come, you know you once were queen
The ocean is holding all the kings
And tossed aside the weary
The ocean holding everything
And tossed aside the weary
Aw that dreadful, gambling sea
Lyrics submitted by AugustOfOmaha, edited by Stockholm, BlimeyMe
That Sea, the Gambler Lyrics as written by Gregory Alan Isakov
Lyrics © THIRD SIDE MUSIC INC.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The song is a metaphor for the navigation of love. Let's take a look.
The first line is a direct parallel to a fight the he may have had with his significant other. "Curse at your captain and stow me below," gives vivid imagery to a literal interpretation. Gregory is the captain of the boat, upon which he feels condemned and shackled to the prison below. "Hold me amongst all your cards," is a metaphor for the game of love being played. (As the song continues this game is referred back to using the words "King" and "Queen." Sadly, as we all know, "king" triumphs "queen.") "oh we were sea bound and aimless at best" is the hopeful optimism inherent in the beginning stages of love: true nostalgia is being communicated. "Clutching the the wheels and those charts," characterizes the tone of the relationship he is singing about: sadness, that neither of them had direction to steer through the rough water/sea that is their love: vast, unpredictable, and truly "aimless." "But that sea is just a gambler at heart" is the reaction to his realization that his love, the sea, was a gamble just like the card game that his significant other plays.
The second stanza is in reminisce. He remembers how "free" their love was at times during the calm of the ocean looking out over the "starboard" on their future together. But the no avail, they "waited for land" and "waited for the". They couldn't find their "ground" so to speak. But they "aimed to stay calm and cool" so as to work through their problems. Sadly, that sea, their love, is just a gamble and has the upper hand.
"Come to me Mary come, you know you once were queen" is an allusion to the biblical Virgin Mary because these waters are uncharted and virgin as well. Queen is used to denote the card game again and to explain that their problems, the King, has the upper-hand in the relationship's love. And the "weary" are tossed aside due to the struggle inherent in relationships. A bridge is inserted with the sounds of lamenting.
Next, Gregory wishes to steer ahead, through the clouds to land where they can heal.
Overall, the song is about navigating love, which is truly a gamble because it's uncharted area. It's beautiful because I think he had closure, but more so because Gregory has great perception of the trials and journey that is a part of finding yourself during love's rapture.